Flashcards
The Circulatory System
Cards in this deck (44)
- 1An average adult has around .... pints of blood in their body?10 pints
- 2Carry blood under high pressure away from the heart.Arteries
- 3Carry blood under low pressure back to the heart.Veins
- 4Carry blood to the individual cells and tissues, very small and very low pressures.Capillaries
- 5Tearing of the skin & tissue.Laceration
- 6A bruiseContusion
- 7Graze – loss of superficial layer of skin.Abrasion
- 8A straight clean wound.Incision
- 9Caused by a sharp object which may still be in the wound (foreign / embedded object).Puncture
- 10A useful mnemonic to help you remember the first aid steps for major bleeding is ‘PEEP‘.P: Position – position the casualty in a safe / comfortable position
E: Elevate limbs
E: Expose & examine the injury. Check for any embedded or foreign objects such as pieces of glass.
P: Pressure – apply direct pressure over the injury to control blood loss - 11Do not apply a tourniquet unless specifically trained to do so. Do not attempt to wash out a major wound – your aim is to control the bleeding.Watch for signs and symptoms of shock.
- 12First aid for a puncture wound.Do not remove the object unless it is very small (for example,a small splinter)
Stop the bleeding by applying pressure around the wound – take care not to dislodge the object
If possible, elevate the limb to prevent further blood loss
Seek urgent medical attention - 13ShockShock is a medical emergency which can be caused by severe blood loss. The casualty does not receive enough oxygen and other essential nutrients due to the loss of blood.
- 14If a casualty has lost a lot of blood, you should be looking for Signs & symptoms of shock that include:Pale, cold and clammy skin
Confusion
Drowsiness (reducing level of consciousness)
Fast, weak pulse
Fast, shallow breathing - 15If you suspect a casualty is suffering from shock then you should:Control any blood loss (think PEEP from the last unit)
Lie the casualty down and raise their legs if possible
Cover the casualty with a coat or blanket to keep them warm
Call for emergency medical help
Do not give anything to eat or drink! - 16If the casualty becomes unconscious/unresponsive you should:Place them into the recovery position.
If they stop breathing normally then commence CPR. - 17First aid steps you can take if someone has suffered a minor wound:Wash your hands and wear gloves
Clean the wound thoroughly with antiseptic wipes or saline
Caution: Do not remove any embedded objects (e.g: glass) – seek medical advice if there are any objects in a wound
Cover the wound using a clean dressing (plaster, non-adherent pad etc.). Check that the casualty is not allergic to plasters! - 18Signs and symptoms of an infected wound:Increasing pain
Area around the wound become red, swollen and warm to touch
The wound starts producing discharge / pus
The casualty develops a temperature / fever - 19Types of burn:Scald – caused by a hot liquid
Friction – caused by rough surfaces, e.g: carpet
Radiation/sunburn
Electrical – will have an entry burn and an exit burn
Chemical
Dry – touching hot objects, e.g: a cooker. - 20Superficial (1st degree) burnIs when only the top layer of skin has been damaged. These are the most minor burns. Often the only sign is a reddening of the skin. Minor sunburn falls into this category of burns.
- 21Partial thickness (2nd degree) burnThese burns cause blisters in the skin due to the damaged tissue releasing fluid.
- 22Full thickness (3rd degree) burnThis is the most serious type of burn. In a full thickness burn, every layer of the skin has been affected and the underlying bone, muscle or fat may have also been damaged.
- 23First aid for a minor burn:Step 1:
Immediately run the burn under cold running water for a minimum of 10 minutes. If running cold water is not available then improvise! You can use other non-toxic liquids such as drinks (milk, iced tea). Your aim is to cool the burn. - 24First aid for a minor burn:Step 2:
Expose the affected area and if possible remove anything that could be constricted (watches, jewellery etc.). Do not remove clothing sticking to the burn, instead cool through the clothing. - 25First aid for a minor burn:Step 3:
After cooling the burn, cover with a non-fluffy dressing/covering. If you have access to a first aid kit, use a non-fluffy sterile dressing. If not then improvise with whatever is available (plastic bag, kitchen clingfilm, teatowel etc.). Be careful not to constrict the burn! - 26First aid for a minor burn:Step 4:
Seek medical advice for anything except the most minor of burns. Call an ambulance if serious or if the burn is near the face/neck - 27What not to do:Do not try to remove clothing sticking to a burn, instead cool through the clothing
Do not apply toothpaste / butter / creams to a burn. Running water is the most effective cooling method.
