Transcript MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES
Dealing with an Medical
Emergency
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A medical emergency is an accidental injury or a
medical crisis that is very severe or life
threatening, such as:
The person is not breathing.
Stroke or heart attack.
Severe bleeding.
Shock.
Poisoning.
Burns.
A medical emergency requires your immediate
attention, sometimes even before you telephone
emergency services for help.
Activating the EMS system
• Do you know how to call for emergency
services? (Important to know)
• Life threatening Emergencies: Unconscious,
No breathing or breathing in a strange
way, No heartbeat, severe bleeding
Heart Attack
• Uncomfortable pressure, fullness,
squeezing, or pain in the center of the
chest that lasts more than a few minutes
or that goes away and comes back.
• Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck, or
arms
• Chest discomfort with lightheadedness,
fainting, sweating, nausea, or shortness of
breath.
What to do ?
Don’t delay; take prompt action
Call EMS
Monitor ABC’s and give CPR if necessary
Help victim into the least painful position,
usually a half-sitting position. Loosen tight
clothing. Be calm and reassuring
• Give nitroglycerin tablets if patient is a
heart patient.
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BLEEDING
 Apply direct pressure to
the wound with a direct
pressure bandage.
 Elevate the wound to
slow the bleeding
 Pressure Point when
necessary apply
additional pressure to
help reduce bleeding.
Specific Bleeding
• Nose
– Pinch
– Lean Forward – NOT BACKWARD
– Sit On Floor
FAINTING
Fainting is a brief loss of consciousness that is
caused by a temporary reduction of blood
flow to the brain.
SYMPTOMS:
• A brief loss of consciousness causing
the casualty to fall to the floor
• A slow pulse
• Pale, cold skin and sweating
What to look for
• A person who is about to faint usually will
have one or more of the following signs and
symptoms:
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Dizziness
Weakness
Seeing spots
Visual blurring
Nausea
Pale skin
Sweating
FAINTING
CAUSES:
• Taking in too little food and
fluids (dehydration)
• Low blood pressure
• Lack of sleep
• Over exhaustion
FAINTS/PASSING OUT
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Position the victim lying on
his/her back and elevate
his/her legs above heart level
Check the victim’s airway to
ensure it is clear.
Check for signs of breathing,
coughing, or movement
Loosen clothing (neck ties,
collars, belts etc.)
If consciousness is not
regained within one minute
Call EMS
Shock
Shock occurs when the circulatory
system fails, and insufficient oxygen
reaches the tissues. If the condition
is not treated quickly, vital organs
can fail, ultimately causing death.
Shock is made worse by fear and
pain.
Shock - Signs
Pale, Bluish, Cool, Moist Skin
• Rapid Breathing
• Restlessness or Irritability
• Nausea and/or Vomiting
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CARE FOR SHOCK
 Keep the victim lying down
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(if possible).
Elevate legs 10-12 inches…
unless you suspect a back
injury or broken bones.
Cover the victim to maintain
body temperature.
Provide the victim with
plenty of fresh air and
space.
If victim begins to vomit place him/her on his/her
left side.
Loosen restrictive clothing
Muscle Cramps
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stretch out the affected muscle to counteract the cramp
massage the cramped muscle firmly
apply moist heat to the area
get medical help if the cramp persists
Strains and Sprains (R.I.C.E.)
* Rest- avoid movements and activities that cause pain.
* Ice- ice helps reduce pain and swelling.
* Compression- light pressure from wearing an elastic wrap or
bandage can help reduce swelling.
* Elevation- raising the affected limb about the level of the
heart reduces pain and swelling.
FRACTURES
A fracture is a break or crack in the
continuity of the bone.
SYMPTOMS:
• Pain at or near fractured site
• Tenderness on gentle pressure
• Swelling over the fracture site
• Deformity e.g. irregularity of bone, angulation or
rotation of limb, depression of bone etc.
• Loss of power
• Signs and symptoms of shock
DISLOCATIONS
A dislocation is the displacement of one or more
bones at a joint. It usually occurs in the
shoulders, elbow, thumb, fingers and the lower
jaw.
SYMPTOMS:
• Pain at the site of injury
• Limited movement at joint
• Deformity
• Swelling
• Tenderness
DISLOCATIONS &
FRACTURES
I – A – C – T
 I - Immobilize area Stop any movement by
supporting injured area. Use pillows,
jackets, blankets, etc.
 A - Activate Emergency Medical Services
(EMS), call 911.
 C - Care for shock
 T - Treat any additional secondary injuries.
