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07 5438 8888
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8/10 Capital Place
Birtinya QLD 4575
ABN 63 114 756 857
ACN 114 756 857
Our range of First Aid Charts cover a variety of situations that could occur in your home or office. We recommend you download the First Aid Charts relevant to your environment as they are an excellent reference tool if a First Aid response is required.
If you are located on the Sunshine Coast and would like a number of hardcopy charts for your workplace, send us an email and we can arrange for some to be posted out.
Many snakes in Australia are capable of lethal bites. These include: taipans, brown snakes, tiger snakes, death adders, black snakes, copperhead snakes, rough scaled snakes and many sea snakes. Anti-venom is available for all venomous Australian snake bites.
Snake identification – Identification can be made from venom on clothing or the skin using a Venom Detection Kit. Do not wash or suck the bite or discard clothing. Do not kill the snake for identification purposes, you may get bitten yourself and medical services do not rely on visual identification of the snake species.
Signs and symptoms
First aid
The spinal cord is a mass of nerve fibres that enables signals to travel between the brain and the rest of the body. It runs down through the neck and is protected by the spinal column that consists of 33 vertebrae bones that have a spongy disc between each vertebra. The lower spinal bones are fused together. In an accident the vertebrae may be fractured or dislocated, causing injury to the spinal cord.
Symptoms
Signs
Special considerations – The possibility of spinal injury must be considered for ALL trauma incidents.
First aid
Conscious casualty:
Unconscious casualty:
Soft tissue injuries may be sudden or get worse gradually. Further treatment depends on the type and severity of the injury. Always see your doctor if pain persists after a couple of days.
Causes – Sudden twists or jolts. The fibres overstretch beyond their capacity and tear. Bleeding from broken blood vessels causes the swelling.
A sprain – Joint injury - tearing of the ligaments and joint capsule. Common sites include the thumb, ankle and wrist.
A strain – Injury to muscle or tendons. Common sites include the calf, groin and hamstring.
Signs and symptoms
First aid
R.I.C.E
Rest - stop the activity; take casualty to the sideline or first aid room; stop movement.
Ice - for the first 24 to 48 hours, apply ice or cold packs for 15 minutes every 2 hours.
Compression - bandage the injured area firmly with a roller bandage, extend the wrapping above and below the injury. You may soak the compression bandage (crepe bandage) in cold water as it immediately reduces blood flow into the bruise which will assist the healing process.
Elevation - if injuries permit, elevate the injured area above the level of their heart and:
A needle stick injury occurs when the skin is accidentally punctured by a used needle. Blood-borne diseases that could be transmitted by such an injury include Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
What to do
First aid
If a needle stick injury occurs, seek medical advice. If you are at work, notify your supervisor or WHS officer. In many cases, treatment of the needle mark and counselling is all that is needed. You should receive support together with advice on the possible need for HIV and/or Hepatitis B/C testing, counselling, Hepatitis B and Tetanus vaccination and medication. Remember that the risk of catching a serious infection as a result of an accidental needle stick injury is very low.
Where to get help
Ways of reducing the risk of needle stick injuries
Organisations may benefit from a nationally recognised training course such as 10340NAT Course in safe handling of sharps and infectious waste. Contact your trainer, or Allens Training Pty Ltd for more information about this course.
A person may survive the initial impact of a motor vehicle accident, but other associated elements may cause death, such as airway obstructions whilst unconscious, or severe bleeding. The aim is to make the scene safe first, secondly, see who is injured, how many are injured and who requires treatment first, prioritise, then assist the injured.
Hazards can include – the vehicle position, on-coming traffic, broken glass, fallen power lines, leaking fuel, fire, people in a panic etc.
Signs and symptoms
For multiple cars and casualties, count the number of people that are injured. Check responses. Look for unconsciousness first, and those who are not breathing. Look for bleeding, and other injuries.
First aid
Call an ambulance. Special assistance may be required (e.g. fire brigade, electricity authorities, rescue organisations etc.).
Make the scene safe:
Treat the casualties:
A stroke is a life-threatening medical emergency. The longer untreated, the greater the degree of brain damage. When an artery to the brain blocks or ruptures, brain cells in the area die from lack of oxygen. Sometimes this can result in death.
Warning signs - Transient Ischaemic Attacks (TIAs), or mini strokes, can be an important warning sign that a stroke may occur in the future. TIAs generally last for no longer than 60 minutes.
