First Aid for Emergencies.. - The Orange Room

di

First Aid for Emergencies....
Part 1.
Ah, a hot summer morning. Perfect for the beach. After a nice brisk swim in the refreshing tide, you curl up on your beach chair with your headphones and a book. As you sit contentedly, your eyes slowly fall shut in a mid-day nap. When you awake, the sun is a little lower in the sky, the people next to you have left, and your exposed skin is starting to look a suspicious shade of bright red. Will you know what to do?

You are babysitting the neighbor's kids, and as you are preparing dinner you turn around for a moment to rinse off the spoon. Suddenly you hear a clatter of pans and a high pitched yelp, not the "my-brother-pulled-my-hair" yelp, but a cry that sends your adrenaline into overdrive. You spin around and see the little girl clutching her hand, her tears streaming from her eyes, the tell-tale pot of hot dog water spilled on the ground. Will you know what to do?

A burn can be caused by heat (flames, hot grease, or boiling water), the sun (solar radiation), chemicals or electricity. When a burn breaks the skin, infection and loss of fluid can occur; burns can also result in difficulty breathing. If a burn victim has trouble breathing, has burns on more than one part of the body, or was burned by chemicals , an explosion, or electricity, Call EMS immediately. Burns caused by flames or hot grease usually require medical attention as well, especially if the victim is a child or an elderly person.
-Types of Burns:
* Superficial Burn (First Degree)
A first degree burn involves only the top layer of skin. The skin is red and dry and usually painful. The burned area may also swell. Most sunburns are superficial burns. This type of burn usually heals in 5-6 days without any permanent scarring.
*Partial-Thickness Burn(Second Degree)
A second degree burn involves the top layers of skin. The skin is red with blisters that may open and weep clear fluid, giving the skin a wet appearance. The area may also appear mottled. The burn is usually painful and often swells. This type of burn usually heals in 3-4 weeks, and scarring may occur.
* Full-Thickness Burn(Third Degree)
A third degree burn destroys all layers of skin and any or all of the underlying structures(fat, muscles, bones and nerves). The burn appears brown or black(charred) with the tissues underneath sometimes appearing white. This type of burn can be extremely painful or relatively painless if the burn destroys the nerve endings. This burn is critical and requires immediate medical attention.
*Care for Burns
Thermal BurnsGeneral Care / Thermal Burns 1. Stop the burning. Put out flames or remove the victim from the source of the burn.
2. Cool the burn. Use large amounts of cool water to cool the burn. Never use ice except on small superficial burns, because it causes body heat loss. If the area cannot be immersed, like the face, you can soak a clean cloth and apply it to the burn, being sure to continue adding water to keep the cloth cool.
3. Cover the burn. Use dry, sterile dressings or a clean cloth to help prevent infection and reduce pain. Bandage loosely. Do not put any ointment on a burn unless it is very minor. Do not use any other home remedies, and do not break any blisters. For minor burns or burns with broken blisters that are not severe enough to require medical attention, wash the burned area with soap and water, keep it clean and apply an antibiotic ointment. Remember, some people can be allergic to topical ointments, so if you have any doubts, call your doctor for advice. For a victim of severe burns, lay him or her down unless he or she is having trouble breathing. Try to raise the burned areas above the level of the victim's heart if possible, and protect the victim from drafts.

-Chemical Burns Chemical Burn
Call EMS in any case of a chemical burn. Remove the chemical from the skin or eyes immediately by flushing the area with large amounts of cool running water until EMS arrives. Remove any clothes with chemicals on them, and be careful not to spread the chemical to other body parts or to yourself. Chemical burns can be caused by chemicals used in manufacturing or in a lab, or by household items such as bleach, garden sprays or paint removers.

-Electrical BurnsElectrical Burns
Call EMS in any case of an electrical burn. Do not go near the victim unless you are sure the power source has been turned off. The burn itself will not be the major problem. If the victim is unconscious, check breathing and pulse. Check for other injuries, and do not move the victim because he or she may have spinal injuries. Cover an electrical burn with a dry, sterile dressing. Do not cool the burn. Prevent the victim from getting chilled. There may be two wounds, one where the current entered the body and one where it left, and they may be deep. Electrical burns can be caused by power lines, lightening, defective electrical equipment,and unprotected electrical outlets.

