Transcript Basic First Aid - Department of Mathematical Sciences

Medical Urgencies In
The Classroom
Lori Christopher, RN, MSN, CNP
Certified Nurse Practitioner/Nurse Manager
University Health Services
*Adapted from the American Academy of Pediatrics 8/03
University Health Services
Eastway Dr.
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We are a large multi-disciplinary facility with over 30,
000 patient encounters per year.
We have 15 clinicians, 4 psychologists, 1 physical
therapist, 10 nursing staff members and many ancillary
staff members.
We have a general medical clinic, urgent care clinic,
women’s clinic, psychology clinic, pharmacy, laboratory,
x-ray department, immunization department, physical
therapy and a health promotions department.
Seizures/Convulsions
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Seizures can range from mild to severe – brief
blackouts, involuntary movements, sudden falls, periods
of confused behavior, and involuntary muscle
contractions.
Severe seizures may involve uncontrollable muscle
movements (jerking or spasms) and rigidity, loss of
consciousness, loss of bladder and/or bowel control,
and in some cases, breathing that stops temporarily.
Seizures/Convulsions
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Have another student call 911 while you stay with the student who appears to
be having a seizure
Protect the person from injury
 Move all furniture or equipment that is nearby
 Do not hold or restrain the student
 Do not put anything in the student’s mouth
 Loosen clothing
 Roll the student on his/her side if vomiting occurs
After the seizure activity has stopped:
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2.
Perform rescue breathing if person is blue or not breathing (if CPR
certified)
If breathing, lay person on side
FAINTING
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Lay person on back with head to the side and
legs elevated
DO NOT give anything by mouth
Send the student to the health center with
another person, if the student has recovered and
is able to walk across campus without difficulty
If person doesn’t wake up right away, call 911
NOSEBLEEDS
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With person sitting,
squeeze nostrils together
between thumb and
index finger for 10
minutes
If bleeding persists, call
the student health center
or send the student to
the health center.
Cuts
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Apply pressure with a clean cloth to stop the
bleeding
If the cut is large and deep, call or send the
student to the health center and maintain pressure
For minor cuts, wash with soap and water and
cover with dressing.
If cut may need sutures, seek medical care as soon
as possible
Puncture Wounds
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DO NOT remove large
objects such as knives or
sticks, call 911
For minor wounds, wash
with soap and water and call
the student health center
The person may need a
tetanus booster injection
Stinging Insects
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Remove the stinger with the scraping motion of a fingernail
DO NOT pull the stinger out
Put a cold compress on the bite
If hives, paleness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, tightness in
chest, breathing difficulty, or collapse occur, call 911.
For spider bites, call the student health center or Poison
Control Center
TEETH
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If knocked out, find the tooth and rinse it gently
without touching the root
Insert and gently hold the tooth in its socket or
transport the tooth in cow’s milk
If broken, save the pieces. Gently clean the injured
area with warm water. Place a cold compress to reduce
swelling.
Send the student directly to the dentist or an emergency
room. Time is important!
Choking
 Partial
airway obstruction with
good airway exchange
 Partial airway obstruction with
poor airway exchange
 Complete airway obstruction
Choking
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Partial airway obstruction with good airway
exchange
Forceful cough
 Wheezing in between breaths
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*Stay with the student and encourage them to
cough
Choking
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Partial airway obstruction with poor air
exchange
Weak, ineffective cough
 High-pitched noises while breathing
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* This type of obstruction should be dealt with as
if it were a complete obstruction
Choking
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Complete airway obstruction
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Unable to breathe, speak or cough
Clutching at his/her throat (universal distress signal for
choking)
* If the student is still conscious, perform Heimlich
maneuver
* If the student becomes unconscious, call 911 and
continue helping if familiar with First Aid/CPR
Heart Attack
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Signs/Symptoms
Chest discomfort or pain (it may be described by the
student as pressure, squeezing, fullness, tightness,
aching, crushing, constricting or heavy)
 Radiation of the pain to the neck, jaw or back
 Sweating
 Nausea
 Shortness of breath
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Heart Attack
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A quick response in case of a heart attack
requires that you:
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Recognize the symptoms of a heart attack and take
action.
