PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCIES
A number of acute psychiatric emergencies may present to the first aider. Agitation, confusion and depression can result from stress.
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□ PILES (HEMORRHOIDS)
These are varicose veins of the rectum. They may be caused by constipation. They feel like little lumps or balls when they prolapse out of the anus during defecation or permanently. They cause bleeding per rectum when passing stools. They are painful when they get thrombosed. When a hemorrhoid begins to bleed, the person develops anemia due to chronic blood loss.
1. Place the woman in left lateral position until the baby starts delivering. Then she can be allowed to roll on to her back and draw her legs up for bearing down.
2. Keep her covered with blankets until the baby starts delivering.
3. Put a clean cloth under her buttock.
4. Place a clean pad over the anus.
5. Moister her lips with water if she feels thirsty.
In the cities, most babies are born in hospitals or other institutions where professional help from trained nurses and doctors is available. Even in villages, deliveries are conducted in primary health centers by professionals. However sometimes the women cannot get to a hospital and childbirth may take place at home, or on her way to the hospital in a bus, train, taxi, ambulance, or even unplanned on a plane or ship. The first-aider should be able to conduct this delivery properly so that at the end of it there is a healthy mother and a healthy baby. A first-aider may have to give help when a miscarriage occurs.
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□ CONVULSION
It is a condition characterized by repetitive contraction and relaxation of a group of muscles in the body and is caused by disturbance in the function of the brain. Convulsions are usually followed by loss of consciousness. Various causes of convulsions are as follows.
During emergency, the seriously injured or unconscious persons are carried on stretchers to hospitals for treatment. Labels made up of hard paper are placed on his stretcher and/or his forehead for easy identification. The symbols put on these labels and their interpretation are as shown in the following table.
A stretcher is used to carry a seriously ill or injured victim. There are a number of stretchers available, e.g. the standard stretcher, the pole-and-canvas stretcher, the Utila folding chair, the trolley bed, the Neil Robertson stretcher, and the paraguard stretcher.
1. The objective of transportation is to enable the victim to reach the destination without deterioration of his condition.
2. Do not move a severely injured or ill person unless there is immediate danger to his life or skilled help is not available. That is because moving a casualty may result in aggravation of his or her injury or condition.
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□ BEE AND WASP BITES
Bee and wasps are the most harmful amongst all insects. Their stings have poison in small quantity. Some people could be very sensitive to this poison and develop severe reaction to it. The condition is diagnosed by the following features.
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Our body has some in-built mechanisms to help it adapt to changes in the environmental temperature. However when the changes are extreme and last for long durations, the protective mechanisms may fail, and the person may suffer from illness. The following factors increase risk of adverse effects of extremes of temperature change on the human body.
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