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- Newsgroups: sci.electronics
- Path: sparky!uunet!munnari.oz.au!metro!sunb!macadam!johnh
- From: johnh@macadammq.edu.au (John Haddy)
- Subject: Re: SHOCKING STORIES
- Message-ID: <1992Jul24.085243.20795@mailhost.ocs.mq.edu.au>
- Sender: johnh@macadam (John Haddy)
- Nntp-Posting-Host: macadam.mpce.mq.edu.au
- Organization: Macquarie University, School of Mathematics, Physics, Computing and Electronics
- References: <1992Jul19.150630.24771@uhura.neoucom.edu> <a3HDoB1w165w@vector0.UUCP>
- Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 08:52:43 GMT
- Lines: 92
-
- In article <a3HDoB1w165w@vector0.UUCP>, jon%vector0.UUCP@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US (Dazed N. Confused) writes:
- |> wtm@uhura.neoucom.edu (Bill Mayhew) writes:
- |>
- |> Um, what's the medical procedure for a very bad shock? I didn't
- |> think there was any, besides grounding the body. Is it related to
- |> fire exposure, as voltage can often cook parts?
- |>
- |> --Jon
- |>
- |> jon%vector0@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US Life is like a kiwi.
- |> PacBell.COM!sactoh0!vector0!jon
- |>
- |>
- As for all first aid procedures, start with Dr. ABC :
-
- D DANGER. Check for danger to YOURSELF, then for danger to the injured.
- This is especially important in electrical shock situations.
- First choice is to remove the source of danger (i.e. turn off the
- power). Second choice is to remove the patient from the source
- BUT ONLY IF YOU CAN DO THIS WITHOUT ENDANGERING YOURSELF!!!
-
- R RESPONSE. Check the patient for signs of consciousness. One shouldn't
- give resuscitation to those who don't need it! If patient is conscious
- and shows ability to breathe of his/her own accord, proceed to treatment
- for shock (below).
-
- A AIRWAY. Ensure the patient's airway is clear and then open the airway by
- tilting the head back. This forces the airway open (just try swallowing
- with your head tilted way back - it doesn't work!)
-
- B BREATHING. Ascertain whether the patient is breathing. If not, commence
- EAR (expired air rescusitation - i.e. mouth-to-mouth) with five quick
- breaths within 10 seconds.
-
- C CIRCULATION. After initial breaths, check for pulse on the carotid
- artery (the main blood feed to the brain - in the side of the neck). If
- no pulse is detected, commence CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation). DO
- A COURSE ON CPR NOW! It's not the sort of thing you can learn on the
- spot. If the patient does have a pulse, then continue to assist his/her
- breathing with EAR at the rate of about 12 breaths per minute until either
- no longer necessary (patient recommences breathing on his/her own accord)
- or emergency services arrive to take over. For children the EAR rate is
- 20 breaths per minute.
-
- CPR rates are:
- 1 breath to 5 compressions every 5 seconds if working with another person.
- 2 breaths to 15 compressions every 15 seconds if working alone.
-
- Symptoms of Shock:
-
- State of collapse which may lead to death.
- Pale, cold, clammy.
- Pulse slow at first then rapid and weak.
- Unconsciousness may occur.
- Usually associated with severe bleeding, pains, burns, injuries,
- heart attack or acute illness. (Electric shock causes internal
- burns as well as screwing up the nervous system)
-
- Treatment for Shock:
-
- Treatment for electrical shock is the same as for trauma induced shock.
- If the patient is unconscious, place him/her in the coma position, keep him/her
- warm and continuously monitor breathing and circulation.
-
- If the patient is conscious, lie them down with their feet elevated above their
- heart. The feet _don't_ need to be way up in the air - just a few inches above
- the heart. Cover the patient to keep them warm - this is important as the body's
- response to shock can lose control of temperature regulation mechanisms. Do not
- apply external sources of heat. Moisten the patients lips only if they are fully
- conscious. Do not give the patient fluids to drink.
-
- The hard thing in cases of electrical shock is to keep the patient still. I know
- from personal experience that one can feel fine for some tens of minutes before
- the body registers the magnitude of the jolt and goes into shock. Before that
- one feels fine, albeit somewhat dazed. At the very least, keep the patient under
- observation for signs of the onset of shock.
-
- DISCLAIMER:
- I am not an M.D. - the above comes from instruction I have received as
- a trained first aider. My best advice to EVERYONE who works with anything
- powered by more than a battery is to DO A FIRST AID COURSE and LEARN CPR.
-
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- | _ |_ _ |_| _ _| _| Electronics Department
- |_| (_) | | | | | | (_| (_| (_| \/ School of MPCE
- ---------------------------------/- Macquarie University
- Sydney, AUSTRALIA 2109
-
- Email: johnh@mpce.mq.edu.au, Ph: +61 2 805 8959, Fax: +61 2 805 8983
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