Treating Injuries Flashcards
What kinds of injuries might you discover in a secondary survey?
Laceration, fracture, break, sprain, burn, head injury, dislocation, eye injury (non-exhaustive)
What type of wounds are there?
- Abrasions
- Contusions (bruises)
- Incisions (muscle may be hurt)
- Lacerations (jagged edges)
- Punctures (small entry point, potential internal damage)
How should you respond if a casualty has a minor wound?
- Talk to them and explain what you’re going to do
- Examine the wound and check for foreign objects - do not attempt to remove anything embedded in skin as it may be stopping bleeding
- Clean the wound area with tap or bottled water, or with wipes
- Pat the area dry with a towel
- Apply a sterile dressing
- If bleeding doesn’t stop, call 111
How should you respond to severe wounds?
For more severe wounds with heavy bleeding, suspected internal bleeding or objects embedded, call 999, then:
- Put on gloves if available
- Remove anything covering wound and use sterile dressing to apply direct pressure to wound for around 10 mins
- Do not attempt to remove objects - press edges together around object
- Secure the dressing with a bandage
- Ensure bandage is tight but does not cut off blood flow to extremities
How should you test if blood flow to the extremities is affected?
Press on the skin beyond the bandage for 5 seconds until it turns pale, then realise. If normal colour not returned within two seconds, bandage is too tight
What further stages of treatment are there for severe bleeding once the bandage is applied?
- For severe blood loss, lie casualty down and elevate legs and injured area to prevent shock and reduce blood loss
- Loosen any tight clothing and cover with blanket (though not injured area
- Apply a secondary dressing over first dressing if blood seeps through - if blood seeps through both, remove both and reapply 2 new layers (with continued applied pressure)
- Use a sling to support the injury and check circulation every 10 mins
- Be ready to perform CPR
How should you apply a bandage to an arm?
- Ask patient to hold bandage while you wrap fairly around the injury
- Keep the short end free, then use it to tie onto longer end once wrapped
How should you apply a bandage to a palm?
- Ask patient to hold a bandage in their palm
- Wrap a second bandage around the first
How should you apply a bandage to a head?
- Ask patient to hold pad firmly to wound
- Wrap bandage firmly round head
How do you treat a burn/scald?
- Remove excess clothing from the area - leave layer nearest burn in place
- Cool the affected part with cool running water for at least 20 mins
- Loosely cover burn with cling film or a clean plastic bag to protect it from infection
- Call 111 for further assistance
How should you treat a severe burn or scald?
In addition to the treatment given to standard burns (remove clothing, cool, cover):
- Assist the casualty in sitting or lying down after cooling the burn/scald
- Call 999 for emergency help
- Reassure and monitor casualty, or treat for shock
How should you react if clothes are on fire?
Stop - stop the casualty from running away or outside (can fan flames) - reassure
Drop - encourage the casualty to drop, and wrap them in blankets, coats, curtains (heavy material)
Roll - roll the casualty along the floor to smother the flames until they go out
Once flames extinguish move to primary survey
You may need to call 999
How should you treat a head injury, and what might the symptoms be?
Symptoms:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Feeling dazed
Response:
- Ask them to sit down (if responsive)
- Ask questions to find out more about injury and assess level of responsiveness
- If casualty has any wounds, apply pressure to stop bleeding and apply dressing if needed
If unsure, call 111. If unresponsive, call 999.
When should a casualty with a head injury seek help at A&E? (9 items)
The casualty should seek assistance at A&E if they:
- Were unconscious at any point
- Have vomited since the injury
- Have a persistent headache
- Show changes in behaviour or memory issues
- Had been drinking alcohol/taking drugs before the injury
- Experience bleeding from the ears
- Are over 65, or young with a sports injury
- Have a bloodclotting disorder
- Have had prior brain surgery
What are the most common types of severe head injury?
Concussion - temporary injury to the brain caused by blow to head
Cerebral compression - caused by heavy blow to skull, causes bleeding or swelling
Skull fracture - heavy blow to skull - requires immediate hospital treatment
