Download Medical Emergencies and First Aid

PowerPoint® to accompany
Medical Assisting
Chapter 44
Second Edition
Ramutkowski  Booth  Pugh  Thompson  Whicker
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
1
Medical Emergencies
and First Aid
Objectives
44-1 Discuss the importance of first aid during a
medical emergency.
44-2 Describe the purpose of the emergency medical
services (EMS) system and explain how to contact
it.
44-3 List items found on a crash cart or first-aid tray.
44-4 List general guidelines to follow in emergencies.
2
Medical Emergencies
and First Aid
Objectives (cont.)
44-5 Compare various degrees of burns and their
treatments.
44-6 Demonstrate how to help a choking victim.
44-7 Demonstrate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
44-8 Demonstrate four ways to control bleeding.
3
Medical Emergencies
and First Aid
Objectives (cont.)
44-9 List the symptoms of heart attack, shock, and
stroke.
44-10 Explain how to calm a patient who is under
extreme stress.
44-11 Describe your role in responding to natural
disasters and those caused by humans.
4
Introduction

Emergencies of all 
types occur when
you are working as a
medical assistant.
You may have to
handle a phone call
from a patient who has
an urgent physical or
psychological problem.
You must be prepared to determine the urgency and handle
any emergency that arises.
5
Understanding Medical
Emergencies
You may see life-threatening
medical emergencies in the
health care setting.
First aid can:
 Save a life
 Reduce pain
 Prevent further injury
 Reduce risk of permanent
disability
6
Preparing for Emergencies
 Post emergency
telephone numbers
near crash cart and near
all phones.
 Crash cart is a rolling
cart of emergency
supplies and equipment.
 Provide information
to EMS




Your name and
location
Nature of the
emergency
Condition of the
injured patient
Summary of the first
aid you have given
Do not hang up until the dispatcher gives you
permission to do so.
7
Common Emergency and First
Aid Supplies
Crash cart
 Basic
drugs
 Supplies
 Equipment
Restock the crash cart regularly. Make sure all
supplies are up-to-date.
8
Guidelines for Handling
Emergencies
Medical emergency requires you to take certain steps.
 Note the presence of serious condition that threaten
the patient’s life, assess the situation and and if
appropriate put on PPE
 Do six steps of initial assessment
1. General impression
2. Level of responsiveness
3. Assess ABCs
4. Determine priority of patient’s condition
5. Focus exam and history
9
Telephone Emergencies





Triaging – classification of injuries according
to severity, urgency of treatment and place for
treatment
Follow physician's protocols
Stay calm
Reassure the patient
Act confidently in an
organized manner
10
Personal Protection


Take precautions to reduce chance of
exposure during an emergency
Keep personal protective equipment in firstaid kit at home and work





Gloves
Goggles
Mask or face shield
Gown
Pocket mask or mouth shield
11
Accidental Injuries
Accidental injuries may require
emergency medical care






Bites and stings
Burns
Choking
Ear & eye traumas
Falls & fractures
Head injuries
12
Types of Burns



Thermal – caused by contract with hot
liquids, steam, flames, radiation or excessive
heat from fires
Chemical – exposure to chemical or
industrial facilities chemicals
Electrical – exposure to
electrical current or
lightening
13
Choking
 Foreign objects or food
blocks the trachea or
windpipe
 Patient cannot speak
 Patient is holding hand to
throat and looks afraid
Medical assistants should know first aid for
choking adult, child, or infant!
14
Apply Your Knowledge
What is the universal sign of choking?
15
Apply Your Knowledge -Answer
What is the universal sign of choking?
Patient is holding hand to throat
and looks afraid.
16
Ear and Eye Trauma

Ear trauma



Apply bandage with even
pressure
Preserve the ear by placing in
sterile dressing, plastic, labeling
and keeping chilled
Eye trauma


Foreign objects most common
Tiny specks should be removed
with a tissue
17
Falls



Do not move unless
situation is lifethreatening.
Stabilize neck if injury
suspected
For minor falls, notify the
physician and document.
18
Fractures, Dislocations,
Sprains, and Strains




Fracture - breaks in the
bone which vary in severity
Dislocation - displacement
of a bone end from the joint
Sprain - partial tearing of
ligaments
Strain - muscle injury that
occurs from overexertion
19
Head Injuries

Concussion – jarring injury of the brain


Severe head injuries – contusions, fractures, and
intracranial bleeding.


