This legendary program was first developed by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) in the early 1980s in cooperation with the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT). PHTLS courses improve the quality of trauma care and decrease mortality. The program is based on a philosophy stressing the treatment of the multi-system trauma patient as a unique entity with specific needs. PHTLS promotes critical thinking as the foundation for providing quality care. It is based on the belief that, given a good fund of knowledge and key principles, EMS practitioners are capable of making reasoned decisions regarding patient care.
PHTLS provides trauma care training for EMTs, paramedics, nurses, physician assistants, physicians, and other prehospital providers. It is the gold standard for prehospital trauma care in 70 countries and is CAPCE-accredited and NREMT recognized.
The 9th edition:
- Teaches and reinforces the principles of rapidly assessing a trauma patient using an orderly approach, immediately treating life-threatening problems as they are identified, and minimizing any delays in initiating transport to an appropriate destination.
- Incorporates ATLS 10th edition guidelines.
- Reinforces control of exsanguinating hemorrhage and mirrors the principles of the MARCH assessment.
- Promotes critical thinking as the foundation for providing quality care with:
- NEW targets for blood pressure with fluid resuscitation.