The easy to remember mnemonic MARCH reminds us of the priorities in treating casualties during TECC and TCCC situations. MARCH provides a framework to address immediate life threats and gives an organized approach to begin a casualty evaluation. The MARCH mnemonic is preferable to the ABCDE model because it takes into consideration the reason you need an airway and to be breathing is to circulate blood to the casualty’s brain. Recognizing that, the first step in our casualty evaluation should be to look for massive hemorrhage.
Once past massive hemorrhage, A-R-C is loosely approximated by A-B-C. H- is a reminder that a large number of traumatic casualties arrive at the emergency department or medical treatment facility hypothermic which dramatically increases their death rate.
The MARCH mnemonic can be applied to any patient, as the initial casualty evaluation usually rules out massive hemorrhage.
Proven commercially available tourniquets are always our first choice. 🕖 Reading Time, 3 minutes Though many say improvised tourniquets don’t work, 12 students in a recent class all successfully made them work, when using appropriate materials, verified by Doppler ultrasound. …
🕖 Reading Time, 5 minutes After a recent trip to Thailand teaching with the College of Remote and Offshore Medicine, many students wanted recommendations on travel medicine, medications, and vaccinations. While most travelers to the developing world and tropical destinations …
Emergency cricothyrotomy 🕖 Reading Time, 2 minutes Although dedicated medical equipment is always preferred, if the only thing that is going to keep someone from dying is a creative solution, you better get creative. Using everyday items, including a Zebra …
Kneeling on the casualty’s groin for distal hemorrhage control When I was in the Special Forces Medical Sergeants course a very long time ago, I was taught a stopgap measure…
🕖 Reading Time, 2 minutes While recently in Brisbane, Australia I had the opportunity to ride with a High Acuity Response Unit (HARU) paramedic for the Queensland Ambulance Service. HARU paramedics are a select group of critical care paramedics with …
🕖 Reading Time, 1 minutes Dragging a casualty with a slung weapon presents a safety problem. Learn what it is & how to deal with it. https://vimeo.com/276675578