-Solar Radiation BurnsSolar Radiation Burn
Burns caused by solar radiation may be painful and may also blister. Cool the burn. You may want to put a product designed specifically for sunburn on the area; these products usually contain aloe vera and help cool the area and reduce the pain. Protect the burn by staying out of the sun. If you must go in the sun, wear a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 and reapply it frequently. Be sure to cover up any existing sunburn if you are going to be outside again.

di

Part -2-
- CHOKING-

Choking Adult

Conscious Adult
If a person is clutching his or her throat with both hands, he or she is making the universal sign for choking. If the person can cough or talk, encourage him or her to continue coughing. Once the victim can no longer talk or cough, you must clear the obstructed airway. To clear the obstructed airway that causes choking, you must perform the Heimlich maneuver, also known as abdominal thrusts. Stand behind the conscious choking adult, wrapping your arms around his or her waist. With one hand, make a fist. Place the thumb side of the fist against the victim's abdomen just above the bellybutton. Be sure your hand is far below the tip of the breastbone. Put your other hand over the fist and give quick upward thrusts into the victim's abdomen. Continue giving thrusts until the object blocking the airway is dislodged and the victim begins to breathe, or until the victim becomes unconscious.

Unconscious Adult
If, during the primary survey, your breaths will not go in an unconscious adult, and you retilted the head and tried again but the breaths still would not go in, you must assume the victim's airway is obstructed.
If the victim is a conscious choking adult who became unconscious, you must lower him or her to the floor on his or her back. Perform a head tilt and chin lift to try to open the airway, and attempt to remove the obstruction by sweeping it out of the victim's mouth with your finger. This is called a finger sweep. Always use a hooking action, being careful not to lodge the object in further. Perform a head tilt and a chin lift and give 2 slow breaths. If the breaths still do not go in, go to abdominal thrusts.

Straddle one or both of the victim's thighs. Place the heel of one hand on the victim's abdomen, just above the bellybutton yet far below the tip of the breastbone. Place your other hand on top of the first, interlacing your fingers, and give 5 quick upward thrusts. Then do a finger sweep and give 2 slow breaths. If air still will not go in, continue giving 5 abdominal thrusts, a finger sweep and 2 slow breaths. Continue giving thrusts until the object is dislodged, air goes into the victim, or trained medical personnel takes over. If the victim is not breathing but has a pulse, you must perform Rescue Breathing. If the victim is not breathing and does not have a pulse, go to CPR.
-Choking Child-
Conscious Child
If the child can cough or talk, encourage him or her to continue coughing. If the child cannot cough or talk, ask if he or she is choking. Perform abdominal thrusts. Stand behind the victim, wrap your arms around his or her waist, and make a fist with one hand. Place the thumb side of the fist against the child's abdomen, above the bellybutton yet far below the tip of the breastbone. Put your other hand over the fist and give quick upward thrusts into the victim's abdomen. Continue giving thrusts until the airway is cleared and the child begins to breathe, or until the child becomes unconscious.
-Unconscious Child-
If the child was a conscious choking victim who became unconscious, lower the child down onto his or her back. Or, you may have determined during the primary survey that air would not go in, even after you retilted and tried again. You must give the child 5 abdominal thrusts, do a finger sweep if you see the object, and open the airway with a head tilt and a chin lift and give 2 slow breaths. If the breaths still will not go in, continue giving abdominal thrusts, a finger sweep and 2 slow breaths until the object is expelled, the child starts to breathe or cough, or EMS takes over. If the child is not breathing but has a pulse, you must perform Rescue Breathing. If the child is not breathing and does not have a pulse, go to CPR.
-Choking Infant-
Conscious Infant
During the primary survey, you may determine that the infant is conscious and cannot breathe, cough or cry. You must give 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts.
Place the infant faceup on your forearm. Put your other arm on top of the infant. Use your thumb and fingers to hold the infant's jaw, sandwiching the infant between your forearms. Turn the infant over, facedown on your forearm. Place your arm down on your thigh, being sure that the infant's head is lower than his or her chest. Using the heel of your hand, give 5 back blows between the infant's shoulder blades. Be sure to hold the infant's jaw with your thumb and fingers to stabilize his or her head.
You must turn the infant back over to give chest thrusts. Place your free hand and forearm across the infant, sandwiching it between your forearms and supporting his or her head . Turn the infant over onto his or her back and place your arm down on your thigh, making sure the infant's head is lower than his or her chest. Imagine a line across the infant's chest between the nipples. Place your ring finger on the infant's breastbone just below the imaginary line. Place the pads of the next two fingers just under the line. Raise your ring finger, and if you can feel the notch at the tip of the infant's breastbone, move your fingers up a little bit. Compress the infant's breastbone 1/2-1 inch with the pads of your fingers and then let the breastbone return to its normal position. Give 5 compressions. Continue giving back blows and chest thrusts until the infant can breathe or cough, or until the infant becomes unconscious.
- Unconscious Infant -
If the infant was a conscious choking victim who became unconscious, place the infant down on its back. Or, you may have determined during the primary survey, even after retilting the head and trying again, that air would not go in. Perform 5 back blows and then 5 chest thrusts. Do a foreign body check: open the infant's mouth, holding the tongue and lower jaw and lifting them upward, and look for an object; if you do see an object, do a finger sweep to remove it with your little finger. Then give 2 slow breaths. If air still will not go in, continue doing back blows, chest thrusts, foreign body check and 2 slow breaths until the infant starts to breathe or cough or air goes in. If the infant is not breathing but has a pulse, you must perform Rescue Breathing. If the infant is not breathing and does not have a pulse, go to CPR.
-Choking Pregnant Woman or Obese Person-
Conscious Adult
If a choking conscious adult is noticeably pregnant or too obese for you to wrap your arms around in order to perform abdominal thrusts, you must give chest thrusts instead. Stand behind the victim, placing your arms under the victim's armpits and around his or her chest. Make a fist with one hand and put the thumb side of the fist against the center of the victim's breastbone. Make sure your thumb is on the breastbone, not the ribs, and that you are not near the tip of the breastbone. Put your other hand over the fist and give quick inward thrusts. Continue giving thrusts until the object is dislodged, or until the victim becomes unconscious.
- Unconscious Adult -
If the victim was a conscious choking pregnant woman or obese person who became unconscious, lower the victim gently onto his or her back on the floor. Or, you may have determined during the primary survey, even after retilting the head and trying again, that air woiuld not go into your pregnant or obese victim. You must give chest thrusts. Kneel beside the victim, placing one hand on the center of the victim's breastbone and then placing your other hand on top of it. Give 5 quick thrusts, compressing the chest 1 1/2-2 inches. Do a finger sweep, open the airway with a head tilt and a chin lift, and give 2 slow breaths. If air still will not go in, continue giving chest thrusts, finger sweeps and 2 slow breaths until the object is expelled and air goes in. If the victim is not breathing and has a pulse, go to Rescue Breathing. If the victim is not breathing and does not have a pulse, go to CPR.

