In this RoyOnRescue, I reply to a question a student emailed me about how to recognize heat exhaustion and heat stroke and how to treat both. If you ever wondered if a person was just “over heated” or if they might be in danger of suffering a life threatening heat stroke, you will want to watch this video blog reply.
In some parts of the country it doesn’t feel very hot but don’t be fooled…Summer is just around the corner. Be ready and don’t allow you or someone you love to become a victim of Heat Stroke!
In Part 1 of Snake Bites we talked about the different kinds of poisonous snakes that pose a risk for serious danger. Remember we were talking about an Emergency Responder who who had emailed me? She helps out with California High Desert Racing and the medical response team and is having some issues with Poisonous snake bites and 35-45 minute response times. This due to being so far away from civilization. In part 1 of this response video blog, we took a look at the different types of rattlesnakes that are causing problems, how they might kill a person and how we as rescuers could make the difference between life and death. In this second part, we will get to the bottom of the correct treatment strategy in order to save a snake bite victims life and limb.
An Emergency Responder who helps out with California High Desert Races is having some issues with Poisonous Snake Bites and slow response times due to being so far away from civilization. In this response video blog, we take a look at the different types of rattlesnakes that are causing problems, how they might kill a person and how we as rescuers could make the difference between life and death.
Seizures can be caused by many different things and though they don’t mean that the person has a serious condition, it is important to know what to do during and after a person has one. A student wrote in asking if I could give some additional information about how to handle a person who is having a seizure. Though it seems complicated when you’re watching a seizure in progress, the treatment plan is quite simple.
1. Protect the person while they are having a seizure.
2. If this is the first time this person has ever had a seizure, call 911 or EMS.
3. Treat the patients needs after they stop having a seizure.
4. Wait for EMS to arrive and takeover.
For a detailed training on seizure first aid, go to www.profirstaid.com and click on the video review tab at the top of the page. Then search for the topic of seizures, get your favorite beverage and watch the video training.
Ever wonder what to do if an infant began choking next to you? Ever wonder if one procedure was more effective than another? Well, one of our students did and emailed me a question about his topic. In this video blog entry I open up the discussion about back slaps and chest thrusts, what they do, and how they work to help a choking victim. Then at the end, I give you the secret about which one is more effective. Enjoy!
Airway pressure with chest compressions versus Heimlich
manoeuvre in recently dead adults with complete airway
obstruction
Accepted 22 November 1999. published online 17 August 2004.
Abstract
In a previous case report a standard chest compression successfully removed a foreign body from the airway after the Heimlich manoeuvre had failed. Based on this case, standard chest compressions and Heimlich manoeuvres were performed by emergency physicians on 12 unselected cadavers with a simulated complete airway obstruction in a randomised crossover design. The mean peak airway pressure was significantly lower with abdominal thrusts compared to chest compressions, 26.4±19.8 cmH2O versus 40.8±16.4 cmH2O, respectively (P=0.005, 95% confidence interval for the mean difference 5.3–23.4 cmH2O). Standard chest compressions therefore have the potential of being more effective than the Heimlich manoeuvre for the management of complete airway obstruction by a foreign body in an unconscious patient. Removal of the Heimlich manoeuvre from the resuscitation algorithm for unconscious patients with suspected airway obstruction will also simplify training.
In this video blog, Roy Shaw, EMT-P answers a question by a student. The student wanted to know what shock is and how to treat it. Roy explains what shock really is and how you can treat it and possibly save one’s life.
I received an email today from a concerned rescuer who wondered how she could determine if a person is suffering from low blood sugar or high blood sugar and what to do for each. I thought it would be better if I simply video blogged my answer to her and to the rest of you who might benefit from it. It can be very scary to see someone with a decreased level of consciousness and not know why it’s happening. If one thinks that it may be due to low blood sugar, watching this video blog may empower you to know what to do and become a rescuer today.
If you would like to see a five minute training video on what diabetic emergencies are, please go to www.profirstaid.com and click on the video training tab at the top. Then scroll down to diabetic emergencies. Keep Rescuing!
