First Aid

Question 1

Treating cuts?

Answer 1

-Pressure (stop bleeding)
-Cool water for cleaning
-Debris removal
-Gentle washing around wound with soap / washcloth
-Cover with band aid
-Check for infection daily & change dressings OD

Question 2

Keep cuts moist or dry for optimal healing?

Answer 2

Moist

Question 3

Are topical antiseptics or antibiotics necessary for cut healing?

Answer 3

Nope (strictly for reassurance in most cases)

Question 4

Does Vaseline speed up cut healing time? What else does it do?

Answer 4

-Maybe day or two max faster.
-Greatly prevents scarring (beneficial on limbs & face; less important on digits).

Question 5

Appropriate Vaseline usage for cut healing?

Answer 5

-Add a top layer of Vaseline to cut (but no need to jam it in there), then occlude cut with a band-aid or with a film dressing such as Opsite Flexigrid.

Question 6

Provide some examples of cut referral scenarios.

Answer 6

-Heavy bleeding that doesn’t stop after 5-10mins pressure
-Deep / Long cuts (> 1/2in)
-Large facial cuts or those close to eyes
-Caused by rusty objects / animal bites
-Immunocompromised
-Child w/o Tetanus vaccination

Question 7

Is it necessary to treat cuts with Hydrogen Peroxide or Rubbing Alcohol?

Answer 7

Nope… Cool water or saline fine.

Question 8

Iodine for cut healing?

Answer 8

Meh… Surgically used as an antiseptic, but at cut levels potentially seen in the Pharmacy is overkill.

Question 9

Only necessary question to ask those who come in looking for Polysporin to treat a cut?

Answer 9

“Do you want Lidocaine in it or no”?

Question 10

Polysporin Cream or Ointment for cuts?

Answer 10

Both fine… Ointment may be minimally better for wound hydration but cream still alright.

Question 11

Type of specialized honey used in surgical dressing sheets?

Answer 11

Manuka Honey

Question 12

When might honey be used in wound care?

Answer 12

-Ulcers
-Infected wounds
-When other agents tried first

Question 13

Why is raw honey use discouraged for infection?

Answer 13

-High fructose corn syrups present in raw honey encourages infection spreading.

Question 14

Advantage of plastic bandages (vs. cloth)?

Answer 14

-Better in shower… Less water retention.

Question 15

Silver / Copper a useful addition to bandages?

Answer 15

-Antiseptic properties but cost-to-benefit ratio doesn’t rationalize us recommending them to patients.

Question 16

Hydrocolloid Pads… Worth purchasing or no?

Answer 16

-Meh… Add some moisture to wound site, but pricier than normal bandages. Better to just use Vaseline & regular bandages (cheaper & does same thing).

Question 17

Better option that replaces the need for knuckle / abnormally shaped bandages?

Answer 17

Liquid Bandages (Nexcare Spray)

Question 18

How long do liquid bandages typically last?

Answer 18

~5 days… Best used on wider SA’s & not to be used on deep punctures (more for surface level abrasions or scrapes).

Question 19

Nursing Care product for treating superficial wounds that provides a moisture permeable wound-environment interface?

Answer 19

OpSite Film Dressing

Question 20

Up to how many days can OpSite Film Dressings be kept on a wound?

Answer 20

7 days

Question 21

OTC product that does similar things to OpSite Film Dressings?

Answer 21

Nexcare Tegaderm Transparent Dressings

Question 22

When might the Nexcare Tegaderm + Pad product be recommended (ie. Instead of just the Tegaderm Dressing)?

Answer 22

-In cases where wounds have associated fluid oozing (pad is there to absorb fluids oozing from cuts).

Question 23

What advantage does Kendall Telfa pads have over traditional gauzes?

Answer 23

-Outer layer of the gauze is non-adhesive, which prevents scab tearing & makes dressing removal easier when it’s desirable to change them.

Question 24

How late is too late to get stitches?

Answer 24

-Usually < 24hrs, but generally Physician’s call… Generally within 6-8hrs is the rule of thumb.

Question 25

Two products best indicated for scarring associated with cuts?

Answer 25

Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Vaseline

Question 26

1st vs 2nd vs 3rd degree burns?

Answer 26

1st: Red & painful to touch, slight swelling & turns white when applying pressure to skin.

2nd: Blistering, very painful & thicker burns.

3rd: All skin layers damaged, leaving it white or charred. May cause little to no pain (due to potential nerve damage).

Question 27

Types of burns?

Answer 27

i) Thermal
ii) Chemical
iii) Radiation
iv) Electrical

Question 28

Immediate treatment for burns?

Answer 28

-Cool water for several minutes.
-Avoid ice / cold compresses (can cause quick frostbite).
-Avoid putting butter / grease / powder / oily compounds on burns.
-Ibu / Ace for acute pain relief.

Question 29

Treatment for sunburn?

Answer 29

-Cool compresses
-Lotions

Question 30

Is Aloe Vera great for sunburn treatment?

Answer 30

-Therapeutically meh… Some anti-inflammatory evidence & cooling effect on the skin as it evaporates, but therapeutically not so hot.