imp treatment

• Unconsciousness can be due to:

  ➢ Cardiac Arrest

  ➢ Head injury

  ➢ Electrocution

  ➢ Poisoning

  ➢ Drowning

  ➢ Fainting

  ➢ Fits

  ➢ Stroke

  ➢ Low blood sugar

  ➢ Alcohol/drug related causes
• head injury

  ➢ Concussion: brain is shaken resulting in partial loss of consciousness

  ➢ Compression: pressure exerted on the brain by swelling/bleeding or a blood clot

  ➢ Skull Fracture: a partial or complete break of the skull bone, large

  force is involved to cause such injury
• spinal injury 


  ➢ Fall from height

  ➢ Diving into shallow waters

  ➢ Being thrown off a motor vehicle

  ➢ Hit across the back by a heavy object or force

  ➢ Injury to the head or face
• Heat Cramps:

  ➢ Over-exertion of a particular muscle group

  ➢ Lack of warm-up activity

  ➢ Insufficient water intake 


  treatment:

  ✓ Stop all activity and sit in a cool place.

  ✓ Drink enough water.
• Heat Exhaustion:

  ➢ Severe tiredness due to loss of body fluid through excessive sweating

  from strenuous activity

  ➢ Muscle cramps in legs, arms or abdomen

  ➢ Weakness, dizziness or headache

  ➢ Pale, clammy skin

  ➢ Rapid pulse and breathing

  ➢ Nausea or vomiting


  treatment:

  ✓ Help to move casualty to a cool place and lay him/her down.

  ✓ Remove clothing if possible.

  ✓ Sponge casualty

  ✓ Give frequent small sips of isotonic drink or water to hydrate the

  casualty.

  ✓ Even if the casualty recovers quickly, ensure that he/she consults a

  doctor.
• Heat Stroke:

  ➢ The body temperature rises while the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. Body temperature may rise above 40c due to:

  o Prolonged heat exposure

  o Insufficient water intake

  ➢ Throbbing headache, dizziness and acute discomfort

  ➢ Restlessness and confusion

  ➢ Hot, flushed and dry skin

  ➢ Rapid and weak pulse

  ➢ May lead to unconsciousness
• For the treatment of heat stroke:

  • Perform the Primary Survey. If the casualty is unresponsive and not breathing, start chest compressions and apply an AED
  • If the casualty is breathing normally, place them in the recovery position to keep the airway clear (unless neck or spinal injury is suspected)
  • Quickly move the casualty to a cool place and lay them down
  • Remove clothing if possible
  • Cool the casualty rapidly using any available methods
  • Wrap the victim in a cool wet sheet and keep it wet until body temperature falls to 38°C. If no sheet is available, fan the victim or sponge them with cool water
  • Slow down cooling measures when the casualty starts shivering
  • Do not feed the casualty if they are not fully conscious
  • Monitor and record vital signs and level of consciousness regularly
• Treatment for fits:

  • Perform the Primary Survey. If the casualty is unresponsive and not breathing, start chest compressions and apply an AED (see Chapter 8)
  • If the casualty is breathing normally on their own, place them in the recovery position to keep the airway clear. Do not turn or move the casualty if neck or spinal injury is suspected
  • Support or ease their fall and lay the casualty down in a quiet place
  • Call 995 for SCDF
  • Remove any possible sources of harm
  • Do not attempt to insert anything into the casualty’s mouth
  • Turn the casualty to the side to allow drainage of fluids from the mouth
  • Stay with the casualty
  • After the fit has stopped, ensure the casualty is breathing normally and has no severe injuries before placing them in the recovery position
• treatment for fainting:

  ✓ Lay the casualty on a flat surface with legs elevated if there is no evidence of trauma.

  ✓ Loosen tight clothing.

  ✓ Check breathing and pulse.

  ✓ Advise the casualty to seek medical attention.
• low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)

  ✓ Give a sweet beverage if the casualty can drink. / sweets

  ✓ Call 995 for SCDF and stay with the casualty.

  ✓ Do not feed anything by mouth if the casualty turns unconscious.
• • Bee Sting
  • Remove stinger (use card / tweezers)
  • Apply cold compress 
  • Seek further medical attention
• • Spider/scorpion bite
  • Elevate infected area
  • Apply cold compress
  • Immobilize injured area
  • Monitor vital signs
  • Seek further medical attention
• • Dog bite 
  • (if deep) Bandage it 
  • (if shallow) put surgical gauze after cleaning wound (secure with tape)

  *Both must seek medical attention!!
• • Jellyfish Sting
  • Pour seawater on affected area
  • Monitor vital signs
  • Seek medical attention
• • Snake bite
  • Identify poisonous (2 visible, large round bites) /non-poisonous (several small puncture wounds)
  • Lie casualty down (head + shoulders raised)
  • Apply pressure bandage above the affected area
  • Monitor vital signs
  • Seek medical attention
• 1. Nose bleed

