Disaster Related Injuries .pptx

Layers of the Skin Epidermis ● The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. ● It is primarily composed of stratified squamous epithelial cells. ● The main function of the epidermis is to provide a protective barrier against environmental factors, pathogens, and dehydration. ● It contains no b...

Layers of the Skin Epidermis ● The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. ● It is primarily composed of stratified squamous epithelial cells. ● The main function of the epidermis is to provide a protective barrier against environmental factors, pathogens, and dehydration. ● It contains no blood vessels (avascular) and receives nutrients and oxygen through diffusion from the underlying dermis. Dermis ● The dermis is the middle layer of the skin, located beneath the epidermis. ● It is made up of connective tissue, blood vessels, nerve endings, hair follicles, sweat glands, and other structures. ● The dermis provides support, elasticity, and strength to the skin. ● Blood vessels in the dermis play a crucial role in regulating body temperature through vasodilation (expansion) and vasoconstriction (contraction). ● Nerve endings in the dermis are responsible for sensations such as touch, temperature, and pain. Subcutaneous Tissue (Hypodermis) ● The subcutaneous tissue is the deepest layer of the skin, located beneath the dermis. ● It consists of adipose (fat) tissue and connective tissue. ● The hypodermis acts as an insulator, helping to regulate body temperature and providing a cushion against external forces. ● It also serves as an energy reservoir and plays a role in storing and releasing fat. These three layers work together to maintain the integrity of the skin and perform various functions such as protection, temperature regulation, sensation, and secretion. Each layer has its own unique characteristics and contributes to the overall health and functionality of the skin. Functions of the Skin The skin is the largest organ of the body and performs a variety of important functions. ● Protection: The skin acts as a barrier to protect the body from external factors such as bacteria, viruses, and physical trauma. ● Sensation: The skin contains nerve endings that allow us to feel sensations such as touch, pressure, heat, and cold. ● Thermoregulation: The skin helps regulate body temperature by sweating or constricting blood vessels to conserve heat. ● Vitamin D Synthesis: The skin produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, which is important for bone health and immune function. Disaster Related Injuries Chemical Burns Chemical burns are not always obvious. Consider chemical burns as a possibility if the patient’s skin is burning and there is no sign of a fire. If you suspect a chemical burn: ● Protect yourself from contact with the substance. Use your protective gear, especially goggles, mask, and gloves ● Be sure to remove any affected clothing or jewelry ● If the irritant is dry, gently brush away as much as possible. Always brush away from the eyes and away from the patient and yourself ● Use lots of cool running water to flush the chemical from the skin for at least 10 minutes. The running water will dilute the chemical fast enough to prevent the injury from getting worse Chemical burns ● Apply a cool, wet compress to relieve pain ● Cover the wound very loosely with a dry, sterile or clean cloth so that the cloth will not stick to the wound Treating Heat-Related Injuries As a cert volunteer, you may encounter several types of heat-related injuries during a disaster, including the following: ● Heat cramps: muscle spasms brought on by over-exertion in extreme heat ● Heat exhaustion: occurs when an individual exercises or works in extreme heat, resulting in loss of body fluids through heavy sweating. Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to decrease to the vital organs. This results in a mild form of shock ● Heat stroke: Life-threatening condition when the patient’s temperature control system shuts down, and body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result Heat Exhaustion The symptoms of heat exhaustion are: ● ● ● ● ● ● Cool, moist, pale or flushed skin Heavy sweating Headache Nausea or vomiting Dizziness Exhaustion A patient suffering heat exhaustion will have a near normal body temperature. If left untreated, heat exhaustion will develop into heat stroke Heat Stroke Some or all of the following symptoms characterize heat stroke ● ● ● ● Hot, red skin Lack of perspiration Changes in consciousness Rapid, weak pulse and rapid, shallow breathing In a heat stroke patient, body temperature can be very high - as high as 105 - if an individual suffering from heat stroke is not treated, death can result Treatment Treatment is similar for both heat exhaustion and heat stroke ● Take the patient out of the heat and place in a cool environment ● Cool the body SLOWLY with cool, wet towels or sheets. If possible, put the patient in a cool bath ● Have a heat stroke patient drink water SLOWLY at the rate of approximately half a glass of water every 15 minutes. Consuming too much water too quickly will cause nausea and vomiting in a patient of heat sickness ● If the patient is experiencing vomiting, cramping, or is losing consciousness, DO NOT administer food or drink. Alert a medical professional as