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RECOGNIZING AND MANAGING MEDICAL EMERGENCIES FOR
VOLUNTEERS
IntroductionA medical emergency is a condition or
circumstance requiring immediate action
on behalf of someone who has been injured
or suddenly taken ill.
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Categories of emergencies
Emergencies can also be categorized as life-threatening non-life-threatening
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Categories of emergency A life-threatening emergency
is an illness or injury that impairs a victim’s ability to circulate oxygenated blood to all the parts of his or her body.
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Non threatening emergency A non-life-
threatening emergency is a situation that does not have an immediate impact on a victim’s ability to circulate oxygenated blood, but still requires medical attention.
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1
•Personal safety
2
•Recognize immediately life threatening injuries
3
•Do no further harm
4
•Call for medical assistance early
Priorities of Care
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Overcoming Barriers to Action
Reasons people give for not helping are called barriers to action. They include— Presence of bystanders. Uncertainty about the victim. Nature of the injury or illness. Fear of disease transmission. Fear of doing something wrong.
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Personal safety This is your first priority Assess the scene and ensure that it
is safe for you You shall not be helping anyone by
walking into an unsafe site just creating a double problem
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Recognizing Emergencies
Your primary role as a volunteer in an emergency includes— Recognizing that an emergency exists.
Deciding to act. Taking action by alerting the doctor.
Giving care until help arrives.
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Recognizing a Medical Emergency
Symptom Something that the patient tells
you he or she is feeling or experiencing
Sign Something that you observe in a
patient (e.g., a change in skin color, an increase in respiration rate)
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Signs and symptoms Any heart attack warning sign: Left
sided chest pain Any stroke warning sign: Slurred
speech, facial droop Difficulty breathing. Shortness of
breath. Not being able to say 4 or 5 words between breaths.
Fainting. Loss of consciousness.
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Signs and symptoms Change in mental status, such as
unusual behavior or confusion. Sudden or severe pain anywhere in
the body. Bleeding that won’t stop. Severe or persistent vomiting. Coughing up or vomiting blood. Fits
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Checking for Life-Threatening Conditions Conditions that are life threatening
include: Unconsciousness. Not breathing or trouble breathing. No signs of life (normal breathing,
movement or a pulse). Severe bleeding.
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Emergency Action Steps Follow the
emergency action steps: CHECK
The scene and the victim.
CALL Alert the doctor
who is within your vicinity (try to be discreet not to cause panic).
CARE For the victim.
CHECK CALL CARE
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Call As a volunteer, one of your top priorities is to ensure that the victim receives more advanced medical care as soon as possible.
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CALL/ALERT
Alert the doctor who is nearest to you
Make the alert discreet so as not to cause alarm to those in the area
This can lead to panic which is always detrimental in any situation
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Until Dr. Arrives Ask yourself…“In what other
ways can I give help?”: If victim is conscious, reassure the
person – talking and touching the victim helps to reduce the anxiety:
Attempt to learn the victim’s name. Get at the victim’s eye level. Speak slowly and clearly.
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Seizures “Fits” If a victim is fitting or having a seizure
DO NOT PANIC!! Stay calm Prevent injury by ensuring that there is
nothing within reach that could harm the person
Make the person comfortable but do not try to stop the fit by holding them
Keep onlookers away Do not put anything in the persons mouth Do not give anything to eat or drink etc Call for help Be sensitive and supportive and ask others to
do the same
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Conti… After seizure place the person on
the left (Recovery position) so prevent aspiration incase of vomiting
Say with the person until they recover
Responding to the patient experiencing a diabetic emergency.
Signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia Excessive urination Excessive thirst, dry mouth, and dry
skin Acetone breath (fruity smell) Blurred vision and headache Rapid pulse Lower blood pressure Loss of consciousness
Diabetic emergency. Hyperglycemia response steps
1. If the patient is conscious, ask when he or she last ate, whether he or she has taken insulin, and whether he or she brought insulin along.Purpose: If the patient has already eaten but has not taken insulin, the patient needs insulin immediately.
2. Retrieve the patient’s insulin if it is available. If he or she is able, the patient should self-administer the insulin.
