First aid Flashcards
what is the definition of first aid?
care that can be carried out by a lay person
what are the aims of first aid?
- relieve pain and suffering
- preserve life
- prevent deterioration
- promote recovery
what law governs first aid?
the veterinary surgeons act 1966 - schedule 3
what are the action plan abbreviations?
DR ABC
danger, response, airway, breathing, circulation
what should you do when transporting patients?
- support injuries
- monitor ventilation
- keep visualisation
what information should we get in an emergency situation?
- capsule history
- clinical signs
- timings
- life threatening?
- ETA
what is the definition of triage?
the assignment of degrees of urgency to wounds or illnesses to decide the order of treatment of a large number of patients or casulties
what are some examples of emergencies that require immediate attention?
- cardiopulmonary arrest
- airway obstruction
- unconsciousness
- dyspnoea
- GDV
what are some examples of emergencies that require urgent attention?
- conscious collapse
- fractures/dislocation
- haemorrhage
- dystocia
what would it mean if a mm colour was blue?
dyspnoea
what are some examples of minor injuries?
- insect stings
- abscesses
- minor wounds
- very minor burns
what would it mean if a mm colour was brick red?
congested/toxic
what are the three major body assessments?
- cardiovascular
- respiratory
- neurological
what is a secondary survey?
a complete check
what are the four types of haemorrhage?
- primary
- secondary (restarts several days after)
- reactionary ( restarts within 24hrs bc of high bp displacing clot)
- interal
what colour is an arterial and capillary bleed?
bright red
what colour is a venous bleed?
darker, reddish blue
what are the signs of a severe haemorrhage?
- pale mm
- poor crt
- rapid pulse
- rapid rr
- lethargy
- cold extremities
what are the three pressure points?
femoral
caudal
brachial
what are the signs of a fracture?
- pain/swelling
- loss of function
- deformity
- crepitus
- unnatural mobility
- heard a crack
what are the signs of a spinal fracture?
- loss of reflexes
- loss of deep pain sensation
- urinary/faecal incontinence
what is a dislocation?
- displacement of bone in joint
what are the signs of a dislocation?
swelling
loss of function
what does GDV stand for?
gastric dilation volvulus
what are the signs of a GDV?
- collapse
- hypovolaemic shock
- distended abdomen
- tachycardia
- pale mm
- hypersalivation
- tachypnoea
what is a sprain?
injury to synovial joint
what is a strain?
injury to a muscle or its tendon of attachment
what is hyperthermia?
- heat stroke
- excessive rise in temp due to environment
how would you treat hyperthermia?
dampen fur
fans
water
cool IV fluids
what is hypothermia?
- below normal body temperature
how do you treat hypothermia?
- use heat sources
- warm IV fluids
what is a burn?
caused by dry heat (iron/fire)
what is a scald?
caused by wet heat (boiling water/steam)
what are the clinical signs of a burn/scald?
- redness and heat
- swelling
- variable pain
- loss of fur
- signs of shock
what are the degrees of burns/scalds?
- superficial
- superficial, partial-thickness
- deep dermal, partial- full thickness
- deep, full-thickness
what are two types of wound dressing for a burn/scald?
- silver sulfadiazine
- honey/sugar
what are some examples of chemical burns?
- caustic soda
- battery acid
what are some signs of smoke inhalation?
- cough
- dyspnoea
- nasal discharge
- singed whiskers
what are some causes of poisoning?
- accident
- overdosing
- unusual reaction
- malicious poisoning
who should you ring when a patient has ingested poison?
Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS)
when shouldnt you induce. vomiting?
- caustic or corrosive substance
- if the substance was ingested over 4 hrs ago
- unconscious patient
- dyspnoeic
- seizuring patient
what is a gastric lavage?
clearing the stomach of ingested material
what is an example of an absorbent?
activated charcoal (binds to the poison and prevents further absorption)
what does a purge/cathartic do?
stimulate expulsion of the contents of the GI tract
what ph are wasp bites and bee stings?
wasp - alkaline
bee - acid
what are signs of an adder bite?
- swelling
- lethargy
- fever
- tachypnoea
what are the two categories of neurological emergencies?
- seizure - a sudden uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain
- coma - a state of consciousness from which the patient cannot be roused
what are some signs of a seizure?
- urination/ defecation
- focal seizures
- ataxia (wobbly)
- tonic spasms (extension limb spasms)
what are some causes of seizures?
- hypocalcaemia (low calcium levels)
- uraemia (high urea in blood, due to chronic renal failure)
what are some signs of hypocalcaemia?
- restlessness
- panting
- pyrexic
- collapse
(IV calcium for treatment)
what are some signs of uraemia?
- polydipsia (drinking too much)
- weight loss
- vomiting
- lethargy
what are some causes for unconsciousness?
- diseases that affect the CNS (epilepsy and brain trauma)
- shock
- hyperthermia
what is a common cause for a coma?
hypoglycaemia
what are some signs of a hypoglycaemic coma?
- mouth and body cold
- dullness
- lethargy
- ataxia (wobbly)
what are some causes for shock?
- heart failure
- dehydration
- infection
- bleeding
- pain
what are some signs of shock?
- pale mm
- slow crt
- cold extremities
