FIRST AID MERIT BADGEmeritbadgehelpbsa.sirjames.info/wp-content/uploads/...treat for the rest of your life. You just never know when you will be called upon to minister CPR to a person

FIRST AID MERIT BADGE 2016

Written by James Schultz

A word about First Aid Merit Badge First Aid Merit Badge is probably the most important MB a scout can earn. In it, you will learn and practice skills that will benefit you and those you treat for the rest of your life. You just never know when you will be called upon to minister CPR to a person in a grocery store, or a broken leg on the ski slope. This is a set of skills that will last you forever. First aid knowledge/skills are required by BSA to earn your Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class ranks. First aid skills/knowledge are required for many of the other merit badges including canoeing, cooking, hiking, camping, swimming, wilderness survival, backpacking, life saving….. Learn the material and practice the skills until you are very competent at performing them.

Cooking MB: Show that you know first aid for and how to prevent injuries or illnesses that could occur while preparing meals and eating, including burns and scalds, cuts, choking, and allergic reactions. Camping MB: Show that you know first aid for and how to prevent injuries or illnesses that could occur while camping, including hypothermia, frostbite, heat reactions, dehydration, altitude sickness, insect stings, tick bites, snakebite, blisters, and hyperventilation. Hiking: Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses that could occur while hiking, including hypothermia, frostbite, dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, sunburn, hyperventilation, altitude sickness, sprained ankle, blisters, insect stings, tick bites, and snakebite. Backpacking: Discuss the prevention of and treatment for the health concerns that could occur while backpacking, including hypothermia, heat reactions, frostbite, dehydration, insect stings, tick bites, snakebite, and blisters. Canoeing: Review prevention, symptoms, and first-aid treatment for the following injuries or illnesses that could occur while canoeing: blisters, cold-water shock and hypothermia, dehydration, heat-related illnesses, sunburn, sprains, and strains. Swimming: Discuss the prevention and treatment of health concerns that could occur while swimming, including hypothermia, dehydration, sunburn, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, muscle cramps, hyperventilation, spinal injury, stings and bites, and cuts and scrapes

And many other merit badges require first aid training…..

Once finished with the First Aid MB, you might want to earn other merit badges that will further your skills for emergency situations.

Wilderness Survival Search and Rescue Life Saving

Emergency Preparedness

HOW TO DO THIS MERIT BADGE Get a blue merit badge card signed by your scout master Find and contact a MB counselor. Work with that person. Get help when needed. Find a friend to do it with you. It is more fun and you will need someone to

practice on. Get a copy of the MB worksheet. The worksheet will help you but it isn’t the

answer…you will need to learn and master all of the information and skills in the MB. You and only you are responsible for your merit badge, not your counselor, troop, partner… YOU. • Read each question carefully. Look for the “command” verbs in each sentence telling you what you need to do.

• Look at the example to the right. I have put the verbs in bold blue.

• If it says explain then do that!! Don’t list or draw a picture…explain.

• Other common terms are: Define, list, demonstrate, prepare, show, draw, make, … Do whatever it says.

• Use complete full sentences and thoughts in every answer. Be very complete.

a. Explain how you would obtain emergency medical assistance from your home, on a wilderness camping trip, and during an activity on open water. b. Define the term triage. Explain the steps necessary to assess and handle a medical emergency until help arrives. c. Explain the standard precautions as applied to blood borne pathogens. d. Prepare a first aid kit for your home. Display and discuss its contents with your counselor

If the verb is a skill, ie: “show how to make a…”, then practice, practice, practice until you know it and can do it with competence.

FIRST AID REQUIREMENTS FOR RANK ADVANCEMENT Tenderfoot: 4a. Show first aid for the following: • Simple cuts and scrapes • Blisters on the hand and foot • Minor (thermal/heat) burns or scalds (superficial, or first-degree) • Bites or stings of insects and ticks • Venomous snakebite • Nosebleed • Frostbite and sunburn • Choking Second Class: 6a. Demonstrate first aid for the following: • Object in the eye • Bite of a warm-blooded animal • Puncture wounds from a splinter, nail, and fishhook • Serious burns (partial thickness, or second-degree) • Heat exhaustion • Shock • Heatstroke, dehydration, hypothermia, and hyperventilation 6b. Show what to do for “hurry” cases of stopped breathing, stroke, severe bleeding, and ingested poisoning. 6c. Tell what you can do while on a campout or hike to prevent or reduce the occurrence of the injuries listed in Second Class requirements 6a and 6b. 6d. Explain what to do in case of accidents that require emergency response in the home and backcountry. Explain what constitutes an emergency and what information you will need to provide to a responder. 6e. Tell how you should respond if you come upon the scene of a vehicular accident First Class: 7a. Demonstrate bandages for a sprained ankle and for injuries on the head, the upper arm, and the collarbone. 7b. By yourself and with a partner, show how to: • Transport a person from a smoke-filled room. • Transport for at least 25 yards a person with a sprained ankle. 7c. Tell the five most common signals of a heart attack. Explain the steps (procedures) in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

REQUIREMENT 1: Satisfy your counselor that you have current knowledge of all first aid requirements for Tenderfoot rank, Second Class rank, and First Class rank.

