AvMed Day 4 Flashcards
What’s are the possible causes of breathing problems?
-Choking
-Asthma
-Hyperventilation
-Allergic Reaction
-Pulmonary Embolism
-Collapsed lung
What happens to the epiglottis when someone is choking?
It goes down and blocks the airway
What should you encourage people to do when they are choking?
Cough
What’s the signs and symptoms of someone choking?
-They can’t breathe or speak
-Cyanosis of the lips or skin
What happens at 4minutes when you chock?
You turn blue
What happens at 6 minutes when you choke?
Unconsciousness
What happens at 8 minutes when you choke?
Brain damage likely
What happens at 10 minutes when you choke?
Brain death expected
What should you do if you witness an adult chocking
-Go over and ask are you choking?
-If so with the heal of you hand give them 5 back blows
-If item not dislodged do 5 abdominal thrusts
-Repeat until item is dislodged
What should you do if you witness a child choking?
-Ask if they are choking
-Bend over your knee and give 5 back blows
-If the doesn’t work do 5 abdominal thrusts
-Repeat until item is dislodged
What should do if you witness an infant choking?
-Put them over your arm and hold neck/head for 5 back blows
-If that doesn’t work turn infant around onto their back ensuring their head is lower than their feet and push two fingers down into the sternum
-Repeat until item is dislodged
What’s the aftercare of a casualty who has been choking?
-Sit casualty down
-Administer PO and call MedLink
-Reassure
-Fill out an IIOR
If someone has asthma but doesn’t have their own pump available, what should you do?
Get the one and a spacer from the EMK located in the black module
Can you leave the asthma pump and spacer with the casualty after they’ve used it?
They cannot keep the asthma pump but can keep the spacer
Once casualty is done with the spacer, what do you do with it?
Put it in a bio hazard bag
What are the possible signs and symptoms for Asthma?
-Difficulty breathing, especially breathing out (I.E. coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath)
-Abnormal breathing and pulse rates
-Speaking with difficulty
-Blueness of skin, lips and finger nails (cyanosis)
-Anxiety and distress
-Tightness in the chest
-May become unconscious and stop breathing normally
How would you treat asthma?
-Sit casualty down with elbows on the tray table or determine their own best position
-Administer PO and call MedLink
-Encourage slow deep breathing
-Loosen tight clothing and open air vents
-Ask casualty if they have their own medication and assist if necessary
-If no improvement or own medication contact OMB
-Monitor AVPU every 10 mins
-Fill out IIOR
-Monitor the casualty
-Keep them calm and reassure them
What’s an Anaphylaxis reaction?
A severe, potentially life threatening reaction that can develop quickly and affect the whole body
What’s the songs and signs and symptoms of an anaphylaxis reaction?
-Feeling light headed or faint
-Difficulty in breathing or swallowing- tightness in chest, wheezing or gasping
-Swelling of throat, lips, lounge or around the eyes
-Puffiness around the eyes
-Pale or flushed skin
-Widespread rash anywhere on the body (hives)
-Abnormal breathing and pulse rates
-Anxiety (feeling of impending doom)
If someone is having an anaphylaxis reaction do you need get MedLinks permission for treatment?
No
What’s the treatment for anaphylaxis?
-Maintain airway using head tilt, chin lift either in seat or laying them down and raising legs if signs of shock are evident
-Admister PO and call MedLink
-Loose any tight clothing and remove any jewellery
-Ask if they have their own AAI or equivalent
-If not contact OBM who is trained to administer on board AAI (unconscious deems as consent)
-Monitor AVPU, breathing and pulse rates every 10 mins
-Fill out IIOR
What’s hyperventilation?
A decrease in CO2 and an increase in O2
What’s the possible signs and symptoms for hyperventilation?
-Anxiety
-Fast breathing
-Breathlessness
-Dizziness
-Flushed skin
-Light headedness
-Abnormal sensations (due to chemical imbalance) such as pins and needles in the hands and feet. The hands and feet may spasm
What’s the treatment for hyperventilation?
-Reassure and calmly explain what is happening to the casualty
-Try to improve the environment e.g. loosen tight clothing, open air vents
-Monitor the casualty for the rest of the flight
How long can it take for hyperventilation symptoms to reverse?
5-10 mins
Why is it sometimes hard to determine whether someone is hypoxic or hyperventilating?
Because the symptoms may be similar to
If in doubt of whether someone is hypoxia or hyperventilating, what should you do?
Give them a PO
If you give a PO to someone who is hyperventilating what happens and what should you do?
They may faint. If this happens remove the PO, place them in the recovery position and monitor their airway and breathing until recovered
What’s the symptoms of communicable respiratory disease?
-A temperature of 38 degrees or above
-Appearing obviously unwell
-Persistent coughing
-Impaired vision
-Persistent diarrhoea
-Persistent vomiting
-Change in taste or smell
-Skin rash
-Bruising or bleeding without injury
-Confusion or recent onset
-Contact with a person known to be suffering from a communicable disease
What’s the treatment for Communicable Respiratory Disease?
