Download First Aid

FIRST AID: Is the immediate
care or treatment that is given
to an injured or ill person
before professional medical
aid can be obtained.
Priorities in an Emergency
1. Check the immediate surroundings for
possible dangers.
2. Check to see if the victim is conscious.
3. Check Breathing
4. Control severe bleeding
5. Check the victim for poisoning.
6. Send for medical help.
Skin Wound Classification
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Abrasion: skin is scraped against a rough
surface
Bruise: compression causes bleeding under the
skin
Laceration: an irregular tear of the skin
Avulsion: skin is ripped off
Puncture: penetration of the skin by a sharp
object
First Aid for Open Wounds
1. Stop the Bleeding- apply direct pressure
2. Protect the Wound- Gauze or clean cloth
3. Treat for Shock (the failure of the
cardiovascular system to keep adequate
blood circulating to vital organs of the
body)- Keep victim on back with feet
elevated, cover body with blankets
4. Get Help- Call 911
• Three types of burns:
– 1st degree- superficial burns, like sunburn, and involve
the top layer of skin. They are the least serious of burns
in which only the outer layer of skin is burned, but not all
the way through. The skin is usually red, with swelling,
and pain sometimes is present. Healing takes 5-7 days.
– 2nd degree- involve the top several layers of skin. The
skin will have blisters and appear blotchy. Seconddegree burns produce severe pain and swelling. Healing
takes 3-4 weeks.
– 3rd degree burn- The most serious burns involve all
layers of the skin and cause permanent tissue damage.
Fat, muscle and even bone may be affected. Areas may
be charred black or appear dry and white. Difficulty
inhaling and exhaling, carbon monoxide poisoning, or
other toxic effects may occur if smoke inhalation
accompanies the burn.
For minor burns, including first-degree burns and second•
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degree burns limited to an area no larger than 3 inches in
diameter, take the following action:
Cool the burn. Hold the burned area under cool (not cold)
running water for 10 or 15 minutes or until the pain subsides.
Cooling the burn reduces swelling by conducting heat away
from the skin. Don't put ice on the burn.
Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage. Don't use fluffy
cotton, or other material that may get lint in the wound.
Bandaging keeps air off the burn, reduces pain and protects
blistered skin.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever.
Minor burns usually heal without further treatment. Watch for
signs of infection, such as increased pain, redness, fever,
swelling or oozing.
Caution
– Don't use ice. Putting ice directly on a burn can cause a burn victim's body to
become too cold and cause further damage to the wound.
– Don't apply butter or ointments to the burn. This could cause infection.
– Don't break blisters. Broken blisters are more vulnerable to infection.
For major burns, call 911 or emergency medical
help. Until an emergency unit arrives, follow these
steps:
• Don't remove burned clothing. However, do
make sure the victim is no longer in contact
with smoldering materials or exposed to
smoke or heat.
• Don't immerse large severe burns in cold
water. Doing so could cause a drop in body
temperature (hypothermia) and deterioration
of blood pressure and circulation (shock).
• Elevate the burned body part or parts. Raise
above heart level, when possible.
• Cover the area of the burn. Use a cool, moist,
sterile bandage; clean, moist cloth; or moist
towels.
First aid for burns
• Rinse with cool water
• Place a clean dressing over area to
prevent infection
• Elevate burned area above the heart
• Treat for shock
• NEVER try to remove clothing stuck to a
burned area
Snakebite
• Poisonous snakes in the US
– 4 types- rattlesnake, copperhead, water
moccasin (cottonmouth), and coral snake.
• First aid for snakebite
– Get victim to hospital
– Keep bitten area below the level of heart
– Call EMS
– Keep victim still as possible
Poisons
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Swallowing poison
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Symptoms
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Sharp abdominal cramps
Extreme drowsiness followed by loss of
consciousness
Vomiting
Chemical odor
• Treatment
– Call the nearest poison control center
• 1-800-222-1222
– Be prepared to give information about the
victim and the poison
– Depending on the poison, you may be told to
give the person a substance that dilutes the
poison, or an emetic, and agent that causes
vomiting.
– Treat victim for shock
Contact Poisoning
• Poisonous plants
– Symptoms
• Severe skin rash, blistering, swilling, burning,
itching
• Possible fever
– Treatment
• Remove any contaminated clothing
• Rinse with water
• Wash with soap
Chemical Poisoning
• Symptoms- burning of skin resembling
sunburn
• Treatment
– Remove any clothing that has come into
contact with the chemical.
– Remove as much of the chemical from the
surface of the skin as possible by flooding the
skin with water
– Contact the nearest poison control center
Fractures
Fracture Treatment
1. Keep the bone end from
moving
2. Immobilize the body
part
3. Seek medical attention
Sprain/ Strain
• What Is the Difference Between a Sprain and a Strain?
• A sprain is a stretch and/or tear of a ligament. One or more
ligaments can be injured at the same time. The severity of the injury
will depend on the extent of injury (whether a tear is partial or
complete) and the number of ligaments involved.
• A strain is an injury to either a muscle or a tendon. Depending on
the severity of the injury, a strain may be a simple overstretch of the
muscle or tendon, or it can result from a partial or complete tear.
Fainting-temporary loss of consciousness
brought on by reduced supply of blood to the
brain.
• Treatment
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Don’t prop the person up
Loosen any tight clothes
Maintain an open airway
Sponge the person’s face with water
If the person fails to revive promptly,
seek medical attention
Animal bites
1. Wash with soap and
water
2. Cover with clean
dressing
3. Go to doctor to
check for rabies- a
vital disease of the
nervous system that
eventually causes
madness and death.
Bee stings
• Take a flat sharp edge
to scrape stinger
away from the skin
• Wash area with soap
and water
• Watch for allergic
reaction
– An allergic person
normally carries
medicine
Objects in the eye
• Flush eye with water,
DO NOT rub eye
• If object doesn’t
dislodge then seek
medical attention
Nosebleeds
1. Keep person quiet, don’t blow your
nose
2. Place the person in a sitting
position and have them lean
forward.
3. Apply direct pressure to bleeding
nostril
4. Apply a cold towel to the person’s
nose and face
5. Place a piece of gauze between
the upper lip and teeth to stop the
bleeding
Frostbite- ice crystals form in the
body cells and destroy them.
1. Don’t rub the skin, soak it in lukewarm
water
2. Bandage the injured part
3. Seek professional help
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If frostbite goes untreated, gangrene may
set in- which is death of a body part.
Gangrene often requires amputation.
Heat cramps
• Symptoms- muscle cramps,
heavy sweating, headache, and
dizziness.
• Treatment
– Move victim out of heat
– Massage the muscle
– Drink water or gatorade to
replace the lost water and salt
Heat stroke
• Symptoms
– Lack of perspiration, vomiting, confusion,
irregular pulse
• Treatment
– Remove from heat
– Immerse in cold water or place ice packs
around neck
– Contact emergency services
Bonus Slide
• If you are reading this you, you will get
10% added to your test grade tomorrow
(not to exceed 100%). Just print this slide
in COLOR and turn it in with your test
tomorrow.
• Cissell
• 9-30