First aid protocol

This protocol is a protocol that needs training on- if you have not been trained in it and kept that training up to date, you're not doing it within queercare.

This protocol is a draft. It has not yet been accepted as protocol and may be incorrect or poorly cited. Please do not use this in your work until it has been accepted.

Please see #protocols on Slack to discuss this protocol further.

This protocol is part of first aid protocol and should not be used outside of the accident procedure

This protocol is a draft. It has not yet been accepted as protocol and may be incorrect or poorly cited. Please do not use this in your work until it has been accepted.

Please see #protocols on Slack to discuss this protocol further.

This is the protocol for doing first aid, as a high level overview: each section provides a broad coverage of what to do, any red flags and links to full protocol for carrying out a specific task.

Queercare works on the DR(mc)ABCDEFG accident procedure- when doing first aid, you must work down this page, following the instructions for each section in order.

• If you aren't sure what to do, go to the top of the procedure and start again.
• If you lose your place, go to the top of the procedure and start again.
• If you get to the bottom of the procedure, go to the top of the procedure and start again.

Danger

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if there is danger you cannot secure against when doing first aid

• You must do a scene survey
• You must put on approriate PPE
  • You should wear gloves
• You should consider your own mental health- control adrenaline, calm your breathing, stop and think
• You should check with your buddy

Response

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance If a person is only responsive to pain or is completley unresponsive

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance If a person has a GCS of below 9

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance If a person has a response that is deteriorating rapidly

• You must check how responsive the person you're doing first aid on is
  • You should use on AVPU
    • A person is Aware If:
      • They are responsive to conversation or equivalent communication(though they may be confused, )
      • Their eyes open on their own, with no stimulus
    • A person is voice responsive if
      • Any form of audible stimulus(from talking to them to shouting loudly in both ears) elicits any response.
    • A person is pain responsive if they respond to painful stimuli
    • A person is unresponsive if they do not respond to any stimuli.
  • If you're trained on it, you can use GCS.
• You should check whether a person has a deteriorating consciousness by checking whether they're Sliding down DICC

Massive Haemorrhage

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if you see spurting or pouring blood

If you see spurting or pouring blood, like from a a hosepipe or tap:

• You must push down hard directly over the location of the bleed, holding the
• If you have a dressing or soft, clean pad, you can put this in between your hands and the injury, and hold it there with very strong pressure.
• If you have an appropriate dressing which can apply sufficient pressure, you can tie this over the injury

C-spine

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a person has fallen from more than twice their own height, or been injured by similar force

• You must survey the scene, If it appears the person has fallen from more than twice their own height(or had a similar impact upon them- hit by a car or police horse, for example):
  • Do not aproach from below their feet, or whatever direction is in their eyeline
  • Tell them loudly not to move their head or neck
  • Do not move their neck.

Airway

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a person does not appear to be breathing

• You must Look listen and feel for breathing. If a person is not breathing:
  • If a person has no evidence of a c-spine injury, you should do a head tilt chin lift
  • If a person has evidence of a C-spine injury, you should do a jaw thrust.

Breathing

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a person is not breathing

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a person is breathing under 12 or over 30 breaths per minuite

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a person has crackles, wheezes or whistles in their breathing

If a person is breathing you must look listen and feel their breathing again:

• If a person is not breathing, do Basic life support
• If a person is breathing unusually quickly, check for asthma or panic attacks.
• If a person is using muscles in their kneck when they breathe in(otherwise known as accessory muscles), red flag and check for pneumonia.
• If a person has wheezes, chrackles or whistles, red flag and continue.

Circulation

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a persons capillary refill time is more than 3 seconds

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a persons skin shows symptoms of shock

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a person has a burn larger than their own hand

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a person has a third degree burn

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a person has lost more than 20% of their blood volume

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if an injury exposes nerves or bone

Damage

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a person has straw or clear fluid coming from their eyes, ears or nose

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if there is unexplained bruising around their eyes or behind their ears

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if there are unexplained sensory, speech or balance problems

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a person is experiencing unexplained seizures

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a person is sliding down DICC

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if there are constrictions to blood flow for more than 10 minuites

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if there is a broken pelvis or leg

Environment

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a person has hot but dry skin

You must call for backup, for example an ambulance if a person has cold and pale or grey skin, combined with tiredness or sliding down DICC

Flip

If the person is unconcious, you must now move them into the recovery position.

If the casualty is concious you should not move them, and tell them instead to move to make themselves comfortable. When they do this you should advise: - Raising minor veinous bleeds to reduce pressure to reduce blood pressure around the injury. When doing this, ensure that these do not lead to disruption of the airway via this blood- for example, do not tilt the head back to ease the pressure on a nosebleed, causing blood to flow down the airway as opposed to out of the nose.