Ever see someone hit their head very hard? Wonder if it’s just a minor “Knock on the Noggin” or could it be a serious head injury? In this Roy On Rescue Video Blog entry, Roy Shaw, EMT-Paramedic answers those questions with directives on how to assess, stabilize and treat a person for a serious head injury or minor. There’s nothing worse than sitting with a crying child or an injured adult and wonder if we are over reacting by calling 911, or under reacting by not doing more. Watch this video blog for some interesting insights straight from the Paramedics mouth on what to do.
Don’t miss this entry where Roy puts a common sense spin on how to handle the next event where someone hits their head and no one knows if they should go in to the hospital or just sleep off the headache.
Watch the video below if you would like to see a video animation of what happens in the skull when a person hits their head.
A website that shows a video explaining a traumatic closed head injury is located at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmAML1-F2LE
Ever wonder what to do if someone chokes near you? Should you give them the Heimlich Maneuver or Chest Compressions? In this video Blog, Roy Shaw, EMT-Paramedic answers a students question about what to do if someone chokes and if Abdominal Thrusts or Chest Compressions are better. Roy takes a look at when to use abdominal thrusts as in the Heimlich Maneuver and when to use Chest Compressions for a person who is definitely choking.
A concerned Good Samaritan(G.S.) wrote me a question and I thought it would be good to share it with you on RoyOnRescue(ROR).
G.S.: “In my scenario, the person fell down hit their head twice and then fell onto the floor face down. I am now wondering if we did the right thing. We picked the person up and carried her outside for fresh air where she revived immediately. We then monitored the person but nothing else seemed to be wrong with her.”
ROR: It sounds like the story ends well regardless of the treatment given which is always great! There may be a few things that we cold improve upon for the future. Let’s analyze what happened and what we might be able to do differently next time to protect and help the fall victim even more.
Whenever a person falls, there is a risk for head and neck injury. As stated in your scenario, this particular person did hit their head… twice. This would be enough mechanism of injury that instead of moving the person right away, we would want to minimize movement while assessing the person for any signs or symptoms of other injuries. We can minimize movement by softly but confidently speaking to the patient who is either conscious or unconscious and place one hand carefully on the victims forehead to help remind them and us not to move their head and neck. Try to find out if the person is breathing on their own and if their skin color is somewhat normal while they are lying in the position found. If they are breathing and skin color is good, we do not have to move the person before Emergency Medical Services arrive.
If assessing the person’s airway is impossible in this position,(face down) we may need to carefully roll the person over onto their back even if we suspect that there may be a serious neck or back injury. We do not move spinal chord injury patients unless they need cpr, their airway is compromised or they are in danger due to the environment.
If we determine that we must roll, or move a person with a suspected spinal chord injury, utilize several people if available, in order to minimization spinal movement. If you are the only person, then do the job the best way you can and follow the “Life Over Limb” philosophy. If the person wakes and is not complaining of any pain or numbness and they don’t allow you to minimize movement because they want to get up, they should be allowed to do so. It is not wise to hold the person down as this can complicate injuries the patient already sustained trying to wrestle. Keep encouraging the person to stay still until help arrives by the ambulance service. Keep the person in a position of comfort with confident words of encouragement like, you are in good hands, I’m going to take good care of you and help is on the way. If they still refuse treatment, there is little you can do at that point other than inform 911 of what has happened.
It sounds as though you did the best you could for this person at the time. Remember, most people don’t even get involved when someone needs help. The fact that you did get involved and tried to help makes you a natural rescuer!
I thought a video clip of all different fainting episodes would not only get my point across that falls can cause injuries to the person even if the fainting spell or the reason they fell wasn’t serious. I hope you don’t feel faint watching others faint but if you want to see what happens to people when they fall from standing up, take a look at the clip below.
P.S. One of the most effective rescue moves for a person who is starting to faint, is to simply help them to the floor before they fall!
