Outdoor Education…Character development through the outdoors

First Aid

Accidents in the outdoors can happen at any time.

THINK/PAIR/SHARE: What can cause an accident? In small groups discuss and come up with ideas and try to categorise them.

D.R.S.A.B.C.S.

If you come across an accident remember:

D - Danger: if the patient is able to move, clear them away from possible danger i.e. the track or if they are not able to move, close the track above the patient.

R - Response: Call out and talk to the patient to get a verbal response. This indicates a clear airway and consciousness.

S - Send for Help: Ring 111

A - Airway: Can air get in and out of the lungs?

B - Breathing: Is the patient breathing?

C - Compression: If not breathing, start compressions (30:2 no matter who)

S - Severe Bleeding: Look for obvious signs of bleeding or wounds.

Outdoor First Aid Basics

Dehydration

Dehydration is the loss of water and salts from your body. Most people experience mild dehydration at some time, but if it becomes severe it can lead to death.

In the early stages of dehydration (mild dehydration), symptoms include:

a dry, sticky mouth and tongue
feeling lightheaded or dizzy
weakness
a headache
feeling very tired – no energy.

Treatment

Mild dehydration can be treated by drinking water frequently in small amounts until you are no longer thirsty and your urine (pee) is a light yellow colour. Even if you are vomiting, some of this water will still be absorbed by your body.

How much water should I drink every day?

How much water you need depends on many factors, including your health, how active you are and where you live.

It has been recommended we should drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. This is a good guide, although there is no research-based evidence to support this. A good guide is the colour of your urine (pee). It should be a very light-coloured yellow. If it is a deep yellow then it is likely you are not drinking enough water.

Cramp

Cramps are unpleasant, often painful sensations caused by muscle contraction or over shortening. Muscle fatigue is a common cause of cramps.

Treatment

Stretching and massage are widely considered to reduce muscle cramps due to fatigue.
Appropriate fluids also improve symptoms.

Asthma

Asthma is a very common respiratory condition that affects people of all ages. During an attack, the small airways in the lung narrow, and mucus is produced, further narrowing the airways. It is commonly triggered by more than normal exercise, pollens, dust and or a sudden change in temperature.

Assessment

Check for:

A tight feeling in the chest
Shortness of breath
Coughing
Wheezing when exhaling
Raised pulse and breathing rate

Management

Remove patient from the trigger
Reassure and calm them
Assist them into the easiest position to breathe
Use the patients own medication
Encourage them to breathe slowly and deeply
Give regular small sips of fluid to help reduce the viscosity of the mucus

Cuts, tears, grazes, bruises & punctures

Ask the following:

How big is the wound?
How dirty is the wound?
How deep is the wound?
Are there any underlying injuries?
Where is the wound?
When was the last tetanus injection?

Management:

Closed wounds: assess ABC, reassure, put something cold on the wound for 20 min and if a limb, elevate to reduce bleeding and swelling
Open wounds: assess ABC, stop bleeding by covering wound with a clean dressing and applying direct pressure, hold dressing in place until bleeding stops then tape in place, elevate and support, check circulation if swelling occurs, splinting may help to stop movement.

Sprains & Strains

A sprain or strain occurs when a sudden twisting or wrenching of a joint tears ligaments (sprains) or tendons (strains). Ankles and knees are most common.

Assessment:

The joint is swollen and discoloured.
The joint is painful and tender.
There may be a loss of function of the joint.

Management:

REST - stop movement to prevent further injury.
ICE - apply something cold to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
COMPRESSION - apply a bandage to cover injury site to relieve swelling and provide support.
ELEVATION - to help reduce swelling.

Concussion

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury. It can occur after an impact to your head or after a whiplash-type injury that causes your head and brain to shake quickly back and forth. A concussion results in an altered mental state that may include becoming unconscious.

Symptoms

If a person has any of the following symptoms, they may have concussion:

not remembering what happened immediately before or after the injury
confusion, difficulty concentrating
loss of judgement and coordination, walking unsteadily, dizziness
slurred speech
headache that lasts a long time or gets worse
vomiting or nausea
ringing in their ears
pupils of their eyes being different sizes
changes in vision (what they can see)
becoming sensitive to light
loss of smell or taste.

Treatment

Avoiding another injury - a second injury to the head of a concussed person can be very dangerous. It can cause brain swelling, coma or death. Serious or long-term effects are much more likely if a brain injury is repeated.

Self care - if you or a family member has a minor head injury with no worrying symptoms, try these ideas. If you have any concerns at all, see your doctor.

Apply ice or a cool pack for 10 to 20 minutes, every two to four hours, for the next day or two. (Wrapped ice or a pack of frozen vegetables will work well.) This will reduce swelling of the scalp and help with the pain.
Drink only clear fluids for the first 2 hours, to decrease the likelihood of vomiting.
Take nothing stronger than paracetamol for pain.
Rest – someone must stay with the injured person if they sleep.
Check every 2 hours to see if the person wakes easily (if asleep) and responds normally; that their behaviour and movements are normal; and that they know who they are and where they are.
A responsible person should stay with the person for 48 hours after the injury.

Returning to sports - ACC guidelines say that a person who has had concussion should not play sport or train for 3 weeks after the injury. After this time you can play or train if you have no symptoms of your injury and your doctor has said you can.

What If Scenarios

WRITE/PAIR/SHARE: Identify the injury and recommend suitable treatment

Your friend trips on a rock and cuts their knee open
Upon landing, your friend twists their ankle and says they can not put any weight on to it
During a hot summer's day riding, your friend has run out of energy, says they are feeling dizzy and has a headache
Your mate suddenly falls over in pain clutching their calf muscle
Your riding buddy has difficulty breathing and you can hear them make a wheezing sound
Your friend crashes off their bike and when you get to them they seem dazed and confused

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