soon as possible and keep a close watch on the individual until professional help is available Insect Bites and Stings In a disaster environment, insect bites and stings may be more common than is typical as these creatures, like people, are under additional stress. The specific symptoms vary depending on the type of creature, but generally, bites and stings can result in redness and itching, tingling or burning at the site of the injury, and often a welt on the skin at the site. Treatment ● Remove the stinger if still present by scraping the edge of a credit card or other stiff, straight-edged object across the stinger. Do not use tweezers; these may squeeze the venom sac and increase the amount of venom released. ● Wash the site thoroughly with soap and water ● Place ice (wrapped in a washcloth on the site of the sting for 10 minutes and then off for 10 minutes. Repeat this process. Allergic Reactions to Bites and Stings The greatest concern with any insect bite or sting is a severe allergic reaction, or anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis occurs when an allergic reaction becomes so severe that it compromises the airway. If you suspect anaphylaxis: ● Calm the individual ● If possible, find and help administer a patient’s Epi-pen (many severe allergy sufferers carry one at all times) ● DO NOT administer medicine aside from the Epi-Pen. This includes pain relievers, allergy medicine, etc Amputations & Impaled Objects Amputations If CERT volunteers are assisting a patient with a severed body part there are a few guidelines to follow. Note that CERT volunteers should never amputate a body part. When the severed body part can be located, CERT volunteers should: ● Save tissue parts, wrapped in clean material and placed in a plastic bag, if available. Label them with the date, time, and patient’s name ● Keep the tissue parts cool, but NOT in direct contact with ice ● Keep the severed body part with the patient Impaled Objects Sometimes, you may also encounter some patients who have foreign objects lodged in their bodies, usually as the result of flying debris. This situation is usually outside the scope of CERT training. The best course of action is to find trained medical personnel (EMS) to care for a patient with an impaled object. However, in the event that EMS is still a long way from the scene or otherwise unavailable, there are a few steps you can take to provide care. When a foreign object impales a patient, you should: ● Immobilize the affected body part ● Not attempt to move or remove the object, unless it is obstructing the airway ● Try to control bleeding at the entrance wound without placing undue pressure on the foreign object ● Clean and dress the wound making sure to stabilize the impaled object ● Wrap bulky dressings around the object to keep it from moving Dislocations Dislocations Dislocations are another common injury in emergencies. A dislocation is an injury to the ligaments around a joint that is so severe that it permits a separation of the bone from its normal position in a joint. The signs of a dislocation are similar to those of a closed fracture, and you should treat a suspected dislocation like a closed fracture You should not try to relocate a suspected dislocation. You should immobilize the joint until professional medical help is available. Closed-Head, Neck and Spinal Injuries Closed-Head, Neck, and Spinal Injuries A closed-head injury is a concussion-type injury as opposed to a laceration, or tear wound, although lacerations can indicate that the survivor has suffered a closedhead injury The main objective when CERT members encounter suspected injuries to the head or spine is to do no harm. You should minimize movement of the head and spine while treating any life-threatening conditions. The signs of a closed-head, neck, or spinal injury most often include: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Change in consciousness Inability to move one or more body parts Severe pain or pressure in head, neck, or back Tingling or numbness in extremities Difficulty breathing or seeing Heavy bleeding, bruising, or deformity of the head or spine Blood or fluid in the ears or nose Bruising behind the ear “Raccoon” eyes (bruising around the eyes) “Uneven” pupils Seizures Nausea or vomitting If survivors are exhibiting any of these signs or if the survivor is found under collapsed building material or heavy debris, you should treat them as having a closed-head, neck, or spinal injury Stabilizing the Head During a disaster, ideal equipment is rarely available. CERT members may need to be creative by: ● Looking for materials - a door, desktop, building materials - to use as a backboard ● Looking for items - towels, draperies, or clothing - to stabilize the head on the board by tucking them snugly on either side of the head to immobilize it Stabilizing the Head Only move survivors to increase the safety of the rescuer and survivor or when professional help will be delayed, and a medical treatment area is established to care for multiple survivors. ● Moving patients with suspected head, neck, or spinal injury requires sufficient patient stabilization. However, if the rescuer or patient is in immediate danger, safety is more important than any potential spinal injury and the rescuer should move the patient from the area as quickly as possible