Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

8 Muscle, Bone and Joint Injuries

Signs and Symptoms Brain injury • Altered level of consciousness, sleepy • Unconscious • Nausea, vomiting • Pupils are a different size from each other • One or more pupils does not respond (get bigger and smaller) to light

First Aider in Action: Part 3 Your primary responsibility is protecting the patient’s head and spine and monitoring breathing. Although Meghan is clearly experienced and has control, you know you can still help. While Meghan dials 911, you ask one of the bystanders, a woman, to stabilize the patient’s feet. You also ask two men if they can clear the crowd back a bit and direct people at the top and bottom of the stairs. Is a secondary assessment necessary? Why or why not?

Car accidents, falls from height, direct blows, and sports injury are common causes of head and spinal injury. A damaged and dented helmet or a deformed car windshield can indicate a major blow to the head.

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