  • Look down and press nose bridge
• First-degree burns (least serious):

  • Symptoms: redness and swelling
• Assessment of burn severity is based on:

  • Location of the burn
  • Surface area affected
  • Casualty's age
  • Degree of burn
• Second-degree burns (serious):

  • Symptoms: redness and blisters formed
• Third-degree burns (most serious):

  • Symptoms: waxy, pale, and blackened skin
• Treatment for burns (4Cs):

  1. Calm the casualty and ensure the burnt area does not touch anything

  2. Call emergency services immediately (e.g., 995)

  3. Remove any constricting items near the burn

  4. Cool the burn with cool water immediately or use a cold compress for at least 10 minutes to relieve pain

  5. Cover the burnt area with cling wrap or sterile dressing (only for third-degree burns or extremely severe burns, based on indicators used to assess severity)

  6. Continue to reassure the casualty and monitor vital signs
• 1. Chemical burns

  • Ventilate areas 
  • Flush burnt area with cool, running water  for at least 20min
  • Remove clothing in contact with chemical
  • Seek medical attention
• Electrical burn

  • Call 995
  • Look for entry or exit route
  • Pay attention to casualty (monitor vital signs + ensure conscious)
• eye injury treatment:

  Chemical

  • Tilt head to the side of eye that is injured (if left eye injured, tilt head to left)
  • Wash affected eye under water for 15-20min
  • Get casualty to roll eyeball while rinsing
  • Cover with ice pack
  • Seek medical attention
• eye injury treatment:

  Radiation (“sun”) exposure

  • Darken room
  • Lightly pad (“cover”) affected eye
  • Seek medical attention
• eye injury treatment:

  Contusion (bruise/swelling)

  • Lie on supine position (lie casualty on his/her back)
  • Keep casualty as still as possible
  • Inform casualty not to move (do not move uninjured eye as well)
  • Cold compress (Do not apply pressure)
  • Give sterile dressing/clean non-fluffy patch to cover affected eye
  • If severe, seek medical attention
• eye injury treatment:

  Contusion (bruise/swelling)

  • Lie on supine position (lie casualty on his/her back)
  • Keep casualty as still as possible
  • Inform casualty not to move (do not move uninjured eye as well)
  • Cold compress (Do not apply pressure)
  • Give sterile dressing/clean non-fluffy patch to cover affected eye
  • If severe, seek medical attention
• eye injury treatment:

  Embedded by protruding foreign object

  • Put padding around object using gauze/pressure pad
  • Secure with eye bandage
  • Ensure eye bandage does not add pressure to object
  • Seek medical attention
• eye injury treatment:

  Eye bleeding

  • Eye bandage
  • Seek medical attention
• poisoning:

  Ingestion (symp: abdominal pain + altered consciousness (AVPU)

  • Get casualty to sit down and reassure
  • Seek medical attention
• poisoning:

  Inhalation (symp: breathing difficulties, greyish blue skin, anxietal signs)

  • Ensure there is fresh air for the casualty to breathe in
  • Sit them down + reassure casualty
  • If becomes unconscious: conduct CPR, put casualty in recovery position and seek medical attention!
• poisoning:

  Absorption (symp: rashes + swelling on affected side)

  • Remove affected clothing
  • Wash affected side with cool water (X hot/cold water)
  • Seek medical attention
• poisoning:

  Injection via stings/bites (symp: painfulness/redness/swelling, breathing difficulties, seizures (uncommon), blurry vision)

  • Remove stinger
  • Apply cold compress
  • Seek medical attention
• Symptoms of seizures include muscle spasms, clenching of teeth, jerking of limbs, sudden unconsciousness, uprolling of eyes, unusual body movements, and arching of the back
• In the event of a seizure, the first step is to remove objects that could cause further injury
• To cushion the head, place soft cushion padding underneath the casualty's head to prevent head injury
• It is important to take note of the duration of the seizure, including the start and end time. Use a stopwatch if needed. If the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, call emergency services
• After the seizure has stopped, check the casualty's breathing. If breathing is present, put the casualty in the recovery position and loosen tight clothing
• Never restrain the person during a seizure or put something in the casualty's mouth
• Fractures (symp: pain, loss of function, abnormality, swelling, tenderness, infection, crepitus, shock)

  • Closed fracture
  • Lie casualty down to minimise injury from worsening
  • Immobilise injured limb
  • Immobilise top and bottom of fracture site + joints
  • Call ambulance immediately and treat for shock if necessary
  • Open fracture
  • Cover any wound with clean pad (do not bandage)
  • Call ambulance immediately and treat for shock if necessary