FIRST AID

IN THE NATURE
Bc. Marie Bártová,
Institute of Nursing Theory and Practice
Charles University, 1st Medical Faculty
Prague 2006
 CONTENTS

- Bleeding

- Shock

- Heat related injuries

- Fractures

- Drowning

First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and

Practice
 BLEEDING
MINOR CUTS, SCRATCHES
- wash and dry your own hands
- cover any cuts on your own hands and put on
disposable gloves
- clean the cut
- raise affected area above the heart
- cover the cut with a sterile dressing or plaster
 BLEEDING I

SEVERE BLEEDING
- lay the victim down (fainting), elevate the bleeding area
- remove any obvious loose debris or dirt from a wound
- apply pads and bandages
- maintain pressure
- if bleeding continues place another cloth over the first
one
- get medical help and take steps to prevent shock

First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and

Practice
 SHOCK
„Acute circulatory failure with inadequate or inappropriately distributed
tissue perfusion resulting in generalized cellular hypoxia.„

CAUSE OF SHOCK
- trauma
- severe infection
- allergic reactions etc.

TYPES OF SHOCK
- cardiogenic shock - problems with the heart
- septic shock – endotoxins cause vasoconstriction
- distributive shock - anaphylaxis
- hypovolemic shock - loss of circulating volume

First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and

Practice
 SHOCK I

SIGNS
- pale face
- cold, clammy skin
- fast, shallow breathing (hyperventilation)
- rapid, weak pulse
- hypotension
- the eyes may seem to stare, pupils dilatated
- yawning/sighing/delirium/unconsciousness
First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and
Practice
 SHOCK II

TREATMENT
- lay the casualty down, raise
and support the legs
- check for signs of circulation (if absent begin CPR)
- keep the person warm and comfortable
- if the person vomits, turn him on the side – recovery
position
- do not give the anything to eat or drink

First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and

Practice
 HEAT RELATED
INJURIES
- Hypothermia
- Hyperthermia

- Burns

First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and

Practice
 HYPOTHERMIA
„Exists when the body core temperature is below 35 ◦C“

CONDITIONS LEADING TO TREATMENT:

HYPOTHERMIA: - reduce heat loss
- cold temperatures, wetness - add fuel & fluids (carbohydrates, hot
- fatigue, exhaustion, dehydration liquids)
- alcohol intake (vasodilation - - add heat
increased heat loss)

TYPES
- mild 35—32 ◦C
- moderate 32—30 ◦C
- severe less than 30 ◦C First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and
Practice
 HYPERTHERMIA
„Occurs when the body’s ability to thermoregulate fails, and core temperature
exceeds the one that is normally maintained by homeostatic mechanisms“

Heat stroke (HS) - a systemic inflammatory response with a core temperature

above 40.6 ◦C

SIGNS: TREATMENT:
- mental state change, perspiration Cooling techniques:
- headache, tachypnea, dizziness
- Surface cooling methods (undress the
victim, ice packs)
FORMS OF HS:
- non-exertion heat stroke (CHS) - - Internal cooling methods (i.v drugs,
high environmental temperatures cool fluids)
(elderly)
- exertion heat stroke (EHS) - physical
exercise in high environmental
temperatures (healthy adults)
First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and
Practice
 BURNS
FIRST-DEGREE BURN - outer layer of skin
(epidermis) is burned

SIGNS: TREATMENT:
- skin redness - cool the burn
- swelling - cover the burn with a
- pain sterile gauze bandage
- take pain reliever if
neccessary

First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and

Practice
 BURNS I

SECOND-DEGREE BURN – first and second layer

of skin (epidermis) is burned

SIGNS: TREATMENT:
- blisters - cool the burn
- severe pain - cover the burn with a
sterile gauze bandage
- swelling
- take pain reliever if
neccessary

First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and

Practice
 BURNS II

THIRD-DEGREE BURN – involve all layers of skin

(fat, muscle and even bone can be affected)

SIGNS: TREATMENT:
- dry, white/black areas - make sure the victim is no longer
in contact with smoldering
- signs of shock materials
- don´t immerse severe large burns
in cold water
- check for signs of circulation
- cover the area of the burn (cool,
moinst, sterile bandage)

First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and

Practice
 FRACTURES
„A fractured bone is a bone which has had its tissue broken.
A fractured is a name of the type of the break experienced“

SIGNS TYPES
- local bruising and tenderness
in the effected area - Closed Fracture - no
- skin stretch marks broken skin
- localized swelling - Compound Fracture - bone
- forming hematomas penetrate through the skin
- pain from the inside (risk of
- impaired function infection)

First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and

Practice
 FRACTURES I

TREATMENT
- stop any bleeding
- immobilize the injured area (a splint)
- apply ice pack to limit swelling
- help relive pain
- treat for shock (head slightly lower than the trunk,
elevate legs)
- call emergency

First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and

Practice
 DROWNING
„A process resulting in primary respiratory impairment from
submersion/immersion in a liquid medium“

LIFE SUPPORT (Eropean Resuscitation Council 2005):

- quick removal of the drowning victim from the water
- open airway
- prompt initiation of rescue breathing for 1 min
- <5 min to land - continue rescue breaths
- >5 min from land - continue rescue breaths for 1 min
- chest compression after the victim is removed from water

First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and

Practice
 REPETITION

1. How do you act if a severe bleeding wound dressing

becomes soaked with blood?
2. Name 3 signs of shock.
3. What age group is in greater risk of non-exertion heat
stroke?
4. What burn degree is characterized by blisters?
5. Explain what is compound bone fracture?
6. How do you carry out rescue breathing in a drowning
victim after his removal from water?
First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and
Practice
 THANK YOU !
barfofka@email.cz
consultations: Monday 15.30pm – 16.00pm

First Aid, Institute of Nursing Theory and

Practice