First Aid Flashcards
Treating cuts?
-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
Keep cuts moist or dry for optimal healing?
Moist
Are topical antiseptics or antibiotics necessary for cut healing?
Nope (strictly for reassurance in most cases)
Does Vaseline speed up cut healing time? What else does it do?
-Maybe day or two max faster.
-Greatly prevents scarring (beneficial on limbs & face; less important on digits).
Appropriate Vaseline usage for cut healing?
-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.
Provide some examples of cut referral scenarios.
-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
Is it necessary to treat cuts with Hydrogen Peroxide or Rubbing Alcohol?
Nope… Cool water or saline fine.
Iodine for cut healing?
Meh… Surgically used as an antiseptic, but at cut levels potentially seen in the Pharmacy is overkill.
Only necessary question to ask those who come in looking for Polysporin to treat a cut?
“Do you want Lidocaine in it or no”?
Polysporin Cream or Ointment for cuts?
Both fine… Ointment may be minimally better for wound hydration but cream still alright.
Type of specialized honey used in surgical dressing sheets?
Manuka Honey
When might honey be used in wound care?
-Ulcers
-Infected wounds
-When other agents tried first
Why is raw honey use discouraged for infection?
-High fructose corn syrups present in raw honey encourages infection spreading.
Advantage of plastic bandages (vs. cloth)?
-Better in shower… Less water retention.
Silver / Copper a useful addition to bandages?
-Antiseptic properties but cost-to-benefit ratio doesn’t rationalize us recommending them to patients.
Hydrocolloid Pads… Worth purchasing or no?
-Meh… Add some moisture to wound site, but pricier than normal bandages. Better to just use Vaseline & regular bandages (cheaper & does same thing).
Better option that replaces the need for knuckle / abnormally shaped bandages?
Liquid Bandages (Nexcare Spray)
How long do liquid bandages typically last?
~5 days… Best used on wider SA’s & not to be used on deep punctures (more for surface level abrasions or scrapes).
Nursing Care product for treating superficial wounds that provides a moisture permeable wound-environment interface?
OpSite Film Dressing
Up to how many days can OpSite Film Dressings be kept on a wound?
7 days
OTC product that does similar things to OpSite Film Dressings?
Nexcare Tegaderm Transparent Dressings
When might the Nexcare Tegaderm + Pad product be recommended (ie. Instead of just the Tegaderm Dressing)?
-In cases where wounds have associated fluid oozing (pad is there to absorb fluids oozing from cuts).
What advantage does Kendall Telfa pads have over traditional gauzes?
-Outer layer of the gauze is non-adhesive, which prevents scab tearing & makes dressing removal easier when it’s desirable to change them.
How late is too late to get stitches?
-Usually < 24hrs, but generally Physician’s call… Generally within 6-8hrs is the rule of thumb.
Two products best indicated for scarring associated with cuts?
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Vaseline
1st vs 2nd vs 3rd degree burns?
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).
Types of burns?
i) Thermal
ii) Chemical
iii) Radiation
iv) Electrical
Immediate treatment for burns?
-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.
Treatment for sunburn?
-Cool compresses
-Lotions
Is Aloe Vera great for sunburn treatment?
-Therapeutically meh… Some anti-inflammatory evidence & cooling effect on the skin as it evaporates, but therapeutically not so hot.
