Wounds
What are the two main categories of wounds? Give one simple characteristic of each.
Open wound: skin is broken; may bleed or expose tissue. Closed wound: skin intact; bleeding into tissues (bruise/hematoma).
What are the three common burn-depth categories and one sign for each?
Superficial (1st degree — red, painful); Partial-thickness (2nd degree — blisters, moist); Full-thickness (3rd degree — white or leathery, may be numb).
Give one example each of a muscle injury, a bone injury, and a joint injury.
Give one example each of a muscle injury, a bone injury, and a joint injury.
Name two common symptoms of a concussion
Headache, dizziness, confusion, memory problems, nausea (any two).
Name two sudden illnesses that can cause confusion or loss of consciousness and give one sign for each.
Examples: Seizure — convulsions or unresponsiveness; Diabetic emergency — confusion, sweating (hypoglycemia) or fruity breath/deep breathing (hyperglycemia).
Name three visible signs that a wound may be infected.
Redness spreading, increasing pain, swelling, warmth, pus or foul drainage, red streaks toward heart, fever (any three)
Describe immediate first aid for a small thermal burn (what to do in the first 10–20 minutes).
Cool with running cool (not icy) water for 10–20 minutes, remove jewelry and non-adherent clothing, cover with sterile nonstick dressing, keep person warm, seek care if larger than palm or on face/hands/genitals.
What does RICE stand for? Briefly explain why each step helps a sprain or strain.
R = Rest (stop activity to avoid more damage), I = Ice (reduces swelling/pain), C = Compression (limits swelling), E = Elevation (reduces swelling). These reduce bleeding and inflammation and help pain control.
If you suspect a spinal injury, what immediate precautions should you take at the scene?
Keep the person still, use manual inline stabilization of head/neck, avoid moving them, call EMS, monitor airway/breathing/circulation. Do not remove helmets unless necessary.
Stroke: Give two common signs and the critical action a responder should take immediately.
Signs: facial droop, arm weakness, speech difficulty (FAST). Action: call EMS immediately, note time of onset, stay with person and monitor.
What are the immediate steps to control moderate bleeding from an open wound? (List actions in order.)
Put on gloves if available; apply firm, direct pressure with a clean dressing; if dressing soaks, add layers—do not remove initial dressing; elevate limb if no fracture suspected; seek help if bleeding doesn’t stop.
List four signs that indicate a burn is severe and needs emergency medical care.
burns to face/airway, full-thickness burns, >10% body surface area (adult) or larger than palm, circumferential burns, electrical or chemical burns, breathing difficulty, unstable vital signs.
What clues in the field suggest a fracture rather than a sprain, and what basic first-aid care applies to both?
Fractures often show deformity, bone‑grating sensation, inability to use limb, severe point tenderness; sprains show swelling, bruising, limited motion. Care for both: stabilize/immobilize, apply ice, elevate, check circulation, seek medical care.
List four red-flag signs after a head injury that require urgent emergency evaluation.
Red flags: worsening or severe headache, repeated vomiting, decreasing level of consciousness or trouble waking, unequal pupils, seizures, weakness/numbness on one side, clear fluid from ears or nose.
Seizure: Describe safe first-aid steps to protect someone during a convulsive seizure and list two reasons to call emergency services.
Protect person from injury (move objects away), cushion the head, do NOT restrain, do NOT put anything in the mouth, time the seizure, after convulsions place in recovery position if breathing; call EMS if seizure lasts >5 minutes, it's the person's first seizure, or they are injured/pregnant.
How should you handle an impaled object in a wound? Say whether to remove it and how to stabilize it.
Do NOT remove an impaled object (except if it blocks the airway and must be removed). Stabilize object in place with bulky dressings or padding to prevent movement; control bleeding around the object; call EMS.
For a chemical burn, what two actions should you take first and one important action you must NOT do?
First: remove contaminated clothing and brush off dry chemicals (if present), then flush area with copious water for at least 20 minutes. Do NOT attempt to neutralize the chemical with other substances or apply ointments—call Poison Control/EMS as needed.
Describe key steps to immobilize a suspected forearm fracture with a splint (what to support and what to check).
Support the arm in the position found; place padded splint along forearm including wrist and elbow; secure splint without tight bandaging; check distal pulses, movement, and sensation before and after splinting.
If someone with a suspected spinal injury must be moved because the scene is dangerous, what principle or technique should rescuers use to protect the spine?
Use manual inline stabilization and move the person using a coordinated technique (log‑roll or carry with multiple rescuers) keeping head, neck, and spine aligned; move only if necessary for safety and with trained helpers.
What signs indicate an allergic reaction has progressed to anaphylaxis, and what is the immediate first-aid treatment?
Anaphylaxis signs: difficulty breathing, throat tightness or hoarseness, swelling of face/lips/tongue, widespread hives, low blood pressure/fainting. Immediate treatment: give intramuscular epinephrine (auto‑injector) immediately, call EMS, lay person flat unless breathing difficulty, and give a second dose in 5–10 minutes if symptoms persist and help hasn't arrived.
Define a hematoma and describe first aid for a large, painful bruise (closed wound).
Hematoma = collection of blood under the skin from damaged blood vessels (large bruise). First aid: rest the area, apply ice (wrap ice; 10–20 minutes), compress if appropriate, elevate if possible, monitor for increasing pain, numbness, or signs of infection — seek care if worsening.
Why are electrical burns potentially more dangerous than they appear on the skin, and what extra care should you take?
Electrical burns can cause deep internal tissue damage and affect the heart (arrhythmias) even when external skin damage looks minor. Extra care: treat as trauma, assess for entry/exit wounds, monitor cardiac status and get medical evaluation; consider EMS transport.
What is compartment syndrome? Name two warning signs and explain why it is an emergency.
Compartment syndrome = increased pressure within a closed muscle compartment that cuts off blood flow. Warning signs: severe pain out of proportion and pain with passive stretch; tense, swollen compartment, numbness. It's an emergency because prolonged ischemia can cause permanent muscle and nerve damage; surgical fasciotomy is required.
After a concussion, what short-term steps should a student follow during the first few days to help recovery?
Short-term steps: physical and cognitive rest (limit screens, schoolwork, and sports initially), adequate sleep, gradual return-to-activity under medical guidance, avoid alcohol and activities with re‑injury risk; follow a stepwise return-to-learn/return-to-play protocol.
For each condition — diabetes emergency, fainting, and poisoning — give one likely acute sign and one first-aid step you would take.
Diabetes emergency — sign: sweating, shaking, confusion (hypoglycemia); first aid: give 15–20 g fast-acting carbohydrate if the person is conscious and able to swallow, recheck in 10–15 minutes, call EMS if unconscious.
Fainting — sign: brief loss of consciousness, pale/clammy skin; first aid: lay person flat and elevate legs, check airway/breathing, loosen tight clothing, recover and seek care if prolonged or recurrent.
Poisoning — sign: sudden illness after exposure, vomiting, unusual breath odor, burns around mouth; first aid: move to fresh air if inhaled, remove contaminated clothing, call Poison Control/EMS, do NOT induce vomiting unless instructed.