Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

8 Muscle, Bone and Joint Injuries

First Aid for Concussion • Carefully assess the mechanism of injury and the force involved. • Carefully assess c-spine and breathing. • If the patient is unconscious, provide spinal motion restriction (SMR) and monitor the airway and breathing continuously. • Activate 911 and get medical help If you leave to summon help, carefully place the patient in the recovery position, maintaining spinal moton restriction (SMR) with the body. • Continuously assess the patient for signs of compression injury and any difficulty breathing. Be prepared to provide CPR if breathing becomes ineffective or ceases

Brain Injury When pressure is put on the brain, it can cause compression, resulting in a brain injury. This can result from a skull fracture, developing immediately or over several hours, days, or even weeks. The signs and symptoms of brain injury may be immediate or progressive. Continued assessment of vital signs and any developing symptoms is very important following any blow to the head (i.e. temporary loss of consciousness, nausea, vomiting, confusion). Any patient who shows signs or symptoms of brain injury, even many days after a blow to the head, must seek immediate medical attention.

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