Emergency Medical Procedures

Injection Techniques

• The Z-track technique is used to prevent leakage of drugs in the subcutaneous tissue and minimize irritation caused by the drug.

CPR and Airways

• In a reacting/responding victim, if the victim speaks, their airways should be free.
• Coughing can indicate choking, but it does not definitely exclude choking.
• Neurological assessment should not be skipped in a reacting/responding victim.

Paediatric CPR

• The ideal thoracic compression rate in paediatric CPR is around 100 bpm.

Tracheostomy

• The inner cannula in a tracheostomy allows for regular cleaning to prevent tube obstruction.

Airway Obstruction

• If an unconscious baby has a complete airway obstruction, the indications are to start with 5 back blows.

Injection Safety

• The Lesser Maneuver ensures that the drug is not inadvertently administered intravenously.
• The safest site of choice for an intramuscular injection in adults is the ventrogluteal site.

Patient Assessment

• When examining a conscious casualty, take a thorough history, check for signs, and ask about the presence of pain and its characteristics.

Injection Sites

• When performing an intramuscular injection into the dorsogluteal site, use the upper lateral quadrant of the muscle.
• Avoid the sciatic nerve site and areas near major blood vessels.

Medical Conditions

• Finding a blue puffer inhaler on an unconscious casualty may indicate that the patient suffers from asthma.
• A watery fluid in the ear is a sign of a basilar skull fracture.
• Clear fluid or watery blood coming from both nostrils may indicate a skull fracture.

Drug Administration

• The purpose of a subcutaneous injection is to allow slow absorption of a drug compared to intramuscular or intravenous routes.
• Drugs administered orally have a slower onset and a more prolonged, but less potent effect than drugs administered by other routes.
• Crushing a tablet before administration can be ineffective for the patient and a dangerous practice, with certain tablets (e.g., sustained-release tablets) that should never be crushed.