di

Nosebleed
A nosebleed is sudden bleeding from one or both nostrils, and may result from a variety of events: a punch in the nose, breathing dry air, allergies, or for no apparent reason.
To stop the flow of blood from a common nosebleed, use these steps:
1.Sit or stand upright to slow the flow of blood in the veins of the nose.
Do not tip your head back.
2. Pinch your nose with your thumb and forefinger for 10 minutes without relieving pressure. Breathe through your mouth during this time.
3. If the bleeding continues despite these efforts, consult your doctor .

di

When someone becomes ill or injured there is usually a short period of time before you can get professional medical assistance. It is that length of time that is most critical to the victim. What you do, or don't do during that period of time can make the difference between life and death.
Make sure your household or place of employment have a well stocked first aid kit! Keep your kit in a location that is well known to other family members or coworkers.

First Aid Supplies- Here's a checklist you can use for building your own first aid kit:
Plastic bandages
Transpore tape
Alcohol preps
Adhesive bandages
Micropore tape
Gauze
Extra large plastic bandages
Iodine prep pads
Fingertip bandages
Sterile pads
Antiseptic towelettes
Knuckle bandages
Antiseptic ointment
Ammonia inhalant
Sponge packs
Instant ice packs
Sterile eye wash
Elastic bandages
Eye pads
Safety pins
First aid cream
Bandage scissors
Tweezers
Butterfly bandages
Water tight utility box for contents
Burn gel to treat burns
Burn bandages
Adhesive spots
Extra large strips
Surgical tape
Sponges Pain reliever

Osiris

Great thread Di!

here's my contribution:

CardioPulmonary Resuscitation - CPR

Call emergency (140 in Lebanon)
Tilt the head back and lift the chin until the teeth almost touch. Look and listen for breathing.
If the person is not breathing, close his nose and cover his mouth with yours. Give 2 FULL breaths.
Now place your hands in the center of the victim's chest just between the nipples. Place one hand on the top of the other and PUSH DOWN 15 times. Continue with 2 breaths and 15 pushes until medical help arrives or the person starts breathing.

Don't forget: 2 full breaths, 15 pushes, it could save a life!

di

Shock
A variety of symptoms appear in a person experiencing shock:
1. The skin may appear pale or gray, and is cool and clammy to the touch.
2. The heartbeat is weak and rapid, and breathing is slow and shallow. The blood pressure is reduced.
3. The eyes lack shine and seem to stare. Sometimes the pupils are dilated.
4. The person may be conscious or unconscious. If conscious, the person may faint or be very weak or confused.
On the other hand, shock sometimes causes a person to become overly excited and anxious.
Even if a person seems normal after an injury, take precautions and treat the person for shock by following these steps:
1. Get the person to lie down on his or her back and elevate the feet higher than the person's head. Keep the person from moving unnecessarily.
2. Keep the person warm and comfortable. Loosen tight clothing and cover the person with a blanket. Do not give the person anything to drink.
3. If the person is vomiting or bleeding from the mouth, place the person on his or her side to prevent choking.
4. Treat any injuries appropriately (bleeding, broken bones, etc.).

