Bandage of Wound Dressing

Gauze Bandages

A gauze bandage does not consist of sterilized dressing material and must not be placed onto the wound. It is only used to secure the sterile dressing.

Dressing Packs

The dressing packs is ideal dressing materials to cover wounds. The pad is attached to a gauze roller bandage. It is sealed in a sterilized wrapping.

How to apply it:

• Flip off the outer paper wrapping.
• Pull apart with both hands and take care that it remains sterile.
• Hold the sort end (tail) of the bandage down and place the padding over the wound.
• Wind the rolled part (head) of the bandage two or three times around the dressing, reverse the short end of the bandage and include it in the bandage turns.
• Cover the padding entirely with the long end of the roller bandage.
• Fasten the bandage by tucking in the other end underneath the bandage or use adhesive tape, or tie the end of the bandage down with a knot to the previously formed dangling loop.

Dressing of wounds with embedded or slightly protruding foreign objects:

• Place the sterile dressing over the wound.
• Place a ring padding around the object and secure it with a gauze bandage.

Foreign Object protruding substantially from the wound:

• Cover the object and the surrounding area with sterile dressing or place them around the object.
• Place a ring padding on top of the sterile dressing.
• Fasten the sterile dressings and the ring padding with gauze bandage and carefully include the foreign object.

Wound Dressing

Wound dressing consist of 3 layers:

The sterile dressing serves to stop bleeding and protects from further contamination. The dressing to be kept in a sterile wrapping, which must be undamaged. Open the wrapping and carefully handle the dressing at the edges or corners only. A sterile dressing that has fallen to the ground, must no longer be used.

Sterile dressing are:
Absorbent gauze, metallized dressing, sterilized cloths (burnt dressings), in an emergency a clean (newly washed and ironed) handkerchief.

Pad layer:
The pad serves to adsorb blood and secretions from the wound and should consist of a thick layer of absorbent material, e.g. cellulose, further layer of absorbent gauze, etc.

Bandage:
The bandage serve to secure the pad and the dressing and is clean, but not sterilized. There fore do not place the bandage or triangular bandage directly on the wound. To secure dressing use adhesive plaster, gauze bandages, triangular bandages, tubular bandages, etc.

Adhesive dressings
An adhesive dressing is used to cover small, non-bleeding wounds. An adhesive dressing consist of a small pad attached to an adhesive backing. It is protected by two overlapping plastic strips.

How to use adhesive dressings:
Peel off the protective strips from the dressing without touching the pad. Place the pad over the wound and attach the adhesive edges to the surrounding uninjured skin only. Adhesive dressing will only stick to dry skin.

Keep the material dry and cool. Old adhesive dressing do not stick properly, therefore have them replaced from time to time. Continue to Wound Dressing Type.

Accident Aider

Skiing Accidents, avalanches:
Set up warning signs, at a sufficient distance from the danger zone (slope) with skis and poles.
Emergency call

Buried or trapped casualties:

Call emergency and follow the expert’s instructions.
Make sure that there is no danger of further sliding masses.
Do not approach the scene on your own and without being secured by a rope.
Use suitable tools (no pick axe) to work your way to the casualty.
First expose head and chest, then the whole body without using tools (do not pull the casualty’s arms or legs).

Accidents caused by tires:
Call emergency and follow the expert’s instructions.
Make sure you are not trapped by the fire when you move the casualty.
Avoid danger of poisoning by smoke gas.

Gas Accidents:
Do not use lighters, matches, torches, or the like!
Do not activate electric switches!
Emergency call.

Electrical Accidents:
Turn off the current (pull the plug, activate protective switch, take out the fuse).
If it is impossible to turn off the current, put something non-conductive between you and the casualty (rub-clothing, etc) and the earth (rubber boots, china ware, etc.)
Do not approach the casualty before the current has been turned off!
Call 133 and ask to inform the power station; safety measures are to be taken by experts.
If a first aider finds himself in a voltage field he should jump out of it with his legs closed.

Danger Zone

A danger zone is an area, where the lives of a casualty and a first aider are in acute danger.

Assessment of the accident
Ø Read accident
Ø Accident involving transport of hazardous chemicals
Ø Skiing accident, avalanche accident
Ø Buried or trapped casualties
Ø Fire, electrical accident
Ø Accident in gas-filled rooms
Ø Ice accident
Ø Bathing accident
Ø Other

Danger
Danger to the lives of the first-aider and the casualty!
The type of accidents listed above first of all require, apart from priority measures, warning others and moving the casualty from danger.

The first aider must ensure his own safety first by taking certain protective measures. Very often moving the casualty can only can be done by skilled helper (e.g. fire service) with suitable technical equipment.

How to handle accident?

Road Accident
Warn other drivers of the danger by placing a red reflective triangle at sufficient distance from the accident. The reflective triangle distance position from the accident location depends on where the accident happened.

Location:
Motorway/Expressway: minimum 200 m
Country road: minimum 100 m
Town minimum: 50 m

Sign for Truck that bring Chemicals: Hazchem Panels (indicating transport of dangerous chemicals):

• Panels Without Code Number: Panel generally denoting dangerous materials
• Panels with Code Number: Special panel

Immediate Life Saving Measures

Such priority measures include all assistance or treatment aiming at preserving the life of a person with serious injuries, a sudden, life-threatening or poisoning, and must be taken in following emergencies:

Danger zone: warning, moving injured
Unconsciousness: recovery position
Respiratory standstill: ventilation
Circulatory standstill: ventilation, external chest compression
Severe bleeding: stop bleeding
Shock: shock treatment

Emergency Service
Fire Service: 122
Police: 133
Ambulance: 144
Police for Euro emergency call: 112

When send someone to the emergency services, give the following detail information:

1. Scene of accident:
   Indicate location, street, house, number, corner, and kilometer sign.
2. Accident type:
   E.g. road accident, fire, electric shock?
   Have casualties been trapped or buried?
   Has the road been blocked?
   Transport of hazardous chemicals (Important: quote the numbers indicate the HazChem Panel accurately!)
3. Number of Casualties.
   Number of the casualties at the scene of the accident.
4. Identity
   Give your own name and telephone number.

Further First Aid

• Guard the casualty from further damage and danger.
• Dress Wounds.
• Alleviate pain by changing the casualty’s position or providing other assistance.
• Stay with the casualty, comfort and reassure him or her, but do not make any diagnoses.
• Prevent others from imprudent and unskilled interfering.

The Need and Duty to Render First Aid

The steadily growing accident risk at home, at work, on the road or anywhere, requiring that as many people as possible are able to render first aid. First aid is to be rendered not only to accident casualties, but also in other emergencies.

Emergencies are not only serious injuries resulting from accidents, but also sudden illness or poisoning that demand immediate life-saving action.

Duty to Render First Aid
Anyone expecting appropriate first aid from others in the event of an emergency should likewise be able and willing to help others. It is not only a moral but also a legal obligation to provide help in emergencies.

Duties of the First Aider
The first aider must be able to recognize swiftly and correctly what action is to be taken to assess all possible hazards and act will due consideration of the prevailing circumstances accordingly.

He must not take measures which should only be taken by physicians, trained nurses or ambulance staff. This includes administering medicines. The first aider will always advise the casualty to see a doctor.

Chain of Rescue
The process of first aid measures taken after e.g. an accident can be regarded as a chain consisting of five links. The individual steps interlock like chain links and their purpose is to give the casualty the required help and to make sure that he receives medical treatment as quickly as possible. The first aider is active within the first three links of the chain.

Next Read: Immediate Life Saving Measures