Review all of your knowledge/skills and be able to show your counselor that you are able to do them.

Scouts practicing their skills at a merit badge campout.

REQUIREMENT 2: Do the following: a. Explain how you would obtain emergency medical assistance from your home, on a wilderness camping trip, and during an activity on open water. b. Define the term triage. Explain the steps necessary to assess and handle a medical emergency until help arrives. c. Explain the standard precautions as applied to blood borne pathogens. d. Prepare a first aid kit for your home. Display and discuss its contents with your counselor.

Prior to cell phones, there was always a phone or two or three in a house connected to the wall where everyone knew where it was. Today we have cell phones. In an emergency, do you know where you can find a phone? Are you 100% sure?

Pre-Scenarios: How would you obtain emergency medical assistance under these conditions… 1. Your house is burning down and you ran out, smart thinking, but your phone is still inside. 2. You are in the BWCA canoe area, your friend is suffering from a leg wound when he cut it

badly while chopping down a tree for firewood and you are out of range of your phone. 3. You are swimming at a beach and your buddy is drowning. You save him of course by

pulling him out and on to a floating dock. No cell phone in your swimming trunks.

Scenario #1 You come upon the scene of a huge pile up of cars on the freeway. There must be 50+ men, women and children involved. Some are all bloody but walking around, kids are crying, some have been thrown from their cars and are lying in the ditch and still others are in their cars bent over the steering wheel unconscious. There are 5 boy scouts and your leader in your car. You are the first ones on the scene. What do you do? Who do you help…first?

Triage (in medical use) the assignment of degrees of urgency to wounds or illnesses to decide the order of treatment of a large number of patients or casualties.

CALL FOR HELP BEFORE STARTING FIRST AID!

You must stay calm, listen to the person you’re speaking with on the phone, and never hang up your cell phone until the ambulance arrives

BASIC LIFESAVING: Remember A B C: 1. Airway 2. Breathing 3. Circulation

REMAIN CALM... THINK!

Check the scene to make sure it is safe for you to enter. Do not put yourself in harms way. It will only compound the problem.

Get people to safety. Perform Triage on those remaining. Always suspect spinal injury. Work within your personal training and abilities. Begin First Aid.

Bloodborne pathogens are

infectious microorganisms in human

blood that can cause disease in

humans. These pathogens include,

but are not limited to, hepatitis B

(HBV), hepatitis C (HCV) and human

immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Also:

Malaria, syphilis, brucellosis, some

bacteria, viruses and parasites.

Scenario #2 You are playing soccer with a couple of your buddies. As often happens, they hit heads and one gets a bloody nose and the other a cut on his face. What do you do?

Infectious disease and blood borne pathogens

Set up a barrier here. • Eye shield • Infection control mask • Infection control gown • Nitrile gloves • Antimicrobial towelette • Biohazard bag

Treat all blood and potentially infectious body fluids as if they are contaminated!!

Blood borne pathogens and infectious diseases may be transmitted through direct contact with the blood but also through other body fluids from the eyes, nose, mouth and open wounds. These fluids include: Semen, vaginal secretions, saliva, blood, other fluids of the body.

Pathogens may enter the body through open wounds in the skin, membranes, needles…

A bloody nose and a cut on the head are not life threatening. Give them a paper towel and have them clean up their own faces. Place all bloody towels in a plastic bag and seal it. Dispose of it properly.

From the: Guide to Safe Scouting

___ Bar of soap

___ 2-inch roller bandage

___ 1-inch roller bandage

___ 1-inch adhesive

___ 3-by-3-inch sterile pads

___ Triangular bandage

___ Assorted gauze pads

___ Adhesive strips or tape

___ Clinical oral thermometer

___ Scissors

___ Tweezers

___ Sunburn lotion

___ Lip salve

___ Poison-ivy lotion

___ Small flashlight

___ Absorbent cotton

___ Water purification tablets (iodine)

___ Safety pins

___ Needles

___ Paper cups

___ Foot powder

___ Instant ice packs

A first-aid kit well stocked with the basic essentials is indispensable. Choose one sturdy and lightweight, yet

large enough to hold the contents so that they are readily visible and so that any one item may be taken out

without unpacking the whole kit. Keep a list of contents readily available for easy refilling. Keep the kit in a

convenient location. Make one person responsible for keeping the kit filled and available when needed.

Quantities of suggested items for your first-aid kit depend on the size of your group and local conditions.

