First Aid – LU Missions
Tamara Baird, MM, RN-BSN
When on the field….you need to
take care of yourself
 Ideas to think about and discuss with your teams
 Jet lag
 Avoid blood clots on long flights
 Dehydration vs caffeine levels
 Protection from insects and critters
 Altitude sickness
 Signs/symptoms of a head injury
 Heat stroke
 Basic first aid
How to avoid jet lag during
travel
 Avoid large meals, alcohol and caffeine
 Drink plenty of water
 Move around the plane to promote
mental/physical acuity
 Wear comfortable shoes and clothing –
Compression Socks
 Sleep
 Medication…if you have a cold/ear ache/sinus
pressure during flights...please bring water with
you on the plane and keep hydrated
Diabetes/Asthma and travel
 Depending on the number of time zones crossed,
people with diabetes may need to adjust their
insulin schedule during travel and arrival at their
destination. Team leaders should know if these
needs exist and plan for them.
 Make sure the team members take their inhalers
in their carry on
Compression socks
 http://www.compressionstockings.com
Heat Cramps
 First warning of heat exhaustion &occur in the
muscles which are doing most work: arms, legs,
and abdomen.
 Usually due to the lack of body salt (because of
sweating)
 Symptoms: Shallow breathing, vomiting, dizziness
 Treatment: Move to shade. Rest. Drink water with
a little salt dissolved in it – only a pinch to a halfliter or pint.
Hot climates: Heat Stroke
 Most serious result of overexposure to the sun
 Symptoms: hot dry skin, face flushed and feverish
– but sweating STOPS
 Temperature rises, pulse becomes fast and
strong. Severe headache often with vomiting
 Treatment: lay in shade, head and shoulders
slightly raised. Remover out clothing and cool
body with a cloth of TEPID water.
 Do not immerse in water
SHOCK
 Shock is a very serious situation & one in which
can be recognized and treated on the field.
 S/Sx of shock: State of collapse, extreme pallor,
cold & sweaty skin, feeble but rapid pulse and
excitement/apprehension
 Nervous system: shock produces an acute
slowing of the heart with a drop in blood
pressure. Pain/excessive nerve damage are the
cause.
 Blood loss: delayed shock may happen a few
minutes to hours after an injury.
Treatment for SHOCK
 Lay the patient flat and elevate the legs.
 Loosen tight/restrictive clothing around the neck,
chest or abdomen.
 Rest and reassure. Never LEAVE a shock victim.
 Do NOT give liquids.
 Maintain body heat but do not add heat –
warming the surface of the body will draw blood
away from the internal organs which need it
most.
 Stand by to give mouth-to-mouth
BITES from all God’s Creatures
 Bites from snakes, spiders, and bee stings
essentially have the same treatment plan.
 Bites = Venom = Poison
 Goal: to prevent poison spreading through the
body. Make the patient relax, resting with the
bitten area lower than the heart.
 Wash away any venom on the surface of the skin
with soap if possible.
 Place a RESTRICTIVE BANDAGE ABOVE THE BITE –
not a tourniquet and a bandage down over the
bite.
 This is to prevent the poison from spreading
rapidly and from entering the lymph system.
BITES from all God’s Creatures
 Place wound in cool water – a stream. Keep it as
cool as possible.
 NEVER cut a snake bite or try to suck out the
poison.
 Spider bites – treat the same way as snake bite.
Keep the wound cool.
 Bee Stings – are to be left in the skin. Do not
squeeze the stinger end or more venom will be
injected. If you have a needle handy – you can
stroke the stinger with the side of the needle.
Treatment is again like that for a snake bite.
 VICK’S...for those critters that you can’t see
General Poisoning
 If something has been swallowed which you
believe to be dangerous (potential poisoning
substance) ask the patient to vomit.
 Universal antidote – vomit plus activated
charcoal
 Tablets from Health Food store
Cold Climates - Hypothermia
 Prolonged exposure to cold. Body can’t generate
heat as fast as it looses heat and its temperature
falls below normal. Caused by exposure to wind,
rain and low temperatures.
 Also brought on by: exhaustion, inadequate
clothing, shelter an food intake, lack of knowledge
and preparation
 S/Sx: irrational behavior, slowing down of responses,
failing to respond to questions/instructions, sudden
uncontrolled fits of shivering, loos of coordination,
stumbling and falling
 TX: prevent further heat loss, remove wet clothing,
warm pt by laying beside them, give warm fluids
and sugary foods only if conscious
First Aid Items (Call home )
 Toilet seat liners
 Flashlight with new batteries
 Mosquito net
 Vick’s
 Duck Tape (for when your luggage explodes)
 Masks- to cover nose
 Hand sanitizer/disposable wipes
 Peppermints – Tums – Imodium A-D
First Aid Items (Call home )
 Benadryl – for severe allergic reactions
 Aspirin/Tylenol
 Bandaids/Neosporin
 Water purifying tablets/ water bottle http://www.potableaqua.com - Potable Aqua
 Gatorade dry powder – to mix in water bottle
 Motion sickness pills/patch – Walmart –
MotionEase Motion Sickness - $12.77
 Sleeping pills
 Eye drops/nasal spray/cough drops
CDC & First Aid Kits
 http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list
 Two kits to demo
 First Aid course book
 Face masks for CPR
 Thank you and God bless! 
Great Book for More Info
References
 www.compressionstockings.com
 http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list
 http://www.amazon.com/SAS-SurvivalHandbook-RevisedSituation/dp/0061733199/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=
UTF8&qid=1392657929&sr=11&keywords=sas+survival+handbook
 http://www.potableaqua.com