Signs and symptoms
The signs of both stroke and TIA could be one or a combination of the following:
FAST is a simple way to remember the signs of a stroke:
First aid
In medicine and first aid the term ‘shock’ refers to a loss of effective circulating blood volume. This can be from severe bleeding, burns, diarrhoea and vomiting, sweating and dehydration (heat-stroke), severe infection, allergic reactions, or major or multiple fractures, spinal injury, heart disorder including a heart attack, abnormal dilation of blood vessels.
Signs and symptoms
First aid
Call the ambulance, send for resources. For the casualty:
A seizure may occur when normal brain activity is disrupted which can cause changes in sensation, awareness, behaviour and level of consciousness. All or part of the body may be affected.
Causes can include head injury, stroke, meningitis, brain tumour, lack of oxygen, low blood sugar or pressure, poisons, drugs, epilepsy. In young children seizures may occur with a sudden rise in body temperature (known as febrile convulsions).
There are several types of seizures and they vary greatly. Not all seizures are considered Epilepsy.
Signs and symptoms
Non-convulsive seizure (focal or complex partial) – any or all of the following:
Convulsive seizure (Tonic clonic) – all or part of the body may be affected.- any or all of the following:
Febrile seizure (or febrile convulsions) – usually occurs in children aged 6 months to 6 years due to a rapid rise in body temperature.
First aid
For all seizures - provide safety and protect from injury, stay with them and monitor, reassure, tell them where they are and comfort, call an ambulance if concerned. Do not restrain unless in danger or place anything in their mouth.
Convulsive seizure - note the time the seizure starts and ends.
Febrile seizure – will usually resolve without treatment; do not place in a bath, you can remove clothing to cool the child.
Cardiac arrest is a term used to describe a collapsed casualty who is unconscious, unresponsive, not breathing normally (or at all) and not moving.
A sudden cardiac arrest occurs suddenly and without warning. Not to be confused with a heart attack (which is caused by a blockage that stops blood flow to the heart) during a cardiac arrest the heart stops beating. The best way to increase the chance of saving sudden cardiac arrest casualties, outside of a hospital setting, is to follow every link in the chain of survival.
Signs and symptoms
First aid - Chain of survival
When to stop CPR - A first aider should continue cardiopulmonary resuscitation until:
Hyperthermia is a ‘heat induced illness.’ Heat stress can cause mild conditions such as a rash or cramps, however serious and life-threatening conditions, such as heat stroke can worsen pre-existing medical conditions.
Signs and symptoms
First aid
Dehydration is when there is not enough water in the body to function normally.
Signs and symptoms
First aid
Give fluids, monitor condition. Dehydration can be a life-threatening condition in children, call an ambulance immediately.
Poisoning may be accidental or deliberate. Most pharmaceuticals are poisonous, even lethal in overdose. If poisoning occurs in an industrial area, farm or laboratory setting, suspect particularly dangerous agents and take safety precautions. If more than one person simultaneously appears affected by a poison, there is a high possibility of dangerous environmental contamination.
A poison can enter the body by ingestion, injection, absorption, or inhalation.
Signs and symptoms
First aid
Unconscious casualty:
Enters the eye:
Skin contact:
If swallowed:
If inhaled:
Hyperventilation is deep or rapid breathing that can be caused by panic or anxiety.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms:
Signs:
First aid
Causes – Downed power lines, faulty equipment, overloading power boards, lightning strike.
Envenomation is caused when a venomous creature bites or stings another creature to inject venom.
These vary depending on the type creature that injected the venom.
A simple pressure bandage over the bitten area and immobilisation of the limb slows the flow of the venom through the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is a network of tubes that drains fluid (lymph) from the body’s tissues and empties it back into the bloodstream. Venom may produce pain and/or tissue damage.
Bandaging the wound firmly, tends to squash the nearby lymph vessels which helps to prevent the venom from leaving the puncture site. If you don’t have any bandages at hand, use whatever is available, including clothing, stockings or towels. Firmly bandage the wound but not tight enough to cause numbness, tingling or any colour change to the extremities.
PIT is useful for some bites and stings, but not all.