For other first aid kit ideas, go to: http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/First_aid_kit

REQUIREMENT 3: Do the following: a. Explain what action you should take for someone who shows signals of shock, for someone who shows signals of a heart attack, and for someone who shows signals of stroke. b. IDENTIFY the conditions that must exist before performing CPR on a person. Then DEMONSTRATE proper technique in performing CPR using a training device approved by your counselor. c. Explain the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). d. SHOW the steps that need to be taken for someone suffering from a severe cut on the leg and on the wrist. Tell the dangers in the use of a tourniquet and the conditions under which its use is justified. e. Explain when a bee sting could be life threatening and what action should be taken for prevention and for first aid. f. Explain the symptoms of heatstroke and what action needs to be taken for first aid and for prevention.

Requirement three has a lot of stuff in it. We will take each of the different parts a-f separately.

Note: It is never good enough just to have a head knowledge” of first aid. You must be able to perform the needed skill. So you will need to practice, practice… practice until you are efficient at doing the skill or it may not do any good for the person whose life depends on what you do. Talk to your counselor about setting up a time to do this with his instruction and guidance.

PRACTICE!!

a. Explain what action you should take for someone who shows signals of shock, for someone who shows signals of a heart attack, and for someone who shows signals of stroke.

Heart Disease in the United States About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.1 Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than half of the deaths due to heart disease in 2009 were in men.1 Coronary heart disease(https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/coronary_ad.htm) (CHD) is the most common type of heart disease, killing over 370,000 people annually.1 Every year about 735,000 Americans have a heart attack(https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/heart_attack.htm). Of these, 525,000 are a first heart attack and 210,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack.2

Fire, Police, or Ambulance

Scenario #3: You are out hunting for grouse in the woods. It is also deer hunting season. While hunting you find a man on the ground beneath his deer hunting stand with a gash in his leg. It looks like he lost a lot of blood. You check his pulse and it is weak and his skin feels cold to the touch. You check for breathing (ABC in first aid) and he has shallow breathing. He continues to go in and out of consciousness. What do you do?

Scenario #4: You are out Christmas shopping at the Mall of America minding your own business. You come around a corner and on a bench is an old man who either looks a sleep or maybe drunk. His right hand is over his left chest and his head is hanging down. You watch for a minute and he doesn’t move even though people are walking around him. A little boy trips on the man’s foot and he still didn’t move. What do you do?

Scenario #5: You go to the park and are waiting for a friend to show up. You notice an older lady walking slowly in a circle, kinda dragging one leg a bit. You wouldn’t have even noticed except she was mumbling gibberish quite loudly. What do you do?

Shock facts Shock is a life-threatening medical condition and is a medical emergency. If shock is suspected call 911 or get to an emergency department immediately. The main symptom of shock is low blood pressure. Other symptoms include rapid, shallow breathing; cold, clammy skin; rapid, weak pulse; dizziness, fainting, or weakness. There are several types of shock: septic shock caused by bacteria, anaphylactic shock caused by hypersensitivity or allergic reaction, cardiogenic shock from heart damage, hypovolemic shock from blood or fluid loss, and neurogenic shock from spinal cord trauma. Treatment for shock depends on the cause. Tests will determine the cause and severity. Usually IV fluids are administered in addition to medications that raise blood pressure.

Septic shock is treated with antibiotics and fluids. Anaphylactic shock is treated with diphenhydramine (Benadryl), epinephrine (an "Epi-pen"), and steroid medications (solu-medrol). Cardiogenic shock is treated by identifying and treating the underlying cause. Hypovolemic shock is treated with fluids (saline) in minor cases, and blood transfusions in severe cases. Neurogenic shock is the most difficult to treat as spinal cord damage is often irreversible. Immobilization, anti-inflammatories such as steroids and surgery are the main treatments.

Shock If you suspect a person is in shock,

call 911 or your local emergency number. Then immediately take the following steps:

Lay the person down and elevate the legs and feet slightly, unless you think this may cause pain or further injury.

Keep the person still and don't move him or her unless necessary.

Begin CPR if the person shows no signs of life, such as breathing, coughing or movement.

Loosen tight clothing and, if needed, cover the person with a blanket to prevent chilling.

Don't let the person eat or drink anything.

If the person vomits or begins bleeding from the mouth, turn him or her onto a side to prevent choking, unless you suspect a spinal injury.

• What to do if you or someone else may be having a heart attack • Call 911 or your local medical emergency number. Don't ignore or attempt to tough

out the symptoms of a heart attack for more than five minutes. If you don't have access to emergency medical services, have a neighbor or a friend drive you to the nearest hospital. Drive yourself only as a last resort, and realize that it places you and others at risk when you drive under these circumstances.

• Chew and swallow an aspirin, unless you are allergic to aspirin or have been told by your doctor never to take aspirin. But seek emergency help first, such as calling 911.

