Cuts Scrapes Bruises Community First Aid Safety Cuts
Cuts, Scrapes, & Bruises Community First Aid & Safety
Cuts, Scrapes, & Bruises Blood- 60, 000 miles of blood vessels Heart Arteries Veins Capillaries
Stitches Uncontrollable bleeding Wounds that show muscle, bones, joints Large and deep puncture wounds Embedded objects Human / animal bites
Types of Wounds Contusion (bruise) Abrasion (scrape) Incision (cut / laceration) Avulsion Puncture
Contusion (Bruise) Damage to soft tissues & blood vessels causes bleeding under the skin At first it may appear red Turn purple
Scrape (abrasion) Most common type of wound caused by skin that has been rubbed or scrapped away Usually painful because scraping away of outer skin exposes nerve endings
Incision (cut / laceration) May be jagged or smooth edges Commonly caused by sharp objects Can also be caused by a blow from a blunt object
Avulsion A cut in which a portion of the skin or other soft tissue is partially / completely torn away May hang like a flap Severed (finger)
Puncture Caused when a pointed object pieces the skin (nail, tack, bullet) An object that remains embedded in the wound is called an impaled object
Signs of Infection Swollen / redness Warm / throb / pain Pus discharge Fever, feel ill Red streaks
Care for Infection Antibiotic ointment (Neosporin) Soak in warm water Elevate Change coverings If persists or worsens- seek a physician
Caring for Soft Tissue Injuries Closed Wound (internal injuries) Apply something cold to control swelling Signals of Internal Bleeding l l l Tender, swollen, bruised Rapid / weak pulse Skin (cool, moist, pale, bluish) Vomiting / coughing up blood Excessive thirst Confused, faint, drowsy or unconscious
Caring for an Open Wound Control bleeding (sterile dressing-direct pressure) Raise / elevate above heart (if no broken bone is suspected) Apply bandage snugly over dressing (if bleeding does not stop apply additional dressing) If bleeding cannot be controlled, put pressure to supplying artery
Continued Call EMS Care for shock Wash hands after care
Shock
Signals of Shock Restlessness / irritability Altered consciousness Nausea Pale, cool, moist skin Rapid breathing Rapid pulse
Caring for Shock Have victim lie down, elevate legs about 12” (unless you suspect head, neck, back injuries) Call 9 -1 -1 Control any external bleeding Help victim maintain body temperature Do not give food or drink Reassure victim
Special Situations
Severed Body Part Wrap the part completely in gauze or a clean towel. Wet the towel with cool water. Place the wrapped body part in a plastic bag & seal it shut. Place the sealed bag in to another bag or bucket filled with ice. Take the bag with the amputated body part to the hospital with the victim.
Embedded Objects Do not remove it Place several objects around object to support it Eye-cover both eyes
Organs that Break Through the Abdomen Carefully remove clothing from around the move Cover organs with a moist, sterile / clean dressing Cover dressing with plastic wrap Place a folded towel / cloth to keep warm
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