First Aid and snake bite information + links

[casper]

Why do they say "NO TOURNIQUET"?

Why "NO TOURNIQUET"? it's because it causes tissue damage and unnecessary complications for the medicos and the patient.... ie the limb will have not have blood circulation for who knows how long (and so it's dying). From about 15 minutes onwards the tourniqueted limb will begin to experience changes not dissimilar to "Crush Syndrome" (google it). Simply put - without a blood supply changes take place in the limb, toxins begin to accumulate in the limb and if the constriction is sudddenly removed without counter measures in place then the toxins that are released into the bloodstream will severely shock the system which can result in a swift death (called the smiling death). If you don't die the limb will almost certainly not be viable and amputation will be the result.

Just wrap the limb, lie down and lie still until help arrives. :Y:

 

[Greenhornet_au]

First Aid Facts from St John's - free to download and keep handy, you never know everything and this stuff may save a life.

Free for Personal use and Work place use.

Make a booklet and keep it handy with your kit.

https://stjohn.org.au/first-aid-facts

 

[Nightjar]

Thanks for the heads up GH, you never know when you maybe faced with a medical issue.

Also the following is outdated but still very helpful package we have carried for years.

https://vks737.radio/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/survival.pdf

 

[Greenhornet_au]

Thanks Nightjar,

Looks interesting, downloaded and will share it.

Some reading material for me, always learning..

 

[Jaros]

We all should do a first aid course. I was fortunate enough to have a course with St.Johns Ambulance whilst in Telecom and another to get into the Volunteer Coast Guard at Manly -a while back.
It is a valuable asset to have using defib's and CPR. controlling bleeds,snake bites etc.

 

[Simmo]

Agreed Jaros, but do a course at least every couple of years.
I do mine yearly by regulation.
Because things change so fast!
Like you don't check for a pulse anymore if a patient has stopped breathing.. get into it, early CPR and early Defib.
They have proven that CPR doesnt 'hurt' an already beating heart.

 

[Jaros]

It broke a few of my ribs a cuppla yrs ago--but then i am still alive.

 

[Nightjar]

It broke a few of my ribs a cuppla yrs ago--but then i am still alive.

You need to expand Jaros, you did CPR on yourself and broke a few ribs? :lol:
Jokes aside great you are still here cracking the whip and keeping us in line.

 

[Jaros]

I must be Peter as my post count still climbs every day. The Ambo god bless him must have thought I was really dead and jumped on my chest.That was 18/11/2018. Then they used the sandwich press and zapped me about 8 times.
I love them all. :heart:

 

[Greenhornet_au]

This all started with Miss 10yrs asking about a First Aid course she could do...

Chased St Johns and was directed here -

https://one.stjohnsa.com.au/WebShop.aspx?invcode=ELNIFA01&webcat=ELEARNING&invcat=L0001

https://one.stjohnsa.com.au/docs/A4flyer_IFA_Awareness-2.pdf

So during the school holidays we will get ALL the kids through this on-line introduction, better for them to be aware,
and they are old enough to know better, and act if needed.

We have discussed different types of field injuries, they want to know more.
I have first aid kits in 3 cars, plus camping gear and shooting gear - you never know.
My motto, 'better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it'

 

[cjam]

I'm not sure if that first St John link is an old one, or whether St John need to update their fact sheets, but I noticed the sheet on CPR is out of date. These days, they are only teaching compressions, no breaths.

 

[mbasko]

I'm not sure if that first St John link is an old one, or whether St John need to update their fact sheets, but I noticed the sheet on CPR is out of date. These days, they are only teaching compressions, no breaths.