• Take nitroglycerin, if prescribed. If you think you're having a heart attack and your doctor has previously prescribed nitroglycerin for you, take it as directed. Do not take anyone else's nitroglycerin, because that could put you in more danger.

• Begin CPR if the person is unconscious. If you're with a person who might be having a heart attack and he or she is unconscious, tell the 911 dispatcher or another emergency medical specialist. You may be advised to begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). If you haven't received CPR training, doctors recommend skipping mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing and performing only chest compressions (about 100 per minute). The dispatcher can instruct you in the proper procedures until help arrives.

• If an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available and the person is unconscious, begin CPR while the device is retrieved and set up. Attach the device and follow instructions that will be provided by the AED after it has evaluated the person's condition.

Heart Attack

Stroke • Call 911 if the person has: • Numbness or weakness of the face,

arm, or legs -- especially on just one side of the body

• Slurred or unusual speech • Trouble seeing in one or both eyes • Trouble walking, dizziness, or

balance problems • Sudden confusion • Severe headache

Stroke in the United States Stroke kills almost 130,000 Americans each

year—that’s 1 out of every 20 deaths.1 On average, one American dies from stroke

every 4 minutes.2 Every year, more than 795,000 people in

the United States have a stroke. About 610,000 of these are first or new

strokes. About 185,00 strokes—nearly one of four—

are in people who have had a previous stroke.2

About 87% of all strokes are ischemic strokes(https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/types_of_stroke.htm), when blood flow to the brain is blocked.2

Stroke costs the United States an estimated $34 billion each year.2 This total includes the cost of health care services, medications to treat stroke, and missed days of work.

Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability.2

b. IDENTIFY the conditions that must exist before performing CPR on a person. Then DEMONSTRATE proper technique in performing CPR using a training device approved by your counselor.

When is CPR needed? And how do you do CPR? CPR is most successful when administered as quickly as possible, but you must first determine if it's necessary. It should only be done when a person is unresponsive and not breathing or not breathing normally. Reading about CPR and learning when it's needed will give you a basic understanding of the concept and procedure, but the American Heart Association strongly recommends that you take a CPR course. If CPR is needed, using the correct technique will give someone the best chance of recovery. Find a CPR course in your area now. First, determine that it's safe to approach the person and secure the area for CPR. For instance, if someone is injured in an accident on a busy highway, you need to be out of danger from oncoming traffic before you start CPR. Or if someone may have been electrocuted, you need to be sure that he or she is no longer in contact with electricity before you start CPR. (In this example, turn off the power or a circuit breaker first.) Next, check for responsiveness and breathing. Quickly evaluate whether the person is responsive. Look for things such as eyes opening, attempts to speak or other signs of intentional movement of the arms and legs. In infants and younger kids, tap their foot and call their name. In older kids and adults, test for responsiveness by gently shaking the shoulders and asking the person if he or she is all right. Yell for help and call for emergency assistance. Remember to call for emergency medical assistance (dial 9-1-1) or get someone to do this. Have someone get an AED. If no one can help, call 911 and get an AED yourself. Use it when you get it. The next step is to check the victim’s breathing. If you can't determine whether someone is breathing, begin CPR and continue until help arrives. Don’t give up! People have been kept alive with CPR because the rescuers simply didn’t quit!

Hands-only CPR Don’t be afraid to give CPR. Any effort is better than no effort at all. 1. If alone, call 911 first. If

there is another person, start CPR immediately and have the other person call 911.

2. Give 120 compressions /min.

3. Compressions are to be between 2-2.4 inches deep.

4. You need not give breaths.

5. Do not stop until help arrives.

Professional or trained personnel CPR 1. Repeat everything in the

Hands-only CPR 2. Add one breath every 6

seconds of no more than 10 seconds duration. Allow chest to deflate. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

c. Explain the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED).

Using an automated external defibrillator (AED) on a person who is having sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) may save the person's life. The most common cause of SCA is an arrhythmia called ventricular fibrillation (v-fib). In v-fib, the ventricles (the heart's lower chambers) don't beat normally. Instead, they quiver very rapidly and irregularly. Another arrhythmia that can lead to SCA is ventricular tachycardia. This is a fast, regular beating of the ventricles that may last for a few seconds or much longer. In people who have either of these arrhythmias, an electric shock from an AED can restore the heart's normal rhythm (if done within minutes of the onset of SCA).

Defibrillation is the only treatment proven to restore a normal heart rhythm. When used on a victim of SCA, the automated external defibrillator (AED) can be used to administer a lifesaving electric shock that restores the heart’s rhythm to normal. AEDs are designed to allow non-medical personnel to save lives.

There is really only one way to learn how to use an AED. Talk to your coach at school, the athletic trainer, the nurse at your school, a police officer or your merit badge counselor. They can show and demonstrate how one works and have you practice.

