…..sensation stops. Protect and cover the injury site with a non-stick dressing. DO NOT use clingfilm/wrap for chemical burns. Where the eyes become affected by a chemical, they should be opened and flushed thoroughly with water. If a single eye is contaminated, position the head, so the injured eye is below the healthy eye. This will prevent run off of the chemical into the unaffected eye when flushing. Contact the emergency services to organise immediate medical attention. If alone initially flushing the eye should take priority over calling the emergency services.
Try to gather as much information as possible about the chemical involved and a history of events immediately before the injury occurred.
If available, follow treatment guidelines either on the container or from the appropriate Safety Data Sheet.
Further information may be obtained by calling the National Poisons Centre. 0800 POISON or 0800 764 766.
Finally, do not try to neutralise acid or alkali burns. It will lead to further damage caused by significant heat generation occurring.
When managing electrical burns:
- Isolate the power supply.
- Commence CPR if required.
- Cover and cool the site of the burn.
When managing thermal burns:
- Stop the burning.
- Cool the site of the burn.
- Cover the burn.
REMEMBER S.T.O.P.
STOP and assess the scene.
THINK, have I got the necessary equipment available to manage this emergency. Has anybody called the emergency services?
OBSERVE, are there any dangers to me, bystanders the victim?
PROTECT yourself at all times and keep re-evaluating the dangers throughout the emergency.
Support help and advice is available from the awesome people at the Burns Support Group Charitable Trust. Click on the link.
Tomorrow we will look at Sunburn….
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Currently, there are temporary changes to the steps to be followed in resuscitation. These can be found in the video below or by clicking here to see the New Zealand Resuscitation Council temporary guideline recommendation.
Click the link to go to the New Zealand Resuscitation Council Covid-19 recommended modifications for delivering resuscitation whilst the pandemic remains a threat. Click play to see a short video outlining CPR modifications that should be followed during the pandemic.
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Acknowledgement
Data and information are fact-checked against various recognised sources, including the New Zealand Resuscitation Council, Health Navigator New Zealand, St John, and other recognised entities specialising in the specific subject content. It should be noted that variances in protocols exist and where necessary are identified.