First Aid (part 2)

FIRST AID

Everyone Can Learn It And Everyone Should

(part 2 - end)

INJURY EMERGENCIES

Bleeding
Control external bleeding by applying pressur over the bleeding area until bleeding stops or EMS rescuers arrive.

Methods of applying pressure include :

• Manual pressure on gauze or other cloth placed over the bleeding source. If Bleeding continues, do not remove gauze, add more gauze on top and apply more pressur.
• An elastic bandage firmly wrapped over gauze to hold it in place with pressure.The effectivenes, feasibility, and safety of tourniquets to control bleeding by first aid provider are unknown, but the use of tourniquets is potentially dangerous.

There is insufficient evidence to recommend for or against the first aid use of pressure points or extremity elevation to control hemorrhage.

Wound and Abrations
Irrigate wounds and abrasions with clean running tap water for more than 5 minutes or until there appears to be no foreign matter in the wound. Apply antibiotic ointment or cream only if the victim's wound is an abrasion or is superficial.

Burn
Thermal Burn
Cool with cold water as soon as possible and continue at least until pain is relieved. Brief cooling of small burns with ice water may be effective but direct application of ice to a burn may produce tissue ischemia. Avoid cooling of burns with ice or ice water for longger than 10 minutes.

Burn Blister
Loosly cover blisters with a sterile dressing but leave them intact.

Electrocution and Electrical Burns
Do not place yourself in danger by touching an electrocuted victim while the power is on. Turn off the power at its source. In case of high voltage eletrocution, such as that caused by fallen power lines, immediately notify the appropiate authorities. Do not enter the area around the victim or try to remove wires or other materials with any object, including wooden ones, until the power has turned off by knoledgeable personal.

Once the power is off, assess the victim, who may need CPR, defibrillation, and treatment for shock and thermal burns. All victims of electric shock requiere medical assessment because the extent of injury may not be apparent.

Spine Stabilization
First aid rescuer may not be able to conclusively identify a victim with a spinal injury, but they should suspect a spinal injury of injured victim. Manually stabilize the head so that the head, neck, and spine do not move and are kept in line.

Do not use any immobilization devices untill the first aid provider have a training in the proper use of these devices before using them.

Musculoskeletal Trauma : Sprains, Strains, Contusion, and Fractures
Apply cold to soft-tissue injuries. Cold application decreases hemorrhage, edema, pain, and disability. Limit each application of cold to periode less than 20 minutes and place a barrier, such as a thin towel, between the cold container and the skin.

Assume that any injury to an extremity include a bone fracture. Cover open wounds with a dressing. Do not move or straighten an injured extremity. Stabilize the extremity in the position found.


Dental Injury

1. Handle the tooth by the crown, not the root.
2. Clean bleeding wounds with saline solution or tape water.
3. Stop bleeding by applying pressure with a piece of cotton for 5 minues.
4. If there is an avulsed tooth, rinse it in water (do not scrub it), place it in milk, and bring it with you and consult to dentist.

ENVIROMENTAL EMERGENCIES

Snakebite
Do not apply suction as first aid for snakebite. Suction does remove some venom but the amount is very small. In case of an elapid snakebite, wrap a bandage snugly around the entire length of the bitten extremity, immobilize the extremity, and get definitive medical help as rapidly as possible. Wrapping the extremity slow dissemination of venom by slowing lymph flow.

Cold Emergencies
Hypothermia
Immediately begin rewarming a victim of hypotheermia. Move the victim to a warm environment, remove wet clothing, and wrap all exposed body surface with anything at hand, including blankets, clothing, newspaper, etc.

Frostbite
Remove wet clothing and make sure the victim does not develop hypothermia. Get the victim to medical facility as soon as possible.

Drowning
Remove the victim rapidly and safely from water, but do not place yourself in danger. If you have special training, you can start rescue breathing while the victim is still in the water iff it does not delay removing the victim from the water.

POISON EMERGENCIES

Chemical Poisons
Brush powdered chemical off the skin with a gloved hand or piece of cloth. Remove all contaminated clothing and make sure not to contaminate yourself in dhe process. In case of an acid or alkali exposure the skin or eye, immediately irigate the affected area with copious amounts of water.

Ingested Poisons
Milk or Water
Do not administer anything by mouth unless adviced to do so by a poison control center.

Activated Charcoal
Do not administer activated charcoal unless you have been adviced to do so by a poison control center. Activated charcoal is effective for adsorbing toxins, but there is no evidence that charcoal administered bye a first aid provider improves outcome.

Ipecac
Do not administer syrup of ipecac for ingestion. There are several problem with ipecac include lethargy and the potensial hazard of aspiration during emesis.

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