If you have never been trained how to use an AED, don’t be afraid to use it. It is automated and when you turn it on, a voice will tell you what to do. All you need to do is to stay calm and follow the directions. Learn where the AEDs are in your life so you will know where to find one. As a soccer coach myself, I have the athletic trainer teach each of my players how to use one. Then we go on a “hunt” to find all of the AEDs in our school. You can also find them in most shopping malls, public office spaces, government buildings etc. Just look around you.

d. SHOW the steps that need to be taken for someone suffering from a severe cut on the leg and on the wrist. Tell the dangers in the use of a tourniquet and the conditions under which its use is justified.

Tourniquets are an absolute last ditch effort to save someone’s life where everything else would fail. It is better to loose a limb than a life. Otherwise, tourniquets should not be used by lay people (scouts). The purpose of a tourniquet is to cut off the blood flow. This will eventually “kill” that part below the tourniquet.

If some one has a bad cut on an appendage, follow standard first aid procedures. • Apply pressure to stop the bleeding • Clean out the wound if possible. • Put a compression bandage on the

wound. • Check for shock if large amounts of

blood have been lost. • Reduce mobility of the affected area. • Get to a hospital or call 911

e. Explain when a bee sting could be life threatening and what action should be taken for prevention and for first aid.

Anaphylactic Shock: an extreme, often life-threatening allergic reaction to an antigen to which the body has become hypersensitive.

Treating bee and wasp stings depends on their severity. The majority of problems that require medical attention come from an allergic reaction to the sting. In most cases, complications from that reaction respond well to medications -- when given in time. If you know you may be allergic, especially if you've had a severe reaction in the past when stung by a bee or wasp, seek immediate medical help. Take an antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or a non-sedating one such as loratadine (Claritin) as soon as possible. If you have been prescribed epinephrine (EpiPen) for an allergic reaction, always carry two with you and use it as directed

Scenario #6 True story (me). You are just a dumb kid walking down the sidewalk with your best buddy hitting things with sticks. You see a hole in the wall and stick your stick into it. Before you know it, hundreds of wasps fly out and start stinging you all over your body. You scream and the neighbor ladies come out and start picking wasps off of you with their hands under their aprons. You go home in pain…but your buddy is allergic to bees. What do you do?

f. Explain the symptoms of heatstroke and what action needs to be taken for first aid and for prevention.

The hallmark symptom of heat stroke is a core body temperature above 104 degrees Fahrenheit. But fainting may be the first sign. Other symptoms may include: Throbbing headache Dizziness and light-headedness Lack of sweating despite the heat Red, hot, and dry skin Muscle weakness or cramps Nausea and vomiting Rapid heartbeat, which may be either strong or weak Rapid, shallow breathing Behavioral changes such as confusion, disorientation, or staggering Seizures Unconsciousness

• First Aid for Heat Stroke • If you suspect that someone has a heat stroke,

immediately call 911 or transport the person to a hospital. Any delay seeking medical help can be fatal.

• While waiting for the paramedics to arrive, initiate first aid. Move the person to an air-conditioned environment -- or at least a cool, shady area -- and remove any unnecessary clothing.

• If possible, take the person's core body temperature and initiate first aid to cool it to 101 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. (If no thermometers are available, don't hesitate to initiate first aid.)

• Try these cooling strategies: • Fan air over the patient while wetting his or her

skin with water from a sponge or garden hose. • Apply ice packs to the patient's armpits, groin, neck, and

back. Because these areas are rich with blood vessels close to the skin, cooling them may reduce body temperature.

• Immerse the patient in a shower or tub of cool water. • If the person is young and heathy and suffered heat stroke

while exercising vigorously -- what’s known as exertional heat stroke -- you can use an ice bath to help cool the body.

REQUIREMENT 4: Do the following: a. Describe the signals of a broken bone. Show first aid procedures for handling fractures (broken bones), including open (compound) fractures of the forearm, wrist, upper leg, and lower leg using improvised materials. b. Describe the symptoms and possible complications and demonstrate proper procedures for treating suspected injuries to the head, neck, and back. Explain what measures should be taken to reduce the possibility of further complicating these injuries.

a. Describe the signals of a broken bone. Show first aid procedures for handling fractures (broken bones), including open (compound) fractures of the forearm, wrist, upper leg, and lower leg using improvised materials.

For this requirement you will need to show

your counselor the first aid. Practice,

practice, practice!!!

Compound Fracture: an injury in which a broken bone pierces the skin, causing a risk of infection.

How you treat a broken bone injury depends on where you are, if 911 emergency assistance is possible, what you have available, the extent of the injury, history of the injury, and what type of fracture it is. If emergency assistance is on its way: • Stop any bleeding. Apply gentle pressure to the wound with something sterile, a clean

cloth or clean piece of clothing. Do not cause further injury here. • Immobilize the person and the injured area • Apply ice packs to limit the swelling and help relieve pain • Treat for shock, cover person to keep warm • Do not remove any foreign object in the wound • Determine if there are other life-threatening injuries to the body. Because of the amount of

force needed for an open fracture, there is a 40 to 70% chance of other serious trauma to the body which may be life-threatening.