3. Call for emergency assistance if necessary.4. Provide basic life support (CPR) if the
patient loses consciousness
Signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia Mood changes Hunger Perspiration Increased anxiety Possible unconsciousness
Diabetic emergency.
Diabetic emergency. Hypoglycemia response steps
1. If the patient is conscious, ask when he or she last ate, whether he or she has taken insulin, and whether he or she brought insulin along.
2. Give a concentrated form of carbohydrate, such as a sugar packet, cake icing, or concentrated orange juice.Purpose: The sugar in these substances are absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream.
3. Call for emergency assistance if necessary.4. Provide basic life support if the patient
becomes unconscious.
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Checking for Consciousness
If the victim is conscious and alert, introduce yourself.
If the victim is unconscious, call immediately alert the Dr. in the crowd.
DO NOT PANIC!
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Until Dr. Arrives If unconscious, try and create
space for the attending doctors activities
Do not cause a commotion which leads to anxiety by those around hence panic
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Deciding Whether to Transport the Victim
After doctor reviews then he determines if victim is to be transferred
Do not transport a victim— When the trip may aggravate the injury or
illness or cause additional injury. When the victim has or may develop a life-
threatening condition. If you are unsure of the nature of the injury.
With a life-threatening condition or if there is a possibility of further injury, let the dr. make the decision.
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Moving a Victim
Moving a victim can be done in a variety of ways, some of which are shown here
Remember: Do not make injury worse by moving
victim Do not move a victim with spinal injury Do not leave unconscious victim alone Do not move victim without stabilizing
the injured part
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Safety precautions when lifting Lumbar spine
bears weight of body; 85% of back injuries occur there
Discs between vertebrae may deteriorate, move, or slip out of place
Injuries can result from improper lifting and carrying
Safety Precautions Use leg muscles, not
back muscles Using the back can
damage muscles and discs between vertebrae
Bend at the knees and hips Don’t round the hips
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Safety Precautions Keep weight as close to the body
as possible to maintain balance Do not twist the body Keep feet shoulder-width apart for
stability
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Lifting Call for additional help if
necessary
Use an even number of people to maintain balance
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Lifting Keep weight as close to the body
as possible
Know the weight limitations of equipment
If the lifting situation is unsafe, don’t move the patient
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Improper Lifting: Back bent
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Improper Lifting: Twisting
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Proper Lifting: Squat or power lift
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Squat, bending at the knees
Lifting a stretcher
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Use a power grip
Lifting a Stretcher
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Stand up while locking your back
Lifting a Stretcher
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Guidelines for Lifting Consider the weight of the object
being lifted Know your limitations
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Get help! Work as a team Communicate
with others! (including the patient)
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Recovery Position Unconscious patients who have
not suffered trauma should be placed in a sidelying or recovery position. Helps keep the airway open Allows secretions to drain from the
mouth
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Walking Assists for Ambulatory Patients
One-person walking assist Help the patient
stand. Have the patient
place one arm around your neck and hold the patient’s wrist.
Put your free arm around the patient’s waist and help the patient to walk.
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Walking Assists for Ambulatory Patients
Two-person walking assist Useful if the
patient cannot bear weight
The two rescuers completely support the patient.
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Portable Stretchers Used when the
wheeled stretcher cannot be moved into a small space
Smaller and lighter than a wheeled stretcher
Can be carried in the same ways that a wheeled stretcher is carried
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CROWD CONTROL
As a volunteer one of the activities you are required to perform is to ensure that the crowd is under control
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Principles of crowd control Leave enough open space for
people to maneuver Eliminate areas which
encourage people to squeeze in such as closed-in areas
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Principles of crowd control Protect off-limits areas with
temporary fencing, ropes, or rows of potted plants. Movable screens or walls also work effectively.
Guide crowds with visually appealing pathways.
Lay out rules ahead of time. Be sure to be polite, and make sure all everyone knows what is expected of them.
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Closing In every emergency, follow the
emergency action steps: CHECK—CALL—CARE.
CHECK first for any life-threatening conditions. When possible, the victim should always be
checked in the position in which he or she is found.
ALERT/call the doctor CARE for the conditions you find.
Questions?
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CARE
CALL
CHECK