1. Ch. 7: Soft Tissue Injuries: Cuts, Scrapes and Bruises pgs. 101-109
Health III
St. Ignatius

2. Wounds An injury to the soft tissues is called a wound
Wounds are closed or open
Closed wounds result in damage or bleeding below the surface of the skin
Open wounds result in tears in the skin which allow blood to leave the body

3. Closed Wounds Signals of Internal Bleeding
Tender, swollen, bruised or hard areas of the body
Rapid, weak pulse
Skin – cool or moist/pale or bluish
Vomiting/coughing blood
Excessive thirst
Extremity that is blue/pale
Altered mental state

4. Caring for Closed Wounds
Apply cold early - decrease pain and swelling
Apply ice for no more than 20 minutes
Place barrier between ice and bare skin
Place victim in comfortable position/Elevate
Call 911 if-
A person complains of severe pain or cannot move a body part without pain
You think the force that caused the injury was great enough to cause serious damage
An injured extremity is blue or extremely pale

5. Open Wounds
Abrasions
Lacerations/Incisions
Avulsions
Punctures

6. Treatment Objectives Control the Bleeding
Prevent Further Contamination
Treat for Shock

7. Methods to Control Bleeding
1. Direct Pressure
2. Elevation
3. Indirect Pressure –
Brachial Artery - arm
Femoral Artery - leg
4. Tourniquet

8. Caring for Open Wounds
Dressings/Compress are pads placed directly on wound to absorb blood and prevent infection
Dressings are porous to allow air to pass through and promote healing
Occlusive dressings close the wound and prevent air from getting to it
Bandages are used to: hold dressings, control bleeding, protect wounds, provide support for injured limbs/body part.
A pressure bandage fits snugly and creates pressure on a wound

9. Signs of Infection F = fever A = a heat sensation R = redness
T = tenderness
T = throbbing sensation
E = evidence of pus
R = red streaks from wound
S = swelling

10. Bandages
Adhesive compresses- small pad of nonstick gauze on a strip of adhesive tape applied directly to minor wounds
Bandage compresses- thick gauze dressings attached to a bandage that is tied in place
Roller bandages- made of gauze, used to hold dressing in place, secure a splint or control external bleeding

11. Types of Wraps Spiral – arm/leg Closed Figure 8 – wrist/ankle
Open
Closed
Figure 8 – wrist/ankle
Cravat - head

12. Guidelines for Applying a Roller Bandage (pg. 107)
Check for warmth, feeling and color of the area below the injury site
Elevate injured body part if you do not suspect a broken bone and it does not cause pain
Anchor bandage at beginning of wrap. Secure the end of the bandage in place – Loop Knot
Do not cover fingers or toes
Apply additional dressings and another bandage by placing them over the blood-soaked ones

13. Elastic Roller Bandages
Sometimes called elastic wraps, are designed to keep continuous pressure on a body part
Available in 2, 3, 4 and 6-inch widths
Use appropriate width for injury

14. Applying an Elastic Roller Bandage (pg. 108)
Check circulation of limb beyond where you will be applying the bandage
Place end of bandage against skin and use overlapping turns
Gently stretch the bandage as you continue wrapping
Always check area above and below injury site for feeling

15. Situation Treat the following injuries:
2” incision to the right for-head
5” laceration to the left lower arm
3” abrasion to the left knee

16. Caring for Minor Open Wounds
Use a barrier between hand and wound
Apply direct pressure for a few minutes to control bleeding
Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water
Apply triple antibiotic ointment if the person has no known allergies to the medication
Cover wound with a sterile dressing and bandage

17. Caring for Major Open Wounds
Call 911
Put on disposable gloves
Control bleeding by—
Covering wound with a dressing and pressing firmly with a gloved hand
Applying a pressure bandage over the dressing to maintain pressure on the wound and hold the dressing in place
Continue to monitor the person’s ABCs

18. Caring for Major Open Wounds
Keep the person from getting chilled or overheated
Have person rest comfortably and reassure him or her
Wash your hands immediately after giving care

19. Burns A special kind of soft tissue injury
Classified by their sources: “CHER”
Chemicals
Heat
Electricity
Radiation
Classified by their depth:
Superficial
Partial Thickness
Full Thickness

20. Superficial – 1st Degree
Involve top layer of skin
Skin becomes red and dry
Usually painful
Area may swell
Usually heal within a week without permanent scarring.