CALL 911

Scenario #7: You are on a boy scout outing in the north woods of Minnesota camping. A bunch of you are pretending to be Tarzan and are climbing trees and swinging from vines. One of those “unbreakable” vines broke and Jared fell. He hits the ground and starts screaming while holding his leg…which seems to be bent a bit funny. What do you do?

Scenario #8: You and a buddy head out to the skateboard park one Saturday morning for some action. While you are stretching and getting in shape, your buddy jumps on his board and up on the track. He immediately falls on the first turn pike, puts out his had to catch himself and snaps his wrist. There is blood all over and something weird looking is sticking out of his wrist area. What do you do?

Scenario #9: While your buddy is lying there in pain (scenario #8), one of the older boys sees what is going down and runs over to help. In the process, he trips on your buddy’s skateboard, does a flip in the air and comes down hard. He isn’t moving. He was always too cool to wear a helmet. What do you do?

By Mayo Clinic Staff Bone Fractures A fracture is a broken bone. It requires medical attention. If the broken bone is the result of major trauma or injury, call 911 or your local emergency number. Also call for emergency help if: The person is unresponsive, isn't breathing or isn't moving. Begin CPR if there's no breathing or heartbeat. There is heavy bleeding. Even gentle pressure or movement causes pain. The limb or joint appears deformed. The bone has pierced the skin. The extremity of the injured arm or leg, such as a toe or finger, is numb or bluish at the tip. You suspect a bone is broken in the neck, head or back. Don't move the person except if necessary to avoid further injury. Take these actions immediately while waiting for medical help: Stop any bleeding. Apply pressure to the wound with a sterile bandage, a clean cloth/clothing. Immobilize the injured area. Don't try to realign the bone or push a bone that's sticking out back in. If you've been trained in how to splint and professional help isn't readily available, apply a splint to the area above and below the fracture sites. Padding the splints can help reduce discomfort. Apply ice packs to limit swelling and help relieve pain. Don't apply ice directly to the skin. Wrap the ice in a towel, piece of cloth or some other material. Treat for shock. If the person feels faint or is breathing in short, rapid breaths, lay the person down with the head slightly lower than the trunk and, if possible, elevate the legs.

PRACTICE!

How to make a splint. How to make a sling. • Care for the wound first before applying

a splint. • An injured body part should usually be

splinted in the position in which it was found, unless it has been treated by a professional who is a specialist in that body part.

• Find something rigid to use as supports to make the splint, such as sticks, boards, or even rolled up newspapers.

• An injured body part can also be taped to an uninjured body part in order to prevent it from moving.

• Extend the splint beyond the injured area in order to keep it from moving. Try to include the joint above and below the injury in the splint.

• Secure the splint with ties, such as belts, cloth strips, or neckties, or tape above and below the injury.

• Check the area of the injured body part often for swelling, paleness, or numbness. If needed, loosen the splint.

b. Describe the symptoms and possible complications and demonstrate proper procedures for treating suspected injuries to the head, neck, and back. Explain what measures should be taken to reduce the possibility of further complicating these injuries.

Scenario #10: (true story) You are on a soccer team. One of the players on the other team comes running up and hits you star forward from behind while he is on one leg kicking the ball. He flies through the air and the first thing that touches the ground is his head. He isn’t moving. You run up and grab your friend’s hand to comfort him. He asks you “will you hold my hand” but you have been for 5 minutes already. What are you going to do?

Concussions happen when the head is jarred and the brain moves inside of the skull hitting the skull and bruising the brain. They can be minor with very little effect or major and last weeks. If you see this happen, look for symptoms. They are common in falls, accidents and contact sports. If a person falls from 15 feet up or is in a car accident, you must assume the person has suffered some type of head/spinal injury even if they are not showing any symptoms right away. Complications can arise if a person with a concussion has another one. This is common in sports like football where a player is put back in the game after being taken out for a head injury. The problem with these injuries is that any damage to the back and especially the neck can lead to paralysis or even death. A head injury can lead to brain damage, blood loss, or death.

Symptoms of a concussion fit into four main categories: Thinking and remembering

Not thinking clearly Feeling slowed down Not being able to concentrate Not being able to remember new information

Physical Nausea and vomiting Headache Fuzzy or blurry vision Dizziness, Balance problems Sensitivity to light or noise Feeling tired or having no energy

Emotional and mood Easily upset or angered, Sad Nervous or anxious More emotional

Sleep Sleeping more than usual Sleeping less than usual Having a hard time falling asleep

A spinal cord injury usually begins with a sudden, traumatic blow to the spine that fractures or dislocates vertebrae. The damage begins at the moment of injury when displaced bone fragments, disc material, or ligaments bruise or tear into spinal cord tissue. Most injuries to the spinal cord don't completely sever it.

