Common Medical Emergencies

Jude D. Positos, RN
 Stroke
• A condition that occurs when the blood flow
to the brain is interrupted long enough to
cause damage
Causes:
• Thrombus or emboli
• Ruptured artery in the brain
• Compression of an artery
 Stroke
Signs and Symptoms
• Weakness and numbness of the face, arm or leg,
often on one side only
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Headache
• Ringing in the ears
• Change of mood
• Difficulty in Breathing and Swallowing
• Loss of Bowel and Bladder control
 Stroke
First Aid
• Check victim’s ABC
• Have the victim rest in a comfortable position
• Seek immediately medical help
• Do not give the victim anything by mouth
• If the victim loses consciousness, place him or her
in the recovery position and administer first aid
for unconsciousness
• Continue to monitor ABC
• Stay with the patient until you have medical help
 Seizures
• A sudden involuntary muscle contraction, usually due
to uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain
Signs and Symptoms:
• Local tingling or twitching in the part of the body
• Brief blackout or period of confused behavior
• Sudden falling, loss of consciousness
• Drooling, frothing of the mouth
• Vigorous muscle spasm; twitching, jerking limbs
• Grunting, snorting
• Loss of bowel and bladder control
• Temporary cessation of breathing
 Seizures
Other health status associated with seizures
• Epilepsy, hypertension; heart diseases, brain
tumor, stroke or other brain illness or injury;
shaking young children violently; fever in
children, etc.
• There is nothing we can do to stop the seizure
once they have started
 Seizures
First Aid:
• Be a good observer, keepcalm
• Do not attempt to force anything by the patient’s mouth
• Protect the patient from harm
• Place the patient on his/her side to keep the airway clear
• Do not call for an ambulance immediately unless:
1. The seizure lasts longer than a few minutes
2. Another seizure begins soon after the first
3. The patient does not regain consciousness after the jerking
movements
4. The patient is pregnant
5. Is in the water and has swallowed large amounts of water
 Convulsions (febrile seizures)
First Aid (after the attack):
Provide interventions that lowers temperature to
normal range:
• Take the child’s temperature
• Remove the clothes and bed clothes then give
child a sponge bath on a counter with lukewarm
water and turn on fan
• Do not place in bath tub because he or she may
have another seizure
• Notify physician that a seizure has occurred
 Convulsions (febrile seizures)
Fever is not always cause for alarm, but sometimes it is a sign
for a serious problem.
Seek medical attention if:
• Fever is over 40 degrees Celsius
• Fever is accompanied by:
1. Difficulty in breathing
2. Unusual skin color
3. A rash of tiny red or purple dots under the skin
4. Shock
5. Stiff neck
6. Bulging fontanel
7. Signs of dehydration
 Nosebleed
2 types of epistaxis
• Anterior nosebleed (most common)
• Posterior nosebleed (requires medical attention)
First Aid
• Keep patient in sitting position to reduce blood pressure
• Keep the tilted slightly forward
• Let the patient pinch his or her nose for five minutes
• If bleeding still persists, let patient blow gently then pinch
the nostrils again for 5 minutes
• Apply an ice pack
• Place an unconscious patient on his or her side
 Nosebleed
• Seek medical attention if:
1.Nostril pinching and cold compress does not
stop bleeding
2.You suspect a posterior nosebleed
3.Patient is hypertensive or is taking
anticoagulants
4.If you suspect a broken nose
 Shock
• Shock is a depressed condition of many body
functions due to failure of enough blood to
circulate throughout the body following a
seroius injury.
Kinds of shock
• Cardiogenic Anaphylactic, Hypovolemic,
Psychogenic, Neurogenic, Metabolic,
Respiratory, Septic.
 Shock
Causes
• Severe Bleeding, Crushing injury, Infection,
Heart Attack perforation, Anaphylaxis,
Starvation, other diseases.
