Basic First Aid Flashcards

1
Q

What does ABC stand for

A

Airway
Breathing
Circulation

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2
Q

How would you check for the ABC in a patient

A

Ask the patient are you okay
If they can answer it suggests
The airway is clear
The breathing rate is okay
The circulation is perfusing the brain

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3
Q

What does the DOTS assessment Stand for

A

D= Deformities
O= Open wounds
T= Tenderness
S= swelling

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4
Q

What are you looking for when observing for deformities

A

Deformities are abnormal shapes of body parts
Common causes of deformities are fractures and dislocations
The best way to check is to compare sides of the patient

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5
Q

How do you check for open wounds and why is this important

A

You may have to do a head to toe search as wounds could be hidden, wear gloves to protect yourself
This is important so you can stop any bleeding

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6
Q

How do you check for tenderness

A

Pressing on an area
By pressing on an area it may cause pain which can indicate an underlying injury, which gives you an early sign before other visible signs like bruising
If a patient is unresponsive when checking for tenderness check there face for a pain response

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7
Q

When would swelling occur

A

This mainly occurs with soft tissue injuries and fractures but may not be visible immediately, so make sure swelling is assessed for repeatedly

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8
Q

When is the SAMPLE assessment used

A

This is used by the emergency services at the site of an accident/incident to help gather information

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9
Q

What does SAMPLE stand for

A

S= Signs/symptoms
A= Allergies
M= Medications both prescribed and over the counter
P= Past medical history- focus on anything relevant to the situation
L= Last oral intake
E= Events leading up to the illness or injury

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10
Q

What is a seizure/convulsions

A

Uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain which may produce a physical convulsion

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11
Q

When would a patient be classed to have epilepsy

A

The tendency to have recurrent seizures which have many causes

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12
Q

What are the common causes of seizures/convulsions

A

Post-head injury
Flashing lights
Alcohol poisoning
After taking certain drugs
Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugars)

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13
Q

What are the uncommon causes of seizures/convulsions

A

Brain tumour
Infection/hyperpyrexia
Lack of oxygen

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14
Q

What are the signs/symptoms of seizures/convulsions

A

Sudden unresponsiveness
Rigid body
Arched back
Noisy, difficult breathing
Convulsive movements
Saliva/frothing at the mouth
Incontinence
Drowsiness post-seizure

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15
Q

What do you do if someone is having a seizure

A

Protect the patient from injury
Don not restrain
Reassure the patient
Place patient in recovery position when the seizure has passed
Note how long the seizure lasts
Stay with patient until recovery is complete
Be aware of anxious bystanders

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16
Q

What is the treatment for a seizure

A

Call 999 if this is there first seizure, the seizure lasts for longer of 5 mins, repeated seizures occur, they are unresponsive for more than 10 mins after the seizure, injury is sustained

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17
Q

What is syncope

A

Syncope or fainting is the loss of consciousness due to temporary reduction in blood flow to the brain. This is more common in teens and elderly. Often comes after feeling light headed and dizzy with some visual disturbance

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18
Q

What could cause syncope

A

The fainting could be caused by a reaction to pain, exhaustion, hunger, emotional stress, sitting or standing for long periods of time, feeling hot

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19
Q

What are the signs/symptoms of syncope

A

Yawning
Sudden clammy sweat
Light-headedness
Blurred vision
Spots in front of your eyes
Feeling sick
Slow pulse
Brief loss of consciousness but should not be longer than 20 seconds

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20
Q

What actions would you follow if a person had a session of fainting

A

Lie the patient down
Raise their legs
Manage there airway if needed
Make space around the patient
Ensure their is fresh air
Give reassurance
If consciousness is not regained after 2 min call 999
If breathing stops be prepared to give CPR

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21
Q

What causes a dry burn

A

Caused by naked flames, friction, hot water bottles in diabetic neuropathy

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22
Q

What causes a scald

A

Caused by wet heat such as steam or hot water

23
Q

What causes a radiation burn

A

A radiation burn is caused by sunburn or radiotherapy

24
Q

What causes a cold burn

A

Frostbite

25
Q

What are the 3 classifications of burns

A

Superficial burn- outer layers of the skin
Partial thickness- all layers of the skin
Full thickness- tissues and structures under the skin eg-muscles and nerves

26
Q

What are the signs/symptoms of burns/scalds

A

Pain
Red skin
Swelling
Blisters
Skin may peel
Skin may turn white/look scorched
Shock

