Overview

This chapter is broken off into several sections, depending on the medical emergency in which you may encounter. The sections are described below:

  • Poison/Overdose
  • Heat Emergencies
  • Cold Emergencies
  • Water Emergencies/Drowning
    •


    Poison/Overdose

    Definition
  • A poisoning is the intentional or unintentional ingestion of a substance that may be harmful to the body systems.
  • An overdose is the intentional or unintentional ingestion of a medication or substance that may be harmful to the body.


    • Prevention
  • Keep All Household Cleaning agents Away from Children. Common household items often contain bleach and ammonia which can cause serious bodily harm and death.
  • Keep all medications out of the reach of children
  • Make sure all medications are in proper containers that are correctly labeled.
  • Consult with pharmacy on proper dosing of new medications. Make sure you are comfortable and understand the dosing requirements for all medications. Many overdoses occur because the person was not clear on dosing information and too much is ingested.


    • Signs & Symptoms
  • Signs and symptoms can vary greatly Depending on the Poison
  • May Be Anxious
  • May Be Unconscious
  • May be Pale & Sweaty
  • Tired


    • How It Happens
  • The Body tries to expel what has been injection or taken, so vomiting and diarrhea are very common.
  • The Body Reacts in a Way to Combat the Poison
  • The Poison Reacts on the Body


    • Four routes of poisoning.
  • Injection
  • Ingestion
  • Absorptive (Skin/Other Membranes)
  • Inhaled


    • What To Do
  • Calm Person Down if Anxious
  • Call Poison Control
  • Call 9-1-1 if Directed or Person is Critical
  • Determine the Poison
  • Find Out How Much was Taken
  • Find Out How it was Taken
  • Follow Poison Control Instructions
  • Note: If the patient is vomiting or has vomit in the mouth, place the patient in the Haines recovery position.


    • When To Call 9-1-1
  • Unconscious Person
  • Trouble Breathing
  • Severe Pain
  • When Directed by Poison Control
  • If Person is Critically ill
  • When in doubt, Call 911!



    • Heat Emergencies

    Definition
  • Any heat related illness from direct exposure to heat or indirect exposure (including exercise)
  • Common in Warm Climates


    • Prevention
  • Adequately hydrate before going outside or exercising
  • Avoid long exposure to warm climate
  • Minimize time in sun during summer
  • Wear proper attire that ventilates well when exercising


    • Causes
  • Dehydration prior to outdoor activities
  • To much exposure to hot climate
  • Many other causes all related to hot environments


    • Signs & Symptoms

    Heat Cramps/Illness (Mild)
  • Thirst
  • Sweating
  • Hot Skin
  • Muscle Aches


    • Heat Exhaustion (Moderate)
  • Same as Above plus
  • Acting Abnormal (change in responsiveness)
  • Dizzy
  • Headache
  • Nausea & Vomiting


    • Heat Stroke (severe and life threatening!)
  • Extremely High core body Temperature
  • Loss of the Body's Ability to Cool itself
  • Often, the patient will have dry skin because the body's defense mechanism to heat (sweating) has shut down.
  • Seizures
  • Dizzy, Nausea, Vomiting
  • Unconsciousness


    • How It Happens
  • The environment or circumstances (exercising too much without proper hydration) causes overheating in the body systems.
  • The Person Doesn't Drink Enough Water to Keep Cool
  • The condition progresses and worsens to a point where the defense mechanisms no longer work. The body temperature continues to increase, while the defense mechanisms (such as sweating) fail.


    • What To Do
  • Move to Cool Area
  • If Person Can Drink, Give Water or a mix of 50/50 water and Gatorade to replace lost electrolytes.
  • Place a cool Compress or wet towel in the Armpits and groin area. Large amounts of blood circulate in these areas, so by placing cool items in the groin and armpits, you are helping to cool the blood and the core body temperature.
  • Use A/C or Fans


    • When To Call 9-1-1
  • Unconsciousness
  • Acting Unusual
  • If you are uncertain or when in doubt, Call 911
  • Call 9-1-1 for Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke - IMMEDIATELY


    •


    Cold Emergencies

    Definition
    Cold Environments & Cold Water Exposure

    Causes
    Exposure to a cold environment for extended period of time.

    Signs & Symptoms
  • A decrease in the core Body Temperature
  • If the person is wet, this increases the chance of hypothermia.
  • Shivering
  • Blue Skin & Lips
  • Acting Abnormal
  • Unconsciousness


    • How It Happens
  • The Body Becomes Cold from environmental conditions
  • May Progress from Shivering to Unconsciousness very rapidly
    • What To Do
  • Take Off Wet Clothes ASAP
  • Dry the Person if he or she is Wet
  • Move to Warm Area
  • Warm Packs Under Clothes, if Available


    • When To Call 9-1-1
  • Severe Cases
  • The Person is Acting Abnormal
  • Unconscious Patient
  • When on doubt, call 911!
    •


    Water Emergencies/Drowning

    Definition
  • Drowning- Death that occurs as a result of liquid suffocation. The liquid (generally water) blocks the absorption of oxygen into the body and prevents proper ventilation and breathing.
  • Near-Drowning- Survival of an event in which liquid blocks the absorption of oxygen. A near drowning can be a "close-call" or can be a devastating event. In the most severe cases, the person was submerged for so long that the brain has suffered permanent damage from the lack of oxygen. If the person receives resuscitation, they may be coma for the rest of their life because the permanent damage to the brain has already occurred.


    • Causes
  • Un-Gated or Poorly-Gated Pools. It only takes a couple of seconds for a child to fall into a pool and drown.
  • Aggressive Water Currents
  • Common in Hot Communities
  • Inability to swim


    • Signs & Symptoms of Drowning/Near Drowning
  • Difficulty Breathing
  • Not Breathing
  • Water Coming from Mouth and nose
  • Bluish Skin
  • Unconsciousness
  • No Signs of Life


    • How It Happens
  • Water Gets into Lungs
  • Person is Unable to Breathe Oxygen. The heart continues to pump un-oxygenated blood to the body, but eventually no oxygen will be available for the organs.
  • Salt water and pool water causes heavy damage to the lungs.
  • Oxygen Doesn't Get to Brain
  • Person Loses Consciousness and will eventually go into cardiac arrest.


    • What To Do
  • Pull Person From Water
  • Start CPR if Indicated
  • Call 9-1-1


    • When To Call 9-1-1
  • ANY Drowning/Near-Drowning
  • Unable to Pull Victim From Water
  • Unconsciousness
  • Unresponsiveness
  • Difficulty Breathing
  • Excessive Coughing
  • Not Acting Normally
  • When in doubt, call 911!