Emergency signs and symptoms: Extreme back pain or pressure in your neck, head or back. Weakness, incoordination or paralysis in any part of your body. Numbness, tingling or loss of sensation in your hands, fingers, feet or toes. Loss of bladder or bowel control. Difficulty with balance and walking. Impaired breathing after injury. An oddly positioned or twisted neck or back

Scenario #11: You and three other scouts come upon a car that has gone into the median and hit a tree. Two people are in the car. You do a quick triage and find the driver unconscious but breathing OK, his forehead is bleeding slightly and his head is against the steering wheel. The second person has an obvious head injury, possible back injury, has a weak pulse and ais not breathing. What do you do?

• If you suspect that someone has a back or neck injury:

• Don't move the injured person — permanent paralysis and other serious complications may result

• Call 911 or your local emergency medical assistance number

• Keep the person still • Place heavy towels on both

sides of the neck or hold the head and neck to prevent them from moving until emergency care arrives

• Provide basic first aid, such as stopping any bleeding and making the person comfortable, without moving the head or neck

Only move a person with a suspected neck/spine injury if: • You need to get

to a person who is in a life or death situation.

• The scene of the accident is not safe such as the car is going to start on fire or fall off a cliff

• The person is in need of life saving first aid such as CPR.

STABLIZE STABLIZE STABLIZE Hold the head in one position, do not move them, keep body still until help arrives or the victim’s conditions change

REQUIREMENT 5: Describe the symptoms, proper first aid procedures, and possible prevention measures for the following conditions: a. Hypothermia b. Convulsions / seizures c. Frostbite d. Dehydration e. Bruises, strains, sprains f. Burns g. Abdominal pain h. Broken, chipped, or loosened tooth i. Knocked out tooth j. Muscle cramps

Frostbite is an injury caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues. Signs and symptoms of frostbite include: • At first, cold skin and a prickling feeling. • Numbness. • Red, white, bluish-white or grayish-yellow skin. • Hard or waxy-looking skin. • Clumsiness due to joint and muscle stiffness. • Blistering after rewarming, in severe cases Treatment: Warm the frozen area, take a pain reliever. Prevention: Wear warm dry clothes protecting all areas.

Hypothermia is a medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature. Normal body temperature is around 98.6 F (37 C). Hypothermia (hi-poe-THUR-me-uh) occurs as your body temperature passes below 95 F (35 C. Symptoms: Shivering, although as hypothermia worsens, shivering stops Clumsiness or lack of coordination Slurred speech or mumbling Confusion and poor decision-making, such as trying to remove warm clothes Drowsiness or very low energy Lack of concern about one's condition Progressive loss of consciousness Weak pulse Slow, shallow breathing First Aid: Warm the body slowly. Get them out of cold, wet clothes and wrapped in warm stuff. Body heat can really help so lay skin to skin and with them and cover up with blankets. Prevention: Wear hats, mittens, scarfs, jackets. Stay dry. Dress in layers to avoid sweat buildup. Come out of the cold if you start to shiver a lot.

A seizure is the physical findings or changes in behavior that occur after an episode of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term "seizure" is often used interchangeably with "convulsion." During convulsions a person has uncontrollable shaking that is rapid and rhythmic, with the muscles contract and relax repeatedly. There are many different types of seizures. Some have mild symptoms without shaking.

Specific symptoms depend on which part of the brain is involved. Symptoms occur suddenly and may include: • Brief blackout followed by a period of confusion • (the person cannot remember for a short time) • Changes in behavior, such as picking at one's clothing • Drooling or frothing at the mouth, Eye movements • Grunting and snorting, Loss of bladder or bowel control • Mood changes, such as sudden anger, unexplainable fear, panic, joy, or laughter • Shaking of the entire body, Sudden falling • Tasting a bitter or metallic flavor, Teeth clenching • Temporary stop in breathing • Uncontrollable muscle spasms with twitching and jerking limbs

Seizures can sometimes be controlled by eliminating triggers that set it off or by taking certain drugs.

Keep them from hurting themselves while having the seizure.

Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn't have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions.

Adult symptoms • Extreme thirst • Less frequent

urination • Dark-colored urine • Fatigue • Dizziness • Confusion

Drink lots of water, juice, bottled drinks. Drink more when exercising, playing sports and on hot days. Not drinking enough could result in a trip to the hospital.

A CONTUSION, commonly known as a bruise, is a type of hematoma of tissue in which capillaries and sometimes venules are damaged by trauma, allowing blood to seep, hemorrhage, or extravasate into the surrounding (interstitial) tissues.

A sprain is a wrench or twist the ligaments of (an ankle, wrist, or other joint) violently so as to cause pain and swelling but not dislocation.

