first-aid

Burns

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 17:28:19 +0100

Burns- any injury involving the skin, including muscles, bones, nerves and blood vessels. This results from heat, chemical, electrical or solar or other forms of radiation.

Common Cause:
1. Carelessness with the matches and cigarette smoking.
2. Scald from hot liquid.
3. Defective heating, cooking and electrical equipment.
4. Immersion in overheated bath water.
5. Use of such chemicals, as lye, strong acids and strong detergents.

Factors to Determine the Seriousness of Thermal Burns:
1. The depth, the deeper the burn, the more severe it is. Three depth classifications are used:
superficial, First degree, sunburn
Partial thickness, second degree burns
Full thickness, third degree burns
2. The extent to the affected body surface are. This means estimating how much body surface area are burn covers.
3. Location of the burns. Burns on the face, hands, feet and genitals are more severe than on other body parts.
4. Victim's age and medical condition. Determine it other injuries or pre-existing medical problems exist or if the victims is elderly ( over 55) or young(under 5)

Soft Tissue Injuries

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 17:28:46 +0100

Wound is a break int the continuity of a tissue of the body either internal or external.

Two Classification of Wound
1. Close Wound- involves the underlying tissue without break/ damage in the skin or mucous membrane.
Causes
-> Blunt object result in contusion or bruises.
-> Application of external forces.

Signs and Symptoms
-> Pain and tenderness
-> Swelling
-> Discoloration
-> Hematoma
-> Uncontrolled restlessness
-> Thirst
-> Symptoms of shock
-> Vomiting or cough- up blood
-> Passage of blood in the urine or feces
-> Sign of blood along mouth, nose, and ear canal

First Aid Measure
1. Ice application
2. Splinting

2. Open Wound
-> Puncture- deep and narrow serious or slight bleeding cause by penetrating instruments such as nails, ice picks, daggers and many more
-> Abrasion- Shallow, wide, oozing of blood, dirty cause by scrapping or rubbing against rough surfaces.
-> Laceration- torn with irregular edges, serious or slight bleeding cause by blunt instruments such as shrapnel, rocks, broken glasses and many more.
-> Avulsion- tissue forcefully separated from the body cause by explosion, animal bites, mishandling of tools and many more.
-> Incision- clean cut, deep severe bleeding, wound is clean cause by sharp bladed instruments such as blades, razor, etc

First Aid Measure
1 Control bleeding
2. Cover the wound with dressing and secure with bandage
3. Care for shock
4. Consult a health care professionals

Minor wounds not severe can be treated at home

Clean the wound with soap and water
Apply mild antiseptics or antibiotics ointment/ cream
Cover wound with dressing and bandage

Things to Remember

All wounds must be thoroughly inspected and covered with a dry dressing to control bleeding and prevent further contamination.
Once bleeding is controlled by compression, the limb should be splinted to further control the bleeding, stabilize the injured part, minimize the victim's pain and facilitate the patients transport to the hospital.
As with closed soft tissue injuries, the injured part should be elevated to just above the level of the victim's heart to minimize severity.
Amputated body parts should be saved, wrapped in a dry gauze, placed in a plastic bag, kept cool, and transported together with the patient.
Don't induce further bleeding to clean the wound.
Don' t use absorbent cotton as a dressing.

Shock

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 17:29:00 +0100

Shock is the depressed condition of many body functions due to failure of enough blood circulation throughout the body following serious injury.

Danger of Shock
1. Lead to Death
2. Predisposes body to infection
3. Lead to loss of body part

Causes
1. Severe Bleeding
2. Crushing injury.
3. Infection
4. Heart Attack
5. Perforation
6. Shell bomb and bullet wound
7. Rupture of tubal pregnancies
8. Anaphylaxis
9. Starvation and disease may also cause shock

Signs and Symptoms of Shock

Early Stage:
1. Face- pale or cyanotic in color
2. Skin- cold and clammy
3. Breathing- irregular
4. Pulse- rapid and weak
5. Nausea and vomiting
6. weakness
7. Thirsty

Late Signs
1. Apathetic or relatively unresponsive.
2. Eyes will be sunken with vacant expression.
3. Pupils are dilated.
4. Blood vessels may be congested producing mottled appearances.
5. Blood pressure has very low level.
6. Unconsciousness may occur, body temperature falls.

Objectives of First Aid
1. To obtain circulation of the blood.
2. To ensure an adequate supply of oxygen.
3. To maintain normal body temperature.

First Aid and Preventive Management of Shock
1. Proper body position.
2. Proper body heat.
3. Proper transfer.

First Aid Equipment and Supplies

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 17:29:10 +0100

First Aid is the immediate care that is given to an injured or ill person before Emergency treatment administered by medically trained personnel or professional medical care is available. It Includes self-help and home care.

First Aid Equipment And Supplies

1. Basic Equipment

a. Spine board

b. Short board/ kendrick’s Extrication Device

c. Sets of splints

d. Poles

e. Blankets

2. Suggested First Aid Kit Contents (Basic)

a. First Aid Manual

b. Alcohol wipes or Ethyl Alcohol

c. Antiseptic solution ( like hydrogen peroxide or Povidone Iodine)

d. Cotton

e. Gauge pads

f. Tongue depressor

g. Penlight and extra batteries

h. Band aid

i. Gloves (at least two pairs)

j. Sharp scissors

k. Forceps or tweezers

l. Bandage (Triangular)

m. Elastic roller bandage

n. Occlusive dressing

o. Plaster

p. Thermometer

q. Mouthpiece for administering CPR (can be obtained from your local Red Cross)

r. Safety pins

s. Hydrocortisone cream (1%)

t. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen

u. Extra prescription medications (if the family is going on vacation)

v. Calamine lotion

w. Disposable instant cold packs

x. Antiseptic wipes

y. Your list of emergency phone numbers

3. Cloth Materials Commonly Used in First Aid

a. Dressing

b. Bandage (like adhesive bandages in several sizes and elastic bandage )

Keep in Mind

1. Read and understand the First Aid Manual, share and discuss it with family members.

2. Store First-Aid kits in accessible place for adults .

3. Keep out of reach of children.

4. Check the kits regularly. Replace missing items or medicines that may have expired

5. You should keep First Aid Kit one in your home and one in each car .