I do know that our kit in the LLAB contains various sizes of bandaids, gauze in various different sizes, alcohol wipes, surgical tape and at 1 time I think there was even saline in the kit along with a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Now for the not so needed stuff.... Flexible splints, those are great when or IF a tourista/volunteer twists an ankle, a number of ACE wraps (bandages), a small and large breathing tube (to be inserted down the throat of an unconcious tourista) and those are ONLY used by those trained on the proper technic on inserting them (there are a couple of us that have been trained and have used them AWAY from the boat).
With an open wound the only thing that you can/should do is:
1.) try to stop the bleeding, remember if a pressure dressing does not work and EMS has NOT arrived then you need to consider while talking to them on the phone and the severity of the bleeding that to save the patients life you may have to put a torniqute on and that is a LAST resort method due to the reponse time of the EMS. IF you have to do the torniqute you have to put it 2" above the wound and not on a joint or around their NECK
2.) Once the bleeding is stopped keep pressure on it if it is required and do NOT change the bandages no matter how bad you want too, IMEDIATELY take pics of the area where the accident occured... this may come back and save your butt or your museums butt when the tourista's try to SUE you for damages that they have done to themselves. As soon as the pics have been taken and EMS/Police show up and taken statements from those around the scene when it happend then and only then do you start to clean up.
3.) Warm soapy water while wearing gloves is a REQUIREMENT in my book because you have no clue as to what that individual has in their blood and you do not want to get the gift that eventually takes your life because of them.
Once the inital clean up is done bleach and Hot water to disinfect the whole area until you are completely satisfied that it is cleaned up and there is no evidence to show the others that are coming through that there was an accident.
Head wounds bleed badly even thought the cut may be small, things to look for when treating a head wound:
1.) patient is tired and wants to go to sleep... DO NOT LET THEM
2.) there is bone fragments or other objects in the wound.. DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE THEM or even touch them
3.) clear fluid coming from the area of the wound or from the ears and nose.. may indicate bad damage to the head.
4.) IF no one saw the person fall or hit their head do not allow them to look around especially if you find them on the deck. STABALIZE the patient where they lay and do NOT try to move them until EMS shows up and puts them in a neck brace and depending on the severity on a back board.
NOW for my all time favorite wound to deal with?
? the eyes
IF one of your vols or one of your touristas just happen to be in the area that grinding/sandblasting or cutting is taking place and gets a object stuck in their eye... What do you do?
1.) calm the patient
2.) DO NOT try to remove the object
3.) using gauze gently pack around the object in question if possible and then cover the other eye
4.) explain to the patient that the reason for covering both eyes is so that their eyes will stay hopefully looking in one place and that once the gauze is in place on the other eye it becomes dominate and wants to drag the other one with it and it will cause more damage to the eye due to the pariticle hanging out of their eye and you have put gauze on that eye to keep any infection out.
5.) Call EMS immediately and have all of the patients information if possible (this goes for all above mentioned items folks) IE: Name, how old, male/female (ya never know these days), and a good contact number for a friend or family if they came by themselves so that they can be called to notify them that they are going to the hospital. Are they alergic to any meds, what meds are they currently taking, the reason behind that is so that EMS can start treatment ASAP and get the patient treated as fast as possible
Darrin
