Traumahoitoja

Traumahoitoja refers to professionals who provide care for patients with traumatic injuries across prehospital and hospital settings. They perform rapid assessment and stabilization, prioritize life-saving interventions, and begin definitive treatment for injuries caused by accidents, violence, or other trauma events. Core responsibilities include airway management, breathing support, circulation stabilization, hemorrhage control, immobilization of suspected fractures or spine injuries, and pain relief. They conduct trauma surveys, monitor vital signs, administer necessary medications, and coordinate timely transfer to appropriate facilities.

Work settings vary by system. In the prehospital environment, traumahoitoja work in ambulances, air ambulances, or rapid-response units as part of emergency medical services. In hospitals, they are integral to trauma teams within emergency departments, surgical units, and intensive care units, collaborating with surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, radiologists, and other specialists. Their work requires coordination with dispatchers, hospital bed management, and transfer protocols to ensure continuity of care from the scene to definitive treatment.

Education and training typically combine nursing or paramedic qualifications with specialized trauma or emergency medicine training. Ongoing professional development is common, including certifications such as ACLS (advanced cardiovascular life support), ATLS (advanced trauma life support), and PHTLS (prehospital trauma life support), along with institution-specific guidelines and drills.

In the health system, traumahoitoja contribute to rapid triage, early stabilization, and smooth handovers, supporting outcomes for severely injured patients while adhering to evidence-based protocols, patient safety standards, and ethical considerations. See also emergency medical services, trauma care, triage, ATLS, ACLS.