General ESM Questions
What does ESM stand for?
Emergency Scene Management
What is Scene Survey?
Taking control of the scene, finding out what happened, making sure the area is safe before assessing the casualty
What is Primary Survey?
Assessing casualty for life threatening injuries, call or send someone to call 911, and giving lifesaving first aid.
What is Secondary Survey?
Gathering information to form a complete picture of the casualty’s overall condition, and giving first aid for non-life threatening injuries.
What is Ongoing Casualty Care?
Continue to monitor casualty’s condition until medical help takes over.
What are the four steps in ESM?
Scene Survey, Primary Survey, Secondary Survey, Ongoing Casualty Care
What are the steps in Scene Survey?
Taking Charge and ensure the scene is safe
Call for help to attract bystanders
Put on gloves
Assess for hazards and make the area safe
Find out the history of the emergency (mechanism of injury)
Assess number of casualties
Approach the casualty and identify yourself as a first aider and offer to help, get consent
Assess responsiveness and ask if they hit their head
Send for medical help as soon as you identify a serious problem
True or False: You should perform a head-tilt-chin-lift when the casualty is conscious.
False, a head-tilt-chin-lift is performed when the casualty is unconscious.
When should a secondary survey be performed?
When casualty has more than one injury, medical help will be delayed for 20 mins or more, and medical help is not coming and you have to transport the casualty.
What are some things you can do to reassure the casualty?
Position casualty according to their injuries or condition
Record what happened and what you have done
Reassure them, monitor their condition, and ask if they would like to contact anyone
Provide blanket to keep them warm
Loosen tight clothing/remove accessories
Why is ESM important?
To ensure safe and appropriate first aid is given
How should you be approaching the casualty?
From the front
Why do we check breathing at least 5 secs and no more than 10 secs for an unconscious casualty.
At least 5 secs ensures you do not mistake a slow or irregular pause for normal breathing, while no more than 10 secs prevents delays in starting life-saving chest compressions.
True or False: SAMPLE stands for Signs & Symptoms, Allergies, Melanin, Past History, Last Place, Entropy
False, SAMPLE stands for Signs & Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past & Present Medical History, Last Meal, Events Leading
True or False: Reassess SAMPLE every 5 mins if the casualty’s state is unstable.
False, reassess VITALS every 5 mins if the casualty is unstable.
What is the aim of first aid?
Preserve life, prevent the illness or injury from becoming worse, and promote recovery
How should you identify yourself?
Hi, my name is ..... and I'm a trained first aider, can I help you?
What are the three things you check when assessing circulation?
Temperature, moisture, color
VITALS stand for what? Bonus points if you can explain in detail.
Time, Level of Consciousness, Respiration, Pulse, Skin
True or False: Reassess SAMPLE every 15 mins if the casualty’s state is stable.
False, reassess VITALS every 15 mins if the casualty is stable.
What is the Good Samaritan Law, and what are the principles you should be following?
Helps protect first aiders from lawsuit
You identify yourself as a first aider and get permission to help the injured person before you touch them, you use reasonable skill and care with the level of knowledge and skill you have, you are not negligent in what you do (provide care that you have been trained), and you do not abandon the person
What is implied consent?
When a casualty is unresponsive and in serious condition, it is assumed that they would agree to any help you give them
What does RBS stand for and why do we perform it?
RBS stands for Rapid Body Survey, quick assessment of casualty used to check for life-threatening injuries.
Top/Back/Sides of head: forehead, eyebrows, nosebridge, cheeks, jaw, neck
Inside mouth: blood, broken teeth, nail polish smell (sign of hyperglycemia)
Ears: Spinal fluid, scrapes/bruising behind ear
Torso: shoulders, collarbones, sternum, ribs, four quads, back
Arms: upper arm, elbow, lower arm, hands, fingers
Pelvis for grinding noise/pain, upper leg, knee, lower leg, foot, toes
How frequently should you be taking to your casualty?
Always!!