Exception: “Aftersun” lotion is useful for sunburn
Do not burst any blisters
Do not stop cooling before 10 minutes is up - 28Chemical burnsThese can range from household chemicals such as bleach, cleaning products, pesticides to strong industrial chemicals used in the workplace. Chemical burns can be incredibly serious as the chemical will keep damaging the skin and tissue until it is removed.
- 29First aid for chemical burns:Step 1:
Check for any dangers to yourself. The chemicals that caused the casualty’s injuries could also pose a danger to you. Try to establish what caused the burn and how safe the chemicals are. If you are in an enclosed area, move the casualty outside or open windows to prevent the build up of fumes. Wear disposable gloves. - 30First aid for chemical burns:Step 2:
Cool the burn with copious running water for at least 15 – 20 minutes. Ensure that you do not come into contact with the water used to cool the burn as it may contain the harmful chemical. - 31First aid for chemical burns:Step 3:
If any clothing has come into contact with the chemical, it should be removed providing it isn’t sticking to the burn. Try to identify the chemical involved and its container. - 32First aid for chemical burns:Step 4: Cover the burn with a sterile, non-fluffy first aid dressing. If no dressing is available, then improvise. Good items to use include cling-film and plastic bags.
- 33First aid for chemical burns:If the burn is serious, the casualty shows signs of shock or the casualty becomes drowsy/looses consciousness then call an emergency ambulance immediately. If a large chemical spill has occurred then also ensure the fire brigade and police have also been informed.
If you become exposed to the chemical involved then you should seek medical advice immediately. - 34The main principle of incident management is ...... that you are the most important person and your safety comes first!
- 35Your first actions when coming across the scene of an incident should be:Check for any dangers to yourself or bystanders
Manage any dangers found (if safe to do so)
Ensure continuing safety of yourself and bystanders - 36In some situations it may be too dangerous for you approach the scene.In this situation you should remember that you are the most important person – stay back and call for professional assistance.
- 37In many first aid situations, help from the emergency services may be required.Ensure you know which number to call!
– United States: 911
– United Kingdom: 999
– European Union: 112
– Other countries: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emergency_telephone_numbers - 38Give clear, precise information about:– The location of the incident
– The number of casualties / people involved
– The nature of their injuries
– In some cases, their age
– Any hazards at the incident (e.g: spilt fuel, fire, electricity)
If the area is remote/difficult to access, consider sending someone to meet the emergency services in a known location - 39Infection control is an important for two reasons:To protect yourself! Remember you are the most important person (think back to the incident management unit)
To protect the patient - 40Infection control is important because:various diseases can be transmitted via blood and body fluids including HIV and Hepatitis B & C. Risk of infection can be reduced by following infection control precautions.
- 41Infection control steps for first aidersHand hygiene
Wash your hands with soap and water whenever possible. Ensure any cuts/open injuries to your hands are covered with waterproof plasters or dressings. Keep nails short if possible. - 42Infection control steps for first aidersPersonal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Always wear disposable latex or nitrile gloves when there is a risk of coming into contact with bodily fluids. However this is not always practical so in an emergency you can improvise and use anything to create a barrier. e.g: a plastic carrier bag - 43Infection control steps for first aidersClinical waste
“Clinical waste” is waste which is contaminated with bodily fluids (for example a bloody dressing). This should be disposed of appropriately and not placed in general waste/rubbish. Normally this will involve being sealed in a separate bag and taken for incineration. You should always inform the ambulance crew of any clinical waste so it can be disposed of appropriately. Any used sharps should be placed in a sharps bin - 44—
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- Flashcards on The Circulatory System, created by Rae Stagg on 23/08/2017.
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- Rae Stagg
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