A head injury teaching module for prehospital assessment

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Emergency Medicine
• Medical Education

Background:

• Head injuries require rapid and accurate neurological assessment.
• The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a standard but has limitations.
• The Full Outline of UnResponsiveness (FOUR) Score offers a detailed alternative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a teaching module and evaluation tool for the prehospital FOUR Score.
• To assess the feasibility and time requirements of the FOUR Score in prehospital settings.

Main Methods:

• Creation of a comprehensive teaching module on brain injury scales.
• Inclusion of GCS and FOUR Score characteristics and demonstrations.
• Participant evaluation of the teaching module and FOUR Score application.

Main Results:

• Participants found the FOUR Score a viable alternative to the GCS.
• The FOUR Score assessment took longer than the GCS.
• The need for a more rapid assessment tool was identified.

Conclusions:

• The FOUR Score is a promising tool for prehospital head injury assessment.
• Further development is needed to optimize assessment time.
• The EMBR Score may offer a more efficient alternative.