Poisoning
A poisoning may or may not be obvious. Sometimes the source of a poisoning can be easily identified -- an open bottle of medication or a spilled bottle of household cleaner. Look for these signs if you suspect a poisoning emergency:
1. Burns or redness around the mouth and lips.
2. Breath that smells like chemicals.
3. Burns, stains, and odors on the person, his or her clothing, or on the furniture, floor, rugs, or other objects in the surrounding area.
4. Vomiting, difficulty breathing, or other unexpected symptoms.
If you can find no indication of poisoning, do not treat the person for poisoning, but call for emergency help.
If you believe someone has been poisoned, take the following steps:
1. Some products have instructions on the label specifying what to do if a poisoning occurs. If the product known to be the poison has these instructions, follow them.
2. If the person is alert, give him or her a glass of water or milk to drink. The liquid will slow the rate at which the poison is absorbed by the body. But if the person is weak, lethargic, unconscious, or having seizures, do not give him or her anything by mouth.
4. Certain poisons should be vomited; others should not. If you do not know the identity of the substance swallowed, do not induce vomiting. Overall, you should not induce vomiting unless directed to by your physician.
5. If you are told to induce vomiting in the person who has swallowed poison, use syrup of ipecac to do so. An alternative method to induce vomiting is touching the back of the throat of the person to initiate gagging. If you have no other alternative, have the person drink a glass of warm water containing 1 teaspoon of dried mustard or 3 teaspoons of salt. After the person has vomited, give a glass of water or milk.
6. If the poison has spilled on the person's clothing, skin, or eyes, remove the clothing and flush the skin or eyes with cool or lukewarm water for 20 minutes.
7. Get immediate medical attention. If you have identified the poison, take the container with you.

rashel

Quote:

Originally Posted by di

Shock
A variety of symptoms appear in a person experiencing shock:
1. The skin may appear pale or gray, and is cool and clammy to the touch.
2. The heartbeat is weak and rapid, and breathing is slow and shallow. The blood pressure is reduced.
3. The eyes lack shine and seem to stare. Sometimes the pupils are dilated.
4. The person may be conscious or unconscious. If conscious, the person may faint or be very weak or confused.
On the other hand, shock sometimes causes a person to become overly excited and anxious.
Even if a person seems normal after an injury, take precautions and treat the person for shock by following these steps:
1. Get the person to lie down on his or her back and elevate the feet higher than the person's head. Keep the person from moving unnecessarily.
2. Keep the person warm and comfortable. Loosen tight clothing and cover the person with a blanket. Do not give the person anything to drink.
3. If the person is vomiting or bleeding from the mouth, place the person on his or her side to prevent choking.
4. Treat any injuries appropriately (bleeding, broken bones, etc.).

Poisoning
A poisoning may or may not be obvious. Sometimes the source of a poisoning can be easily identified -- an open bottle of medication or a spilled bottle of household cleaner. Look for these signs if you suspect a poisoning emergency:
1. Burns or redness around the mouth and lips.
2. Breath that smells like chemicals.
3. Burns, stains, and odors on the person, his or her clothing, or on the furniture, floor, rugs, or other objects in the surrounding area.
4. Vomiting, difficulty breathing, or other unexpected symptoms.
If you can find no indication of poisoning, do not treat the person for poisoning, but call for emergency help.
If you believe someone has been poisoned, take the following steps:
1. Some products have instructions on the label specifying what to do if a poisoning occurs. If the product known to be the poison has these instructions, follow them.
2. If the person is alert, give him or her a glass of water or milk to drink. The liquid will slow the rate at which the poison is absorbed by the body. But if the person is weak, lethargic, unconscious, or having seizures, do not give him or her anything by mouth.
4. Certain poisons should be vomited; others should not. If you do not know the identity of the substance swallowed, do not induce vomiting. Overall, you should not induce vomiting unless directed to by your physician.
5. If you are told to induce vomiting in the person who has swallowed poison, use syrup of ipecac to do so. An alternative method to induce vomiting is touching the back of the throat of the person to initiate gagging. If you have no other alternative, have the person drink a glass of warm water containing 1 teaspoon of dried mustard or 3 teaspoons of salt. After the person has vomited, give a glass of water or milk.
6. If the poison has spilled on the person's clothing, skin, or eyes, remove the clothing and flush the skin or eyes with cool or lukewarm water for 20 minutes.
7. Get immediate medical attention. If you have identified the poison, take the container with you.

ya3tik l3afye ... u shud b a volounteer or sth like this :D i guess u are anyway good work and keep goin ...