Dangers of shock:
• It may lead to death
• Predisposes body to infection
• Lead to loss of body part
 Shock
Objectives of First Aid:
• Improve circulation of the blood
• Ensure an adequate supply of oxygen
• Maintain normal body temperature
 Shock
First Aid and Preventive management of Shock
• Keep the victim lying down flat
• Elevate the lower extremities
• Place the victim who is having difficulty in breathing on his
back with his head and shoulder raised
• Maintain body temperature and victim must not be
Perspiring nor chilling
• If the weather is warm the victim need not to be covered
• If the victim is cold inspite of the weather cover the body
with blanket
• Do not give anything by mouth, but if patient is
complaining of thirst, you may wet his or her lips
 Diabetic Emergencies
Diabetes is a condition in which the sugar in the
blood is higher than normal
Types of diabetic emergencies:
Hypoglycemia (decreased blood sugar)
• Occurs when too much insulin is in the body,
failing to eat, heavy exercise, emotional factors
Signs and symptoms
Fast breathing, fast pulse, dizziness, Weakness,
hunger, anxiety, seating, headache, vision
difficulties, etc.
 Diabetic Emergencies
Hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar levels)
occurs when there is too much sugar in the
blood or decreased insulin production.
Signs and symptoms:
• Drowsiness, thirst dehydration, fever, change
of consciousness
 Diabetic Emergencies
Give any fully conscious person in a diabetic
emergency a sugar- candy, fruit juice, or a soft
drink containing sugar.
It is possible to confuse the signs and symptoms of
hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, since this is a
true emergency that needs a quick response.
If unconscious, check ABC and call physician
Victims of hyperglycemia also needs immediate
medical transport to the hospital.
 Head Injuries
call for emergency medical assistance if any of the
following signs are apparent:
• Severe head or facial bleeding
• Bleeding from the nose or ears
• Severe headache
• Change in level of consciousness for more than a
few seconds
• Black-and-blue discoloration below the eyes or
behind the ears
• Cessation of breathing
 Head Injuries
• Confusion
• Loss of balance
• Weakness or an inability to use an arm or leg
• Unequal pupil size
• Repeated vomiting
• Slurred speech
• Seizures
 Head Injuries
If severe head trauma occurs:
• Keep the person still. Until medical help arrives, keep the
injured person lying down and quiet in a darkened room,
with the head and shoulders slightly elevated. Don't move
the person unless necessary and avoid moving the person's
neck.
• Stop any bleeding. Apply firm pressure to the wound with
sterile gauze or a clean cloth. But don't apply direct
pressure to the wound if you suspect a skull fracture.
• Watch for changes in breathing and alertness. If the
person shows no signs of circulation (breathing, coughing
or movement), begin CPR.
 Bites
Insect Bites
• Remove stinger, scrape it away or you can use
tweezers
• Wash wound
• Cover the wound
• Apply cold pack
• Watch for signals of allergic reactions
Spider bites/Scorpion stings
• Wash wound
• Apply cold pack
• Get medical care to receive antivenom
 Bites
Marine life stings
• If jellyfish, soak area in vinegar
• If sting ray, soak in non scalding hot water
until pain goes away. Clean and bandage
wound
 Bites
Snake Bites
While waiting for emergency assistance:
• Wash the bite with soap and water
• Immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart.
• Cover the area with a clean, cool compress or a moist dressing to
minimize swelling and discomfort.
If a victim is unable to reach medical care within 30 minutes
• Apply a bandage, wrapped two to four inches above the bite, to
help slow the venom. This should not cut off the flow of blood from
a vein or artery - the band should be loose enough to slip a finger
under it.
• A suction device can be placed over the bite to help draw venom
out of the wound without making cuts. These devices are often
included in commercial snake bite kits.
 Electrocution
Be aware of Danger - The clear danger in this
situation is the electrical supply.
• If the victim is still touching a live electrical
source, either turn off the power to the source,
or break the victim's contact with it. Find a non-
conductive object (wooden broom handles are
commonly used) and break the contact between
the victim and the source.
• Call an ambulance immediately - all victims of
electrocution, whether conscious or unconscious
require assessment in hospital.
 Electrocution
After ensuring the area is safe, begin a primary
assessment - check ABCs & begin CPR if
required.
Conduct a secondary assessment looking
specifically for 2 electrical burns.
• Electrical burns look like third-degree burns, but
are not surrounded by first- and second-degree
burns. They always come in pairs: an entry
wound (smaller) and exit wound (larger). Flush
with water. You should cover the wounds with
nonstick, sterile dressings.
End of Discussion
Thank You