1. First Emergency Procedures and Aid
Chapter 9
First Emergency Procedures and Aid

2. Recognizing an Emergency
Definition
Any instance in which an individual becomes suddenly ill and requires immediate attention
Signs of emergencies
Unusual sounds, strange behavior
First aid
Designed to render immediate care to persons injured prior to arrival of physician

3. Responding to an Emergency
Act quickly
Screen the situation
Assess the patient
Check for universal emergency medical identification >>
List types of injuries emergencies can include

4. Primary Survey
(A) Airway—tilt the head or thrust the jaw to open airway Watch the animation.
(B) Breathing—rescue breathing
(C) Circulation—cardiopulmonary resuscitation

5. Using the 911 or EMS System Situations calling for these services
The provider may give preliminary care but patient may still need to go to the hospital
The provider may not be equipped to give type of care needed
One person should always stay with the patient until help arrives
Continually monitor the patient

6. Good Samaritan Laws Good Samaritan laws
Provide some degree of legal protection to the health care professional who offers first aid
Generally protect off-duty health care professionals
List guidelines to following during emergency care

7. Infection Control Blood, body fluids, and disease transmission
Always protect yourself and the patient
Follow standard precautions

8. Preparing for an Emergency
Develop an in-office handbook of policies and procedures
Keep telephone numbers for the local EMS and poison control center posted
All personnel should be trained in the basics of first aid and CPR
Medical assistants must be provider-level certified

9. Preparing for an Emergency
Keep proper documentation of all emergencies
Keep office environment safe
Keep floors and corridors clean
Wipe up spills immediately to prevent falls

10. The Medical Crash Tray or Cart
Supplies on tray should be carefully inventoried
Common supplies found on most trays and carts

11. Shock Definition Always life-threatening Activate EMS
A condition in which the circulatory system is not providing enough blood to all parts of the body, causing the body’s organs to fail to function properly
Always life-threatening
Activate EMS
List other problems that can occur because of shock

12. Shock Signs and symptoms of shock Types of shock Treatment for shock
Call EMS, then give immediate attention
Shock is progressive
Describe how to care for shock

13. Wounds Closed wounds Have no break in skin
Do not usually present an emergency situation
Some may cause internal bleeding
RICE and MICE procedures: Rest or Movement, Ice, Compression, Elevation

14. Wounds Open wounds Minor tears in skin or more serious breaks
All represent opportunity for infection
Tetanus injection may be needed
Types of open wounds
Abrasions
Avulsion
Incision
Laceration
Puncture
(see Procedure 9-1 in the text)

15. Dressings and Bandages
Necessary to dress and bandage open wound to curtail infection
Dressings
Sterile pads
Bandages
Nonsterile wraps placed over dressings

16. Dressings and Bandages
Bandage application
Depends on injury and injury site
Avoid too tight or too loose a wrap

17. Dressings and Bandages
Types of bandages
Open or closed spiral bandages
Figure-of-eight bandage
Tubular gauze bandage >>
Commercial arm slings >>

18. Burns Caused by heat, chemicals, explosions, and electricity
Critical burns can be life-threatening
Describe symptoms of critical burns

19. Burns Degrees of burns First-degree Second-degree Third-degree
Superficial; top layer of skin
Second-degree
Skin is red and blisters appear
Third-degree
Affect all layers of skin plus fat, muscles, bones, and nerves under skin

20. Burns Caring for burns Special kinds of burns Treatment for burns
What to avoid
Special kinds of burns
Chemical
Electrical
Solar radiation

21. Musculoskeletal Injuries
Painful and can be disabling
Types of injuries
Sprains involve tearing of the ligaments
Signs and symptoms of sprains
Strains are injuries to soft tissue between joints that involve tearing of muscles or tendons
Signs and symptoms of strains
Dislocations involve separation of bone from normal position
Signs and symptoms of dislocations

22. Musculoskeletal Injuries
Types of injuries
Fractures involve a break in a bone
Incomplete or greenstick
Simple
Compound
Impacted
Comminuted
Spiral
Depressed
Colles
See signs and symptoms of fractures and the text

23. Musculoskeletal Injuries
Assessing injuries to muscles, bones, and joints
Note extent of bruising and swelling
Pain is signal of injury
Noticeable deformity to bone or joint
Use of injured area is limited
Talk to patient
Caring for muscle, bone, and joint injuries
See signs and symptoms of fractures and the text

24. Heat- and Cold-Related Illnesses
Heat-related illnesses
Heat cramps (least serious)
Heat exhaustion (more serious)
Heat stroke (least common, most serious)
Cold-related illnesses
Frostbite
Hypothermia

25. Poisoning Can enter body in four ways: Ingestion Inhalation Absorption
Injection

26. Poisoning Call poison control center or local emergency number
Treatment depends on source of poisoning
Activated charcoal may be prescribed

27. Poisoning Insect stings Snake bite May cause swelling
Remove stinger by scraping with something rigid (e.g., credit card)
May cause allergic reaction or hypersensitivity
Epinephrine may be prescribed to patients with known allergic reactions (EPIPEN)
Snake bite

28. Sudden Illness Fainting (syncope)
Involves loss of consciousness caused by insufficient supply of blood to brain
If patient feels faint, have her lie down or sit with head level with knees
If patient faints, lower patient to flat surface, loosen tight clothing, and check breathing
May indicate a complex medical condition

29. Sudden Illness Seizures or convulsions
Occur when normal brain functioning is disrupted
Caused by fever, diabetes, infection, brain injury, epilepsy, and other conditions and diseases
Treat patient with empathy
Protect patient from injury
Determine when an EMS should be called

30. Sudden Illness Diabetes
Inability of body to properly convert sugar from food into energy
Two types of diabetes
Diabetic coma and insulin shock or reaction may occur

31. Sudden Illness Hemorrhage
External bleeding includes capillary, venous, and arterial bleeding
Epistaxis (nosebleeds)
Internal bleeding
Stay with patient and have someone call EMS

32. Control of Bleeding

33. Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)
Common term is stroke
Result of ruptured blood vessel in brain
Can be caused by occlusion of blood vessel or by a clot

34. Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)
Varied symptoms of CVA
Treatment of CVA
Activate EMS; keep patient comfortable
Keep airway open

35. Heart Attack Also known as myocardial infarction
Usually caused by blockage of coronary arteries
Several symptoms of heart attack
Women may have different symptoms than men
Treatment of heart attack
Activate EMS; keep patient comfortable

36. Breathing Emergencies and Cardiac Arrest
When a patient stops breathing, give artificial or rescue breathing immediately
Give chest compressions with rescue breathing (CPR) if patient has breathing emergency and cardiac arrest

37. Rescue Breathing Also called mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
Provides oxygen to patient until emergency personnel arrive
Resuscitation mouthpieces recommended
Methods differ for adults, children, and infants

38. CPR Preliminary care until advanced medical help is available
CPR and defibrillation (AED) increases survival
Methods differ for adults, children, and infants
Describe automated external defibrillators (AED)

39. CPR
Watch the video
Describe automated external defibrillators (AED)

40. Safety and Emergency Practices
Responding to mass disasters
Volunteering at shelters, clinics, hospitals
Using first aid and CPR skills
Giving immunization injections
Medical Reserve Corps
Responding to home and facility disasters

41. Safety and Emergency Practices
Watch the video