Not really, the recommended Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) guidelines still state 30 compressions & 2 breaths (30:2).
The St Johns CPR sheet states "If unwilling or unable to give breaths, giving compressions only is better than not doing CPR at all."
That is pretty much the recommendation of the ARC & how I've been trained (not by St Johns).
St Johns are members & represented on the ARC (as are most if not all major professional medical bodies in Aust.).
https://resus.org.au/arc-council-representatives/
ARC CPR Guideline https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/doc/member-docs/4485/1607167688_anzcor-guideline-8-cpr-jan16.pdf
"Recommendations
The Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation (ANZCOR) make the following recommendations:
1. Rescuers must start CPR if the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally.
2. Bystander CPR should be actively encouraged.
3. Compression-to-ventilation ratio be 30:2 for all ages.
4. All rescuers perform chest compressions for all who are not breathing normally. Rescuers who are trained and willing to give rescue breaths are encouraged to do so.
5. Chest compressions should be provided at a rate of approximately 100 120 /min.
6. Rescuers should aim to minimise interruptions to chest compressions.

 

[Smoky bandit]

New research suggests breaths are usless if not dangerous to the patient as you are only giving them carbon dioxide.
Breaths have been a choice for many years but in the last 2 years we have been told not to give breaths even to loved ones.
But I think I would still have to.

 

[Nightjar]

Smokey Bandit, Don't know who supplied you your information but we inhale approx 21% Oxygen and exhale 16%. Only 4% CO2 is in the mix, the rest is Nitrogen. These figures are approximate but indicate there is ample Oxygen in exhaled air to support life.

 

[mbasko]

Don't know where that research comes from but exhaled air is only 4-5% CO2 (carbon dioxide) & is still 15-16% O2 (oxygen). Easy enough to check out. (Nightjar posted while I was typing).

The big danger with breaths isn't the exhaled air or CO2 content but that incorrectly done you can be pushing air into the stomach that will ultimately lead to stomach contents wanting to come up. This can cause a number of issues such as blocking/obstructing an otherwise clear airway, personal hygiene risk etc.
That's why the ARC recommend only trained & willing rescuers perform rescue breaths.

Personally for me I likely would only do breaths on someone I didn't know with the use of a resuscitation mask or where available oropharyngeal airways (like Guedel Airway or i-Gels) with a ventilation bag or oxygen kit (I'm trained in Advanced Life Support & the use of this gear). Our first aid kits & room at work have all this gear readily available.
If I didn't have as a minimum a resuscitation mask then I would probably only do chest compressions. In saying that depending on circumstances etc. then if I felt it was needed I think I'd have to do it. Until it happens in realtime I guess none of know what we'd do.

The only research I've seen on it suggests it's pretty negligible whether you do it as a bystander or not.
9% survival to hospital release chest compressions only
9.7% survival to hospital release 30:2 CPR
Note: that is as a bystander which I take to mean you have little to no other equipment with you.
I'm yet to see or hear of any Emergency Services or Hospitals do away with trying to ventilate a patient requiring CPR.
The 30:2 CPR ratio was introduced to reflect that uninterrupted chest compressions are considered more important than frequent rescue breaths.

 

[Smoky bandit]

Brisbane first aid.
They are telling us all this information.
They say oxygen decreases with every breath given.
They also say its only the first two to three breaths that will have any affect and all breaths from there on are usless.
But as I said, Personally if it was a loved one I still would.
Everyone else would only get compressions.

 

[silver]

What about that big chest thump they do to start a heart again... like a hammer punch with the closed fist coming down little finger first.
or does that just break ribs and people still die but in more pain. Not sure if it's a real thing or not now ? :/

 

[mbasko]

Every breath in 21% O2 & every breath out 15-16% O2
Unless you hold your breath while doing rescue breaths it can't reduce?

CPR Course Requirement
Perform at least 2 minutes of uninterrupted single rescuer CPR (5 cycles of both compression and breaths) on an adult manikin placed on the floor

Anyway each to their own. I'm over & out. :Y:

 

[mbasko]

What about that big chest thump they do to start a heart again... like a hammer punch with the closed fist coming down little finger first.
or does that just break ribs and people still die but in more pain. Not sure if it's a real thing or not now ? :/

No it's not a real thing now!

 

[mbasko]

Snake bites & treatment:
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/snake-bites
St Johns Quick Guide to Snake Bite treatment:
https://stjohn.org.au/assets/uploads/fact sheets/english/Fact sheets_snake bite.pdf