21. Partial-Thickness – 2nd Degree
Involve top layers of skin
Skin becomes red, usually painful
Blisters develop that may open and weep clear fluid, making the skin appear wet; may appear mottled
Area often swells
Usually heal in 3 – 4 weeks and may scar

22. Full Thickness – 3rd Drgree
May destroy all layers of skin and some or all underlying structures – fat, muscles, bones, nerves
Skin may be brown/black (charred) with tissue underneath sometimes appearing white
Extremely painful or relatively painless (nerve endings destroyed)
Healing may require medical assistance. Scarring is likely

23. Caring for Burns Check the scene for safety
Stop burning by removing person from source of burn
Check for life-threatening conditions
Cool burn with large amounts of cool running water
Cover burn loosely with sterile dressing
Prevent infection
Take steps to minimize shock
Keep person from getting chilled or overheated
Comfort and reassure person

24. Caring for Burns: “Do Not”
Apply ice or water, except on superficial burns and only for 10 minutes
Touch a burn with anything except a clean covering
Remove pieces of clothing that stick to the burned area
Try to clean a severe burn
Break blisters
Use any kind of ointment on a severe burn

25. Caring for Chemical Burns
Remove chemical from body using these steps:
1. Brush off dry chemicals before flushing with tap water
2. Flush burn with cool running water
3. If eye is burned by a chemical, flush eye with water
4. Have person remove contaminated clothes

26. Encountering Electrical Burns
1. Never go near person until he or she is not in contact with power source
2. Call 911 in case of high-voltage electrocution
3. Turn off power at its source and care for life-threatening conditions
4. Be prepared to give CPR or use an AED
5. Care for shock and thermal burns
6. Anyone suffering from electrical shock requires advanced medical care

27. Radiation (Sun) Burns Care for sunburn as you would for any other burn
Always cool burn and protect area from further damage by keeping it out of the sun

28. Preventing Burns
Follow safety practices that prevent fire and be careful around sources of heat
Chemical burns can be prevented by following manufacturers’ guidelines when handling chemicals
Electrical burns can be prevented by following safety practices around electrical lines and equipment
Sunburn can be prevented by using sunscreen

29. Special Situations Severed Body Parts Embedded Objects Nose Injuries
Call 911
Wrap severed part in sterile gauze
Put part in plastic bag and place bag on ice
Embedded Objects
Do not remove object
Place dressings around it to keep it from moving
Bandage dressings in place around object
Nose Injuries
Have person sit slightly forward while pinching nostrils together for 10 minutes

30. Special Situations Mouth Injuries Lip Injuries Tooth Injuries
Make sure person is able to breathe
Place person in seated position with head tilted slightly forward
Lip Injuries
Place a rolled dressing between the lip and gum
If tongue is bleeding, apply a dressing and direct pressure
Tooth Injuries
Control bleeding and save tooth
Place rolled sterile dressing in space vacated by tooth
Pick up tooth by white part and place in milk

31. Special Situations Injuries to the Chest Rib Fractures
Leading cause of trauma deaths each year
Either open or closed
Rib Fractures
Painful, but rarely life-threatening
Results in shallow breathing
Care for Rib Fractures
Have person rest in position that makes breathing easier
Call 911
Bind person’s upper arm to chest on the injured side to support the injured area and make breathing easier
Monitor breathing and skin condition and take steps to minimize shock

32. Special Situations Puncture Wounds to the Chest
Call 911
Care for a Sucking Chest Wound
Cover wound with large occlusive dressing
Tape dressing in place, leave one corner loose
Take steps to minimize shock

33. Care for Abdominal Injuries
1. Call 911
2. Put on disposable gloves
3. Place person on his or her back with knees bent
4. Do not apply direct pressure
5. Do not push any protruding organs back in
6. Remove clothing from around the wound
7. Apply moist, sterile dressings loosely over the wound
8. Cover dressings loosely with plastic wrap, if available

34. Controlling External Bleeding
Pgs