Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

2 PREmergency Scene Management

First Aider in Action: Part 3 After you introduce yourself to Dylan and offer him help, he tells you that he was trying to retrieve a child’s toy from the tree when he slipped and fell. He says yes to your help, and when questioned he tells you that he was about 12 feet high when he fell, landing on his feet and hurting his ankle. He denies striking his head. Although clearly in pain, Dylan is talking and responding . He appears aware with an unaltered mental state, has a patent airway, and is breathing normally with an occasional gasp in pain. You and your friend put on gloves, you direct your friend to stabilize Dylan’s head and neck, and you explain to Dylan that because he fell from height, you must take normal spinal precautions. You do a rapid body survey, asking Dylan if he has pain anywhere but his ankle, which he denies.

Your examination reveals that the ankle is swollen and tender with no obvious deformity or bleeding and while painful to Dylan, it does not appear to be a life threat. You quickly finish your survey, starting at the head and working your way back down, finding no additional injuries. You activate 911 with your cell phone and report a man injured in a fall from a 12 feet in height. After providing the 911 operator with your name and location, you mention your level of training and Dylan’s vital signs. The operator tells you she is dispatching paramedics to the scene and they should be there within ten to fifteen minutes. 1. Does your patient require additional help from you? If so, what? 2. Should you remain at the scene and wait for the paramedics to arrive?

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