Topic of the day "first Aid"

Good idea Nick.
It would be nice to hear about the management of the common things that can happen when Exploring Oz.
eg
Near drowning
Snakebite
Spiderbite
Lacerations
fractures
Burns
Hangovers
Migraine
Dehydration
Fever in kids
Gastro

Once again a good topic ..... thought it was on hear not that long ago maybe a month?

I was thinking about this the other day with a trip coming up I was going to get the first aid kit out which is a rather large tackle box and do a bit of a stock and purchase anything that is low. I also take my first aid book while I have done a first aid course and advanced resuc, i'm no expert I can at least have a quick check of the book and do the best I can, if needed.

I wonder how many people have a good first aid kit on board and know how to use the gear that they have?

Brian

Just a few changes to new 30:2 ratio for CPR. This ratio dos NOT change whether you have one or 5 people involved in the resuscitation.

Find someone requiring CPR
- Give 2 initial breaths then straight into CPR 30:2
- Check pulse after 2mins
- continue 30:2 checking pulse every 2 mins or until until ambos or resue comes with defibrilator.

These ratios don't change as to whether it is a kid or an adult (unless giving Advanced Paediatric Life Support)
There used to be a thing about turning a person onto their side (left lateral position/ or recovery position) to see if they are breathing - that has all been scrapped - (you can see if someone is not breathing) as has checking for pulses - not overly important (even health professionals are poor at finding pulses in a hurry).

If someone is grey/ unconscious not breathing generally looking lifeless - START CHEST COMPRESSIONS its the only way to keep blood circulating around someones body/ maintaining a blood pressure / and ultimately keeping someone alive or giving them a chance at surviving. The chances of someone surviving post CPR(and making it to the hospital) without Oxygen, defibrilator & good compressions are minimal to say the least.

You forgot THE most important one.

GOUT - caused by accidental induction of 'goutiogenic fermented red grape juice' closely followed mouthfull by mouthfull of 'artery clogging solidified moo juice' called Cheddar.

Treatment's

(1) ensure that there is bucket loads of pro-gout at hand.

(2) increase the induction dosage of the aforementioned red grape juice and the patient won't feel a thing

(3) just terminate the patient as it will be better for all concerned.

(LOL)

I think the important thing to remember with cpr is to have a go.

I am fortunate to have enjoyed the satisfaction of successfully resusitating someone.

Now I am trained in first aid for work and practice it on an iregular basis but when the pressure was on all the numbers went out of my head, I simply reacted. I suspect that if I had done it in an exam I would have failed but the boy walked out of hospital a few days later with no ill effects.

A friend said that he would be afraid of getting it wrong. My response was simple, if you don't try they will die even if you don't get it exactly right the person stands a better chance than if you do nothing.

Having said that get some training, practice and get it as right as you can.

Oh yeah while it is not listed in my profile I carry a FA kit based on the SA Desert Park Rangers remot area kit. I also carry a book for all those things I can't remember.

Duncs

I try to prepare myself for the worst case scenario in the most remote part of a trip - like camp 8 on the Madigan Line or in the Great Vic Desert near WA/SA border where you are at least 3 days drive away from the nearest hospital. Some ideas below that are simply my opinion, so please consider them as a point of debate:

#1 After basic first aid, consider where you can get help:
The VKS-737 network can put you in touch with RFDS.
If you have a sat phone, what phone number would you ring? - I don't know - look it up before you go away.
Many aboriginal communities employ a nurse - worth having their phone numbers too.
Many fellow travellers may be able to offer help - VKS may help here. A lot of doctors like remote 4wding (to get away from the lawyers, who never go 4wding :-))

#2 fractured limbs need to be immobilised for comfort - a cardboard carton wrapped around the limb works pretty well. Another use for a Coopers carton :-)) Some fractures (eg ankles) can swell up considerably, so may require urgent treatment to prevent pressure on the skin.

#3 Lacerations need pressure to stop the bleeding; then need to be cleaned thoroughly - simply immersing and irrigating (and a mild scrub if possible) with water does most of the work. If you can't get it repaired for a few days - chances are that it won't matter. The very dirty wounds are often left for a few days anyway (called delayed primary closure), so don't close a dirty/contaminated wound. If a nerve or tendon is cut, the sooner its repaired, the better. I personally don't stitch anything that looks like it will close by itself. Steristrips and adhesive dressings can hold wounds together in the bush. And superglue has been used in the past to repair wounds without stitches - these days its called Dermabond.

#4 Small kids and remote trips do not mix in my opinion. The smaller the child, the quicker they go downhill - whether its from something simple like gastro or whether something more serious. And that fever that the child gets - how do you know whether its simply an ear infection or whether it's meningitis???? IMO it is a significant risk to take babies and small children into the deserts. Ever wandered thru the cemetaries out bush and been amazed at how many were children???

#5 Regarding CPR - There are times when immediate CPR can make a huge difference. A child that is swiming in a waterhole and slips into an area out of their depth in the muddy water............can happen very quickly. Had it happen to one of my daughters when she was 3 years old and we were camped on the Diamantina River - fortunately we were watching her, and apart from coughing up some water, she was fine, but drownings happen way too easy.

Phew, thats enough for now :-))