-Contact MedLink who will advise customer conditions meets the criteria for a suspected communicable disease
-Inform Capt/APIC of nature of the event and MedLinks guidance including PORT health notification
-Capt/APIC will notify ATC and OCC of event and escalate to PORT Health
-PORT health will assess and advise of response required for event
-OCC will liaise with VAA team at destination to ensure response is managed alongside local authorities
-Follow treatment/Isolation directions from MedLink and ensure relevant OR(s) completed
Will MedLink contact PORT health on your behalf?
No
What are the types of wounds?
-Arterial Bleed
-Venous Bleed
-Capillary Bleed
Arterial bleed
Spurt
Venous bleed
Gush
Capillary bleed
Ooze
Wya the aims of treatment for wounds and bleeding?
-To control the bleeding
-To minimise the risk of infection to yourself and the casualty
-To reduce risk of shock (if severe bleeding)
What’s the treatment for minor external bleeding?
-Wash hands and wear gloves
-Remove jewellery and/or clothing of affected area
-If wound is dirty rinse under running water (anti septic is not necessary)
-Ask casualty to apply direct pressure over the wound
-If wound is small apply a plaster. Larger wounds apply a dressing appropriate to the size
-Fill out IIOR
What colour plasters are used for crew?
Blue
What colour plasters are used for passengers?
Pink
What should you check for every 10 mins for minor external bleeding?
Check for colour, warmth and sensation in fingers
If the casualty’s wound bleeds through the first bandage, what should you do?
Apply a second one and if it still bleeds through, start again.
When would you use indirect pressure?
When there’s an object in the wound. I.E. a pen
When would you use direct pressure?
When there’s just a normal open cut/wound
What’s a Tourniquet used for?
To stop blood flow to a limb if amputated
How far above the wound should you place the tourniquet?
5cm
What should you write on the casualty’s forehead and why?
A T and the time the tourniquet was put on as it is helpful for emergency services
What should you do with the amputated limb?
On ice, in a bag as the limb can’t directly be put on ice so needs to be wrapped in something. Then also write down the time it was amputated.
If there’s an object in a wound, would you remove it?
No
How would you treat a nose bleed?
-Pinch the soft tissue of the nose
-Get a cold compress
-Add another cold compress
-Repeat every 10mins until the 30 minutes mark
Possible signs and symptoms for foreign object in the eye?
-Pain in movement of eye
-Blurred vision
-Loss of visual sharpness
-Sensitivity to light
What’s does RICE stand for?
R- Rest
I- Ice
C- Compress/Comfortable support
E- Elevate
Possible songs and symptoms of fractures?
-Pain or discoloured skin around the bone or joint
-Deformity- the limb or part of the body bent at an unusual angle
-A grinding or grating sensation or sound in the bone or joint
-Signs of shock
What fractures are you more likely to see signs of shock?
-Thigh, pelvis or multiple fractures
What’s the aims of treatment for a fracture?
-Immobilise fracture to reduce pain and further injury
-Treat for shock, control bleeding if present
What are classed as life threatening fractures?
-Skull fractures
-More than 3 fractured ribs
What may a skull fracture lead to?
Unconsciousness and the casualty may stop breathing, which could result in a cardiac arrest
Why is more than 3 broken ribs classed as a life threatening fracture?
Because the force required to break these will cause some under lying lung bruising which can lead to hypoxia
If there’s an hissing sounds from an open wound, would you cover it?
No because there is air flowing through it. Only cover if it’s bleeding
What’s the risk with pelvic, hip and thigh fractures?
They can cause shock to develop quickly
How would you treated a suspected spine injury?
-Put hand around next to support making sure you don’t cover the ears
-Get a PO
-Notify AvMed
What’s more important, an injury or ensuring an airway is clear?
Ensuring an airway is clear
If someone has sustained an injury and is unconscious, how would you treat them?
-Do head tilt, chin lift carefully
-To put into recovery position do a “log roll”
-Follow normal AVPU and pulse and breathing checks every 10 mins
What types of burns can you get?
-Scalds
-Cold burns
-Dry burns
-Chemical burns
-Electrical burns
-Radiation
Is on board treatment the same for all burns?
Yes
How would you measure area of the body that is burnt?
Use you hand. 1 hand = 1%
What’s the treatment for burns?
-Remove source of injury
-Remove jewellery and clothing from affected area before swelling occurs
-Cool the injured area under cold running water for at least 20 mins
-Wash hands. Wearing gloves cover burn/scald with BD. Secure dressing with loose sterile bandages
-Offer appropriate pain relief
-Encourage frequent sips of water
What’s extra considerations when treating burns?
-If clothes are stuck to the burn, don’t remove them
-Administer a PO and call MedLink
-Be prepared to treat to shock
-Electrical burns
-Chemical burns
Where are the locations of burn dressings?
-Burn pouches in galleys
-FAK
-GFAK
How should you treat a chemical burn?
Rinse under cold running water until MedLink advises otherwise
What makes something classed as a major incident?
When there’s more casualty’s than medically trained staff
What’s the 5 point access plan?
- Assess the situation
- Make the area safe
- Assess all casualties using triage
4.Get help - Deal with aftermath
Group A?
Quiet and still
Group B?
Major injuries- severe bleeding, burns
Group C?
Minor injuries- Walking wounded
Group D?
Deceased- Obviously deceased/cardiac arrest