Have the victim stop what he or she is doing and
sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Loosen
constrictive clothing. Do not let the victim move
around.
Have someone phone 911 for help.
Depression
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More Americans suffer from depression than coronary artery
disease, cancer and AIDS combined
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Symptoms of depression include:
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Sadness or feeling down
Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
Poor appetite or overeating
Trouble falling or staying asleep or sleeping too much
Feeling tired or having little energy
Feelings of worthlessness, self-reproach or guilt
Trouble concentrating
Moving or speaking very slowly, or the opposite, being fidgety or restless
Thoughts of being better off dead or of hurting oneself in some way
Depression/Suicide
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Suicide is the second leading cause of death among all
youth 15-24 years old. In the US, only accidents and
homicides claim more young lives.
Nearly 4,000 people aged 15-24 die by suicide each year
in the US.
A person dies by suicide about every 18 minutes in the
US and an attempt is estimated to be made once every
minute.
* American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Depression
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Depression is a major problem for college
students, not only because it can lead to suicide,
but also because it is associated with poor
physical health, substandard academic
performance and irresponsible risk taking
behaviors
Depression
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Over 90% of youth who die by suicide had at
least one psychiatric illness at the time of death;
in about half such cases, the psychiatric illness
was present, although often unrecognized, for
two years or more.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Psychological Emergency
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If you suspect someone is in psychological crisis
and/or suicidal:
Take it seriously
 Be willing to listen
 Voice your concern/Let the person know you are
concerned and understand
 Encourage the student to get professional help
immediately
 In the case of suicidal/homicidal behavior –Call 911
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When to dial 911?
Warning signs of a Medical Emergency
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Fainting or convulsions
Chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure
Sudden dizziness, weakness, or change in vision
Difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath
Severe or persistent vomiting
Coughing up or vomiting blood
Bleeding that won’t stop after applying 10-15 minutes of pressure
Change in mental status (confusion, unusual behavior, difficulty in
staying awake)
Suicidal or homicidal feelings
When an Emergency Occurs:
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Be prepared: Keep the numbers of emergency services
near your phone
When you call for help, speak calmly and clearly
Give name, address, phone number, location of victim
and nature of problem
Don’t hang up until the dispatcher tells you to do so
because they may need additional information
KSU Nurse Help Line
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After-hours nurse information line
Service is provided by the Rainbow Call Center
which is housed in University Hospitals of
Cleveland
(330)672-2326
During regular business hours, line is answered
by a nurse working at UHS
IMPORTANT PHONE
NUMBERS
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Fire, Police or Ambulance……………………..911
University Health Services........................672-2322
University Nurse Help Line…………………672-2326
University Psychological Services………….672-2487
Poison Control Center………………………..1-800-222-1222
Kent State Police (non-emergent)………………………672-2212
Crisis Hotline/Townhall II…………………..678-HELP
Coleman Professional Services……………… 673-1347
Robinson Memorial Hospital………………..297-0811
Med Center One…………………………………678-4380
Sick Notes
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We, at University Health Services, DO NOT give sick notes unless we
truly feel the patient should not be going to class.
We DO NOT give notes for an illness that has resolved or is getting
better once the student is actually seen at the health center.
Please do not send students to the health center for a sick note
AFTER their illness has resolved. We are no better than you at
detecting if someone WAS sick.
Every student that sees a nurse/nurse
practitioner/physician/psychologist, has diagnostic tests performed or
buys medication (prescription or over-the-counter) is given a walk-out
statement when they leave the facility. This statement in no way means
the student was given permission by someone at the health center to
miss class because of their illness.