The status of the trauma coordinator position: a national survey.

The trauma coordinator (TC) position is a vital link in the development and operations of trauma care systems. In 1992 and 1993, the American Trauma Society conducted a national survey of TCs to describe the roles and characteristics of the persons who hold those positions. Of 354 trauma coordinators identified in 46 states, more than three-fourths were employed by large hospitals designated as trauma centers. The typical TC was a woman 26 to 59 years old who held at least a bachelor's degree in nursing. Although new as TCs (mean, 3 years as TCs), the respondents averaged 14 years experience in nursing. Both full-time and part-time TCs worked longer hours than scheduled, often had supervisory responsibilities, and generally were in the nursing administration or the emergency department structure. Most TCs worked with computerized trauma registries that were used routinely in quality of care reviews.