27
Q

What actions should you take when with someone who has a burn/scald

A

Remove patient from the source of the heat
Start cooling the burn as soon as you can with cool running water for 10 mins
Remove jewellery/clothing near the burn
Cover the burn with cling film or a clean plastic bag

28
Q

When should you call an ambulance for a burn

A

Bigger than the size of the patients hand
The burn is on the face, hands, feet or genitals
The burn involves the airway
It is a full thickness burn
It extends around the limb

29
Q

What is a closed fracture

A

A closed fracture is where the damage to the bone is under the skin

30
Q

What is an open fracture

A

Occurs when a piece of the bon punctures the skin

31
Q

What can be the causes of fractures

A

Traumatic incidents
Certain conditions eg- osteoporosis and some cancers can cause bones to fracture more easily

32
Q

What are the signs/symptoms of fractures

A

Pain
Swelling
Bruising
Deformity
The patient is unable to use the injured body part
Grinding of the bone
Did the patient hear/feel the bone snap

33
Q

What actions should you take when a person has a suspected fracture

A

ABC assessment
Examine area using DOTS
Stabilise the injury
Cover any open wounds/exposed bones without applying pressure
Make them comfortable
Seek medical care

34
Q

When should a splint be used

A

A splint should only be used if the patient needs to be moved and so minimises further injury to the bone

35
Q

When is a sling used

A

Used to immobilise collarbone, shoulder, upper arm

36
Q

What are the types of external bleeding

A

Capillary- usually stops after a short while eg- shaving cut/ graze

Venous- can take longer to stop eg- cut with bread knife

Arterial- Blood will spurt out in time with the heartbeat and can be life threatening

37
Q

What is internal bleeding

A

This occurs when the skin is unbroken and the blood isn’t visible outside the body

38
Q

What are the main sites of internal bleeding

A

Chest
Abdomen
Pelvis
Long bones eg-femur

39
Q

How can internal bleeding be recognised

A

Bruising
Painful
Tender
Vomits/coughs up blood

40
Q

What actions should you take towards external bleeding

A

Use personal protection to avoid coming into to contact with blood
Lay the patient down
Expose the wound
Do not remove any foreign objects
Make a clean pad to cover the wound
Apply direct pressure
Elevate the area if possible
Call 999 for an ambulance if needed

41
Q

What actions should you take for a patient with internal bleeding

A

Assess using ABC and DOTS
Call 999
May need to treat patient for shock
If they are vomiting roll them into the recovery position

42
Q

What is shock

A

A critical condition that is brought on by a sudden drop in blood flow through the body

43
Q

What are the common causes of shock

A

The circulatory system fails to maintain adequate blood flow, sharply curtailing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to vital organs

Shock can result from
Pump failure
Fluid loss
Pipe failure
Severe allergic reaction

44
Q

What are the signs/symptoms of shock

A

Cold and clammy skin
Pale lips/nail beds
Rapid/shallow breathing
Weak/rapid pulse
Dizziness
Fainting
Weakness
Nausea/vomiting
Confusion
Unresponsive

45
Q

What are the actions that should be taken with someone suffering shock

A

Lay them down
Raise their legs to about 30cm
Keep person warm and comfortable
Reassure
Treat obvious injuries
Call an ambulance
Keep checking the breathing, pulse and response
Perform CPR if needed

46
Q

What is a stroke

A

When blood flow to a part of the brain is cut off

47
Q

What can cause a stroke

A

A stroke occurs when the blood flow to a part of the brain is cut off caused by a clot or a rupture in the blood vessel, leading to a lack of oxygen causes damage to the brain cells

48
Q

What are the types of stroke

A

Ischaemic stroke- occurs when an artery supplying part of the brain is blocked, starving the distal brain tissue of oxygen

Haemorrhagic stroke- occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts and the bleeding puts pressure on the brain tissue

49
Q

What are the signs/symptoms of a stroke

A

One sided weakness in face, arm or leg
Sudden dimness
Blurring
Loss of vision
Loss of speech
Difficulty talking/understanding
Sudden severe headache

50
Q

What acronym is used to assess if a person is having stroke

A

FAST

51
Q

What does FAST stand for

A

Face
Arms
Speech
Time

52
Q

What would you assess when using FAST

A

Face- can a person smile? Has their face fallen on one side?
Arms- Can they raise both arms and keep them there?
Speech- Can they speak clearly and understand what they say? Is there speech slurred?
Time- If you see these signs you should call 999 time is critical

53
Q

Once 999 is called what actions should you take waiting for the ambulance

A

Keep the patient comfortable and supported
Do not give any food or water
Reassure the patient
Check breathing, pulse and response levels