Knitting Needles and Puncture Wounds?

Knitting Needles can be the source of warm mittens, cozy scarves and comforting winter sweaters.  They can also become sharp pointed weapons or injury causing spikes when fallen upon or when they are thrust into the face, neck, chest or abdomen due to a car accident or accidentally falling onto them.  In this RoyOnRescue episode, we take a look at the hidden danger of sharp pointed objects that usually remain harmless but when not respected and carried safely, they could cause great harm.  Learn about the dangers of pointed objects and how to keep knitting needles a source of pleasure not pain.

Giving CPR to People With Bleeding Chest Injuries

I received an email that I think we can all benefit from.

It read…

“Since most of the first aid measures for a no pulse, no breathing situation is immediate CPR, is it alright to do CPR if the victim has a wound on the chest that is bleeding profusely? This is not that I have seen this situation, but I like to think that if it happens I would know what to do!”
C. H.

That’s a great question C.   Sometimes it’s easy to get distracted by a serious traumatic injury and forget the basics and what needs to be done first in order to try and save the person’s life.  Or, we can look at a complicating injury such as a chest wound and think,  How am I going to do CPR on this person, there chest has a serious bleeding wound right where I’m going to give my compressions?

In this episode of RoyOnRescue we are going to look a proper treatment plan if we ever came across a person who had a serious chest injury and needed CPR.

Asthma Attack and No Medication!

One of the scariest feelings is not being able to breath.  This is exactly what is happening during a severe asthma attack.  I received an email from a person who stated that they have been trained in CPR and First Aid multiple times and though it covers the basics of asthma it never really talks about what to do in depth.  They gave me a scenario where a person may be having an asthma attack and EMS is quite some ways away.  What’s worse, there isn’t any medication for the asthma attack!  Now what?

In this episode we take a look at what asthma is, and how we can confidently handle it even if there isn’t any medications and EMS/911 is delayed.

Asthma Guide
Asthma Symptoms
ProFirstAid.com Training (Allergic Reactions)

Snake Bites Part 2 of 2

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.

Snake Bites Part 1 of 2

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.

What’s A Seizure And How Do I Treat It?

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.

Until next time…

Roy

http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/answerplace/medical/seizures/types/

Roy’s Back from Wisdom Teeth Extraction!

Hello Everyone!

I am taken back at the kindness and encouragement that I received during this wisdom teeth procedure. I wanted to let everyone know that it went very well, with no complications after one week. For those of you that didn’t have it so easy, my heart goes out to you. Other than eating very soft food or liquids for about a week and worrying that I was going to get a condition called “Dry Socket” it has been very non eventful. For those of you who still must get your wisdom teeth pulled…I hear it’s better to do it when you’re young because your jaw bone is less dense and the procedure not only goes more effortlessly, but heals in a shorter amount of time.

I’m looking forward to video blogging on some very interesting topics that have come to my attention and it’s great to be feeling better.

P.S. I do wonder however, if anyone else thinks that getting their mouth numbed makes them a little “brain-dead” too? Hmmmm.

Classroom is Cure for Insomnia

Ever wish you didn’t have to go to another CPR classroom?   Ever wonder why after sitting through 4 to 8 hours of training you can only really remember the first 5 to 10 minutes?  In this video blog, Roy Shaw, Paramedic Instructor explains the negatives of a traditional classroom CPR course compared to the benefits of self paced Online CPR training.  Roy caught a cold and it reminded him of how much he hated having to go to class, or teach a class when he was sick.  With eLearning, you’ll never have to worry about going to another boring class.   In fact, if you take CPR with ProCPR, you may be able to drink your favorite beverage while wearing your bunny slippers!

Person Dying and You Can Help, So What’s Stopping You?

An estimated 294,851 emergency medical services-treated out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States each year.(http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4741)
And only 10% of people do something to help.  What stops people from providing life saving techniques during a tragedy?  In this video podcast Roy Shaw, Paramedic  and BLS/ACLS/PALS instructor gets to the bottom of why people don’t get involved and what can be done increase the survival rate from cardiac arrest, regardless of what causes it.