Surgical

Upper Limb Fractures

Introduction

This module provides an introduction to the pathophysiology and management of fractures and then provides an overview of the most common upper limb fractures, teaching students.

Content Contributors:

Author: Dr Daniel Chepurin

EDITOR: Dr Phillip St Flour
CONTENT APPROVAL: Dr Michael Hunter

Version History Version
Version 1 – 4 May 2020

  • It requires 30 minutes preparation.

  • It can be taught in 1 hour


Teaching approach

As with all modules, familiarise yourself with the NPMT principles.

this session aims to cover:

  • To understand basic healing principles of bone that guide management decisions

  • To apply anatomy to guide history and examination of upper limb fractures

  • To be able to identify some common upper limb fractures that present to the emergency department

  • To understand which upper limb fractures may need surgical fixation or immediate orthopaedic involvement

Tips & Tricks on running an effective session:

  • Be as interactive as possible

    • Encourage discussion of cases students have been exposed to, or questions they may have encountered in their reading

    • If you are unsure of the answer to questions, indicate sources that could be consulted by students and strategies to solve this question were you to encounter it on the wards

  • Things to include :

    • When to escalate and who to escalate to – calling a rapid response

    • Early management and investigation principles - Being crystal clear on the appearance of a GI bleed and discussing it with patients so they know what you’re asking e.g. appearance of melaena

  • Things to avoid:

    • Spending too much time discussing particular conditions ion depth & getting weighed down with too much detail

From our feedback, the more interactive and ‘put on the spot’ you make the session, the more valuable it will be. Having students think on the spot and share their ideas in a non-threatening environment is key to making the session light-hearted and collaborative so that they can apply what they have learnt at medical school to a clinical patient.

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