LESSON 1
What is Hygiene?
Practices or conditions that aid in good health; the science that deals with maintenance of good health and the prevention of infection and disease
How many times should you visit the dentist each year?
Visiting the dentist twice a year is recommended.
What does RICE mean?
R - Rest
I - Ice
C - Compression
E - Elevation
What is Caustic?
Capable of destroying or eating away something by chemical action
Should you cool a 3rd Degree Burn with Water?
A) True
B) False
DO NOT cool a third- degree burn with water, since this can increase the risk of shock.
3 Elements to Maintain Good Health and Personal Hygiene
- Rest
- Cleanliness
- Nutrition
What percentage of domestic food poisoning cases are due to poor hygiene in the home?
It is estimated that 50 percent of domestic food poisoning cases are due to poor hygiene in the home.
Most Common Joint Injuries
Dislocations and Sprains
First-Degree Burns Signs:
Skin is red, dry, and painful
Skin may have swelling
Skin not broken
Second-Degree Burns Signs:
Skin is swollen and red, may be blotchy or streaked
Blisters may be weeping clear fluid
Signs of significant pain
When heated water is not available, disinfect water using the following methods:
Iodine Tablets
Chlorine
Iodine
Use a washcloth daily to wash:
Your face
Your armpits
Your genital area
Your feet
Other areas where you sweat or that become wet, such as between your thighs or, for females, under the breasts
The most important action to take when dealing with a fracture is?
To immobilize the injured bone to prevent further damage.
The seriousness of a chemical burn depends on the:
• Length of time the chemical is in contact with the skin or eyes
• Concentration of the chemical—the more concentrated, the more damaging
• Temperature of the product containing the chemical—the higher the temperature, the quicker the damage
Third-Degree Burns Signs:
Skin damage, charred skin, or white leathery skin
May have signs and symptoms of shock
May have signs and symptoms of shock
Principles of Hygiene
Hand
Oral
Personal
Food
Nasal
Suggestions to get as much rest as possible
• Sleep as much as you can before going someplace where you may not be able to sleep comfortably or as much as you should.
Take catnaps whenever you can, but expect to need a few minutes to wake up fully.
When in the field, follow your leader’s instructions and share tasks with other Cadets so everyone gets time to sleep.
After going without sleep, catch up as soon as possible.
Learn and practice techniques to relax yourself quickly.
Signs of Shock (AT LEAST 4)
Pale/bluish/cold skin
Blueness around the mouth, lips, tongue, nail beds
Perspiration
Restlessness or nervousness
Thirst
Bleeding
Confusion or loss of awareness
Breathing rapidly
Nausea and/or vomiting
Treating 2nd Degree Burns:
1. Rinse the burn gently with cool water until the pain subsides. For burns on arms, hands, legs, or feet, soak the injured part in cool water. For burns on the face or body, use a clean, cool, wet cloth to cool the burned skin. Do NOT use ice or ice water.
2. Clean the burn gently with mild soap and water. Make sure your hands are clean. Do NOT break the blisters— this can increase the risk of infection. Use an antibiotic ointment each time you clean the burn. You can use a loose bandage to cover the burn and help keep it clean.
Check the burn every day for signs of infection, such as redness, increases in swelling or pus.
Seek medical treatment for second-degree burns to the face, hands, feet, or genitals, or burns that are more than two to three inches in diameter. Ensure the victim drinks plenty of liquids to avoid dehydration.
Treating Electrical Burns:
1. Call for emergency help. If the victim is still in contact with the source of electricity, stop the current.
2. Separate the victim from the source of electrical current.
3. Check the victim’s breathing and pulse. Be prepared to administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
4. Check the victim for two burn sites—one where the electricity entered the body and one where it exited the body.
Basic Principles of Sanitation
Use Purified Water
Guard Against Food Poisoning
Bury Your Waste
Keep your Body and Uniform Clean
If you have not gotten enough sleep in the field and are required to remain awake and alert, try to follow the suggestions listed below
Play mental games or talk with other Cadets to stay alert during dull watches or critical jobs such as driving at night.
Take short stretch breaks or do light exercises in place.
Do not trust your memory—write things down. Double check your
communications and calculations.
Watch out for your mind playing tricks (like seeing things that are not there) when you are very tired. Check strange observations before acting.
To treat a victim for shock, follow these steps:
If the victim is conscious and does NOT have an injury to the head, leg, neck, or spine, place him in the shock position. Lay them on their back. If the victim is vomiting, position them on their side to let fluid drain from their mouth.
Elevate the victim’s legs about 12 inches. Do NOT elevate the head. If raising the legs will cause pain or potential harm, leave them lying flat.
Loosen clothing that may bind around the person’s neck and waist.
Keep the victim from becoming cold or overheating.
Reassure the victim, and do NOT give them anything to eat or drink. However, if you know that help is not going to arrive for over an hour, give the victim small amounts of fluids, at room temperature, every 15 minutes. Add an eighth of a teaspoon of salt, if available, to each half glass of fluid. This will help the victim retain more fluids in their system.
Stay with the shock victim until medical help arrives.
Treating 3rd Degree Burns:
Remove the victim from the source of heat if they are still in contact with it. If the victim’s clothes are on fire, attempt to smother the fire by getting the person to stop- drop-and-roll. Rolling on the ground should smother the burning clothes because it deprives the fire of oxygen. If needed, wrap the person in thick material, such as a coat, rug, or blanket. This will also help put out the flames. Pour water on the person.
Call for Emergency Medical Services (EMS). All third-degree burns require medical treatment regardless of their size. Until the victim receives treatment, follow steps three through seven.
Ensure that the victim is breathing. If not, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. If the victim is breathing, continue with steps four through seven.
Do not remove any clothing that is stuck to the burn. Do NOT soak the burn in water nor apply ointment. If possible, raise the burned area above the level of the heart.
Cover the burned area loosely with cool, moist compresses, sterile bandages, or clean cloth.
NOTE: Unlike treatment for first- and second-degree burns, DO NOT cool a third- degree burn with water, since this can increase the risk of shock.
Check the victim for shock. Pay special attention to the victim’s body temperature, which can change rapidly due to the skin being burned.
Monitor breathing of victims with burns to the face and burns resulting from fire accompanied by smoke inhalation. Treat accordingly.
Treating 1st Degree Burns:
Loosen tight clothing and remove jewelry from the burned area before it swells. Have the victim put their jewelry in a safe place after removal.
Cool the burned part with water by holding it under cool running water, pouring cold water over it, immersing it in cold water, or applying cold, wet compresses to it. Cooling the burn with water helps remove heat from the skin, relieves pain and swelling, and cleans the injury. Continue this neutralizing treatment for 5 - 15 minutes until the pain subsides.
Gently pat the burned area dry with a clean cloth.
Cover the injury loosely with a sterile bandage or clean cloth to keep air off of it, thereby reducing pain, and protecting against infection. Keep the bandage loose to keep pressure off of the injury.
Once a first-degree burn is completely cooled, especially a sunburn, use a lotion or moisturizer to relieve pain and prevent drying of the skin.