Patient may lose consciousness, have temporary loss of
vision, pallor, listlessness, memory loss, or vomiting
May requires immediate hospitalization and/or CPR
Scalp hematoma and laceration – blood under the
skin or break in the skin


Control swelling with ice
Control bleeding with direct pressure
20
Hemorrhaging
Hemorrhaging – heavy or
uncontrollable bleeding
 Can be internal or external
 Use direct pressure, apply additional
dressing as needed
 Elevate body part, put pressure on
pressure point
21
Poisoning
Substance that produces
harmful effects if it
enters the body.
Majority of accidental
poisonings happen in
children under age 5.
Call poison control center
22
Weather Related Injuries

Frostbite



Heat stroke



Warm with clothing or other body part
Do not massage
Recognize symptoms and treat as emergency
Place ice packs in groin and armpits
Sunburn




Apply cool water or compresses
Elevate legs and arms to reduce swelling
Drink liquids and take pain reliever
Use sunscreen
23
Wounds




Open wounds – skin or mucous
membrane is damaged
Abrasions – scraping of the
skin
Punctures – small hole created
by a piercing object.
Closed wounds – injury inside
the body without breaking the
skin.
24
Apply Your Knowledge
A patient arrives at the clinic with severe
hemorrhaging from the left thigh.
What steps should you take to control
the bleeding?
25
Apply Your Knowledge -Answer
A patient arrives at the clinic with severe
hemorrhaging from the left thigh.
What steps should you take to control
the bleeding?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Apply direct pressure with sterile gauze
Add additional dressing as necessary
Elevate the leg
Apply pressure to the left femoral artery
26
Common Illnesses








Abdominal pain
Asthma
Dehydration
Diarrhea
Fainting
Fever
Hyperventilation
Nosebleed


Tachycardia
Vomiting
27
Less Common Illnesses








Anaphylaxis
Bacterial meningitis
Diabetic Emergencies
Gallbladder attack
Heart attack
Hematemesis
Obstetric emergencies
Respiratory arrest
 Seizures
 Shock
 Stroke
 Toxic
shock syndrome
 Viral encephalitis
28
Heart Attack
Myocardial Infarction (MI) Symptoms:





Blocked blood flow to the heart
Crushing, burning, heavy aching pain or feeling like
indigestion
Pain may radiate down the left arm, into the jaw,
throat, or both shoulders
Shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, and vomiting
Pale and have a feeling of doom.
29
CPR
Objective- provide ventilation and




blood circulation for a patient who
shows none.
Correctly performed
cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR) can save a life
An automated external defibrillator
(AED) may be used
Respiratory arrest – lack of
breathing
Start CPR and call EMS (911)
30
Shock
Shock is life-threatening associated with failure
of the cardiovascular system.
Symptoms:
 Restlessness
 Irritability
 Increased respiration
 Fear
 Rapid pulse rate
31
Shock (cont.)
Treatment
 Elevate the feet 8 to 12 inches if no head
injury is suspected
 Monitor ABCs
 Control bleeding
 Call EMS (911)
32
Stroke
Stroke or cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
occurs when the blood supply to the brain is impaired.
Symptoms:
 Headache
 Confusion
 Dizziness
 Loss of consciousness
 Paralysis of one side of the body
 Slurred or garbled speech
33
Stroke (cont.)
Impairment may cause temporary or permanent
damage, notify the physician at once.
 Call EMS (911)
 Maintain patient’s airway by turning the head
toward the affected side to allow secretions
to drain out
 Loosen tight clothing
 Monitor vital signs
 Administer oxygen
34
Common Psychosocial
Emergencies






Alcohol, spousal, child, and elder abuse
Overdose on drugs
Violent behavior
Suicide
Rape – follow protocol for chain of custody of
specimen
Use community resources
35
The Patient Under Stress
You must realize that
people react differently
to emergency situations
 Keep victims and
family calm
 Promote calmness by
listening carefully

36
Educating the Patient





Encourage patients and families to
learn first aid and CPR
Provide first-aid kit check list
Know how to access EMS and list
emergency numbers by the phone
Childproof homes
Provide appropriate easy-to-read
handouts
37
Disasters



You must be familiar with standard protocols for
responding to disasters.
You may have to participate in fire or other disaster
drills to familiarize yourself with emergency
procedures.
Triage – each victim gets a tag to classify the
person as emergent (needing immediate care),
urgent (needing care within several hours) and
nonurgent (needing care when time is not critical)
or dead.
38
Bioterrorism
Intentional release of a biologic agent with
the intent to harm individuals.
 Physician’s offices are the front lines should
a biological agent be released.
 The local public health department should be
notified if bioterrorism is suspected as cause
of illness.
 Follow state and national guidelines.

39
Apply Your Knowledge
A patient arrives at the office with a
headache, some confusion, and
garbled speech. What should you do
and why?
40
Apply Your Knowledge -Answer
A patient arrives at the office with a
headache, some confusion, and
garbled speech. What should you do
and why?
The patient may be having a stroke, you should call
EMS (911), maintain patient’s airway by turning
the head toward the affected side to allow
secretions to drain out, loosen tight clothing,
monitor vital signs and administer oxygen
41
Summary
Medical Assistant
You can make a positive difference in the health and
lives of people who face medical emergencies to
which you respond.
You will need to stay calm and communicate clearly
during emergencies
42
End of Chapter
43