Trauma Lecture 1 Flashcards
capillary bleed
- slow and oozing
- easily controlled
- stops spontaneously
venous bleed
- steady flow
- easier to control
- low pressure system
arterial bleed
- rapid and profuse
- spurting with heart beat
- most difficult to control
if controlled external bleeding, apply
a pressure dressings
if uncontrolled exteral bleeding, apply
a tourniquet
if a tourniquet cannot be applied, consider
wound packing
assist patient with external bleeding by (3)
- high flow oxygen
- lay supine
- provide a warm blanket
distance of tourniquet from site
- 3 inches
- only on extremities
- not on joints
if the tourniquet is too big (for infant or very small child), direct
pressure on the wound
situation to compress - pack
- for large wounds, superficial pressure is not effective
- if bleeding is from a deep wound, pack gauzetightly into the wound until it stops bleeding; hold pressure until help arrives
- for armpit and groin
causes of delayed clotting
- blood thinning medications
- coumadin
- warfarin
- hypothermia
- chronic alcoholism
primary assessment in trauma
- X: exsanguinating hemorrhage
- A: airway
- B: breathing
- C: circulation
soft tissue injuries
- closed injuries
- open injuries
- burns
- DCAP-BTLS
DCAP-BTLS
- deformities
- contusions
- abrasions
- puntures
- burns
- tenderness
- lacerations
- swelling
deformity treatment
- splint in position of function
- realign long bone function
- apply ice pack for pain relief
contusion treatment
- apply ice pack
- position patient in position of comfort
abrasion treatment
- gross contamination
- dry sterile dressings
penetrating treatment
- stabilize impaled objects
- apply occlusive dressing to neck, chest, and abdominal wounds
- apply dry sterile dressing
ONLY REMOVE OBJECT IF IT INTERFERES WITH CPR, AIRWAY
tenderness treatment
- splint in position of function
- provide ice pack for swelling and pain
laceration treatment
- control bleeding
- bandage with pressure dressing
- treat for shock
swelling treatment
- splinting decreases bleeding and reduces pain
- provide ice pack
- remove any potentially restrictive objects (i.e. jewlery)
avulsion treatment
- control bleeding
- if attached, place in anatomical position
- bandage with dry sterile dressing
amputation treatment
- injured extremity: control bleeding and bandage with dry sterile bleeding
- amputated extremity: place in plastic bag in cool water
- transport should not be delayed to locate extremity
evisceration treatment
- do not put organs back into body
- cover with moist sterile dressing
- treat for shock if indicated
epistaxis treatment
- apply direct pressure
- lean head forward