First aid – poisons

01/21/2009

What are poisons?

Poisons are things that can make people sick or even die if they get into the body or onto the skin.

Poisons can be:

chemicals used around the house or garden

drugs or chemicals from plants

found in insects bites or stings

smoke or fumes in the air, which may be breathed into the body

How poisons can get into your body

There are four main ways that poisons can get into the body.

Through the mouth and swallowing it.
Absorbed through the skin
By injection – including bites and stings
By breathing in, or inhaling [say in-hay-ling]

If some has been poisoned - through the skin

Some poisons can be absorbed [get into the body] through the skin [eg poisons from some plants, some chemicals used round the garden, and some cleaning powders eg dishwasher powder].

To care for someone who has been in contact with poison:

Immediately wash off that area of their body with lots of water. You can use a fast running tap or hose.

If there is a powder on the skin that might be a poison, brush off the powder – use a tissue or cloth not your hand, then wash the rest of it away.

Dishwasher powders are made more dangerous by water so brush off really carefully before using fast running water which will get the powder off without doing too much harm.

Do not put anything on the affected skin unless you have been told to by the Poisons Information Centre.

If the poison has made the skin red, sore or blistered, your friend needs to be checked by a doctor or nurse.

Sometimes powder or other chemicals can get into the eyes where they can cause a lot of damage.

If someone does get something into his eyes, wash the powder out of the eyes with lots of water and keep on doing this until someone arrives to help you.
If there is no adult around to help, then call for an ambulance and follow the instructions given to you over the phone.

Posted in: First Aid| Tags: First Aid Poisons

WHAT IS AN APPOINTED PERSON?

01/20/2009

An appointed person is someone who:
0 takes charge when someone is injured or
becomes ill;
0 looks after the first-aid equipment eg restocking
the first-aid container;
0 ensures that an ambulance or other professional
medical help is summoned when appropriate.
022 Appointed persons are not first aiders. They
should not give first aid treatment for which they
have not been trained. However, it is good
practice to ensure that appointed persons have
emergency first aid training/refresher training, as
appropriate. These courses do not require HSE
approval. They normally last four hours and cover
the following topics:
0 what to do in an emergency;
0 cardiopulmonary resuscitation;
0 first aid for the unconscious casualty;
0 first aid for the wounded or bleeding.

Emergency first-aid training should help an
appointed person cope with an emergency and
improve their competence and confidence.

Posted in: First Aid| Tags: First Aid

Severe bleeding: First aid

01/19/2009

If possible, before you try to stop severe bleeding, wash your hands to avoid infection and put on synthetic gloves. Don't reposition displaced organs. If the wound is abdominal and organs have been displaced, don't try to push them back into place. Cover the wound with a dressing.

For other cases of severe bleeding, follow these steps:

Have the injured person lie down. If possible, position the person's head slightly lower than the trunk or elevate the legs. This position reduces the risk of fainting by increasing blood flow to the brain. If possible, elevate the site of bleeding.
While wearing gloves, remove any obvious dirt or debris from the wound. Don't remove any large or more deeply embedded objects. Don't probe the wound or attempt to clean it at this point. Your principal concern is to stop the bleeding.
Apply pressure directly on the wound. Use a sterile bandage, clean cloth or even a piece of clothing. If nothing else is available, use your hand.
Maintain pressure until the bleeding stops. Hold continuous pressure for at least 20 minutes without looking to see if the bleeding has stopped. You can maintain pressure by binding the wound tightly with a bandage (or even a piece of clean clothing) and adhesive tape.
Don't remove the gauze or bandage. If the bleeding continues and seeps through the gauze or other material you are holding on the wound, don't remove it. Instead, add more absorbent material on top of it.
Squeeze a main artery if necessary. If the bleeding doesn't stop with direct pressure, apply pressure to the artery delivering blood to the area of the wound. Pressure points of the arm are on the inside of the arm just above the elbow and just below the armpit. Pressure points of the leg are just behind the knee and in the groin. Squeeze the main artery in these areas against the bone. Keep your fingers flat. With your other hand, continue to exert pressure on the wound itself.
Immobilize the injured body part once the bleeding has stopped. Leave the bandages in place and get the injured person to the emergency room as soon as possible.