A muscle strain, or pulled muscle, occurs when your muscle is overstretched or torn. This usually occurs as a result of fatigue, overuse, or improper use of a muscle. Strains can happen in any muscle, but they’re most common in your lower back, neck, shoulder, and hamstring, which is the muscle behind your thigh.

Injury Symptom First Aid

Bruise You can see them as black/blue spots

Ice when first happening, protect

Sprain Pain in the joint, swelling, black/blue

ICE, elevate, take a pain reliever/anti-inflammatory, immobilize joint, keep all pressure off.

Strain Swelling, bruising, or redness due to the injury Pain at rest Pain when the specific muscle or the joint in relation to that muscle is used Weakness of the muscle or tendons Inability to use the muscle at all

Ice packs and maintaining the strained muscle in a stretched position. Add heat later, take anti-inflammatory drugs

PRICE FORMULA

P protect

R rest

I ice

C compression

E elevation

Before working out, playing a sport or doing some other exercise, stretch the muscles and tendons. Wear protective gear such as good shoes, braces etc. Know what you are doing when lifting.

Use the PRICE formula for treating each of these injuries

Burns are characterized by severe skin damage that causes the

affected skin cells to die.

First Aid for First and Second degree burns • soaking the wound in cool water for five

minutes or longer • taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain

relief • applying lidocaine (an anesthetic) with aloe vera

gel or cream to soothe the skin • using an antibiotic ointment and loose gauze to

protect the affected area • Make sure you don’t use ice, as this may make

the damage worse. Never apply cotton balls to a burn because the small fibers can stick to the injury and increase the risk of infection.

Third degree burns: Doctor/911 immediately!!

Sometimes the pain is caused by eating too much food or food you are allergic to. Know your limits! It might only take an antacid (Rolaids, Tums…) to fix it. If the pain lasts along time, causes dehydration, vomiting, black stools etc., seek medical attention immediately.

Treating abdominal pain depends on its cause. Treatments can range from medications for inflammation, GERD, or ulcers, to antibiotics for infections, to changes in personal behavior for abdominal pain caused by certain foods or beverages. In some cases, such as appendicitis and a hernia, surgery may be necessary.

TEETH

Gone……………….Loose Falling off a bike and face planting into the trail and then throwing up blood all over the car seat, resulted in a trip to the emergency room to check for a head/neck injury.

Knocking out or hitting a tooth till is loose is a head injury. Also look for other associated conditions like concussions, swallowing too much blood, vomiting, neck injury etc. Apply ice to the area to reduce the swelling and pain. Take an anti-inflammatory like Ibuprofen will also help. Do not wiggle the tooth. See a dentist and he/she may be able to stabilize it in the mouth and save the tooth. If the tooth falls out…there is always the tooth fairy! Wear mouth guards when involved in sports where you might sustain an injury like football, soccer, lacrosse. Always take precautions. Chipped teeth can only be

fixed by a dentist.

Refrain from chewing ice and biting hard objects.

A muscle cramp is a strong, painful contraction or tightening of a muscle that comes on suddenly and lasts from a few seconds to several minutes. It often occurs in the legs. A muscle cramp is also called a charley horse. Nighttime leg cramps are usually sudden spasms, or tightening, of muscles in the calf.

• Exercising, injury, or overuse of muscles. • Pregnancy. Cramps may occur because

of decreased amounts of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, especially in the later months of pregnancy.

• Exposure to cold temperatures, especially to cold water.

• Other medical conditions, such as blood flow problems (peripheral arterial disease), kidney disease, thyroid disease, and multiple sclerosis.

• Standing on a hard surface for a long time, sitting for a long time, or putting your legs in awkward positions while you sleep.

• Not having enough potassium, calcium, and other minerals in your blood.

• Being dehydrated, which means that your body has lost too much fluid.

• Taking certain medicines, such as antipsychotics, birth control pills, diuretics, statins, and steroids

Causes of Muscle Cramps

Stretch each morning and evening, take a warm shower or try ice, walk, take a pain reliever, drink fluids/sport drinks, massage area

REQUIREMENT 6: Do TWO of the following: a. If a sick or injured person must be moved, tell how you would determine the best method. Demonstrate this method. b. With helpers under your supervision, improvise a stretcher and move a presumably unconscious person. c. With your counselor's approval, arrange a visit with your patrol or troop to an emergency medical facility or through an American Red Cross chapter for a demonstration of how an AED is used.

How you carry a person depends on the injury, what you have available, distance, number of people carrying.

REQUIREMENT 7: Teach another Scout a first-aid skill selected by your counselor.

YOU MUST TALK TO YOUR COUNSELOR BEFORE DOING THIS ONE. WHEN YOU DO IT, MAKE A

VIDEO OR TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES TO VERIFY THAT YOU

DID IT.

CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETING FIRST AID MERIT BADGE…NOW GO SAVE A LIFE!!!