Asthma
• Symptoms
• Causes
Early Warning Signs of an
Asthma Attack
• Coughing with no cold
• Wheezing (however light), especially
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upon exhaling
Fast/irregular breathing
Anxiousness
Cyanosis (bluish skin color)
Nostrils flaring with each breath
What to do ?
• Keep the victim in a comfortable upright position
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and leaning slightly forward. This is known as the
“tripod” position. Generally the victim will dictate
what position is most tolerable, usually sitting up
since that makes it easier to breathe.
Check and monitor ABC’s.
Try to calm and reassure; help relax the victim
Administer warm fluids if possible.
Ask the victim about any asthma medication he or
she may be using. Usually the victim will have an
inhaler nearby.
If the victim does not respond to his or her
inhaled medication, seek medical attention
immediately.
Diabetic Emergencies
• High-blood sugar
– diabetic coma (Hyperglycemia)
• Low -blood sugar
– insulin shock (Hypoglycemia)
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Give Sugar
– Only if taken without assistance
– Sugar, Soda, Soft Candy
Diabetic Emergencies
• Insulin shock – Too much insulin (giving a shot with
too much insulin; lack of activity; not eating for a
long period of time; etc.)
• Also known as low blood sugar (blood sugar levels
less than 80).
• Symptoms: sudden onset, irritability (cry,
belligerent, etc.), hungry (especially a craving for
sweets), perspire excessively, trembling,
dizzy/disoriented/pale, pulse is generally full and
normal.
• This condition is potentially life threatening.
What are the symptoms of
hypoglycemia?
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Headache
Sweating
Shakiness
Pale, moist, cold and clammy skin
Extreme hunger
Weakness/dizziness
Fatigue
Rapid pulse rate
Blurred vision
Shallow breathing
Inability to concentrate
Loss of coordination
Mental confusion
Seizure
Loss of consciousness
First Aid for Hypoglycemia
If victim is known diabetic, his or her
mental status is altered, and is awake
enough to swallow:
• Give the person some form of sugar such as a
sugar cube, soda, candy, raisins, prescribed
candy, honey or corn syrup.
• Symptoms should subside within 10-15 minutes.
• A seizure is the result of an abnormal
stimulation of the brain’s cells.
• A variety of medical conditions can lead to
seizures, including the following:
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Epilepsy
Heat stroke
Poisoning
Electric shock
Hypoglycemia
High fever in children
Brain injury, tumor, or stroke
Alcohol withdrawal, drug abuse/overdose
Seizure
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Can Look Very Scary
Protect Head and Neck
Don’t Restrain
Move Objects
Nothing In The Mouth
• For convulsions and grand mal seizures:
– Cushion the victim’s head; remove items that could cause
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injury if the person were to bump into them.
Loosen tight clothing; especially around neck.
Roll the victim onto his or her side.
Look for a medical-alert tag
As the seizure ends, offer your help. Most seizures in
people with epilepsy are not medical emergencies. They
end after a minute or two without harm and usually do not
require medical attention.
CALL EMS if
• A seizure happens to someone who is not
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known to have epilepsy or seizure disorder;
it could be a sign of serious illness.
A seizure lasts more than five minutes.
The victim is slow to recover, has a second
seizure, or has difficulty breathing
afterward.
The victim is pregnant or has another
medical condition.
There are any signs of injury or illnesses.
DO NOT
• Give the victim anything to eat or drink.
• Restrain the victim.
• Put anything between the victim’s teeth
during the seizure.
• Splash or pour any liquid on the victim’s
face.
• Move the victim to another place (unless it
is the only way to protect the victim from
injury).
STROKE- What to look for ?
• Weakness, numbness, or paralysis of the
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face, an arm, or a leg on one side of the
body
Blurred or decreased vision, especially in
one eye
Problems speaking or understanding
Dizziness or loss of balance
Sudden, severe, and unexplained headache
STROKE-What to do ?
• Call EMS
• If victim is unresponsive, check
ABC’s; give CPR if necessary
• If the victim is conscious, lay the
victim down with the head and
shoulders slightly elevated
• Do not give a stroke victim anything
to drink or eat. The throat may be
paralyzed, which restricts swallowing.
Illness
Flu
Vomiting
Headaches
Animal Bites
> wash the bite area with mild soap and warm water for five
minutes to remove saliva and any other foreign matter.
> use direct pressure or pressure point bleeding control to stop
any bleeding.
> if the wound is swollen, apply ice wrapped in a towel for 10
min.
> cover the wound with a clean dressing or bandage.
Nosebleeds
> often occurs when a person has been breathing dry air.
> seek professional help if they occur often.
> do not tilt the persons head back, this could cause them to
choke as the blood runs down their throat.
Object in the Eye
> do not rub the eye
> wash your hands, then flush out the eye by using water.
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