PIT IS RECOMMENDED for bites and stings by the following creatures:
PIT IS NOT RECOMMENDED for bites and stings by the following creatures:
Advice on all types of envenomation is available from:
A sudden blockage of one of the coronary arteries that supplies blood to the heart muscle resulting in an immediate life-threatening risk. If not corrected quickly there is a risk of serious permanent heart muscle damage or death. Urgent medical care is required so the casualty can receive clot-dissolving medications that clear the blocked artery, restore blood supply to the heart muscle and limit damage to the heart – “every minute counts”.
A heart attack is different from, but may lead to, cardiac arrest. Not all heart attacks are accompanied by pain, some casualty’s simply look and feel unwell, and some may dismiss their symptoms as ‘indigestion’.
Signs and symptoms
Warning signs – Remember, if the warning signs are severe, get worse quickly, or last longer than 10 minutes, an ambulance must be called immediately.
First aid
Call an ambulance immediately. If possible, stay with the person and call for assistance to get medications:
Causes of ear injury include:
Signs and symptoms
First aid
For ruptured ear drums, if part of the ear has been cut off, or if fluid is coming out of the ear:
Asthma is a disorder affecting the airways, (the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs). In people with asthma, the airways are particularly sensitive and they can have difficulty getting air into and out of their lungs. If exposed to certain triggers their airways will narrow, making it hard for them to breathe.
Asthma action plan
Doctors provide a written asthma action plan for people with asthma, which includes the most effective asthma medications to treat individual symptoms and what medications to take and how. This should be followed when providing first aid.
What is an asthma attack?
An asthma attack is when symptoms start up or get worse compared to usual, enough to cause the person distress. Asthma attack symptoms can come on gradually or quite quickly and they won't go away by themselves. An asthma attack can become life-threatening if not treated properly, even in someone whose asthma is usually mild or well controlled. Quick action may help prevent an asthma attack from becoming an asthma emergency.
Signs and symptoms – May vary. A person may not show all signs during an asthma attack. Young children may appear restless, be unable to settle, become drowsy, and have severe coughing and vomiting. A child may have problems eating or drinking due to shortness of breath.
Symptoms and treatment
Mild attack | Moderate attack | Severe attack |
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The eye can be injured by a chemical, foreign object or direct blow. There will usually be pain and redness associated with an eye injury. There may also be bleeding, tearing, sensitivity to light, swelling and/or discolouration. Eye injuries may be due to:
Signs and symptoms
First aid
Any first aid provided must be extremely gentle and careful. Ice packs may reduce pain and swelling. Gentle washing or flushing may remove foreign objects; however embedded objects should only be removed by a medical professional. Padding should be used to control any bleeding. An ambulance should be called for serious injuries.
Head injuries may cause loss of consciousness, bleeding, neck or spinal injury, damage to the brain, eyes, ears, teeth, airways and mouth, or other structures. A severe blow may cause unconsciousness, however a casualty may sustain a significant head injury without loss of consciousness, or loss of memory (amnesia), Severe trauma and injuries may lead to death or permanent brain damage.
Signs and symptoms
Specific to concussion: (caused by trauma to the head)
Other head injury symptoms
First aid
The most important consequence of drowning is interruption of the oxygen supply to the brain. Early rescue and resuscitation are the major factors in survival.
The rescue – Do not attempt a water rescue beyond your swimming ability.
Signs and symptoms
First aid
After retrieval from the water, position the casualty on his/her back and assess:
A fracture is the breaking of a bone or a bend in a bone which always has associated damage to the soft tissue around the broken bone. There are different types of fractures, however they all require medical treatment.
Signs and symptoms
For the injured area:
Other associated injuries:
First aid
A variety of situations such as vehicle entrapment, falling debris, industrial accident, mining accidents and cave-ins or by prolonged pressure to a part of the body due to their own body weight in an immobile casualty.
Possible injuries – Lacerations, fractures, bleeding, bruising, spinal injury and in severe cases where a large portion of the body is crushed, crush syndrome may develop.
The casualty may have no pain and there may be no external signs of injury. They may go into shock or become unconscious. An ambulance should be called immediately. All casualties who have been subjected to crush injuries should be taken to hospital for immediate investigation.
Signs and symptoms
First aid
For small injuries, e.g. crushing a finger in a car door:
For large injuries:
Choking is the result of the lodgement of a foreign object in the casualty’s airway. In some instances, the object lodges at the entry to the airway (partial obstruction), but does not enter the airway itself. This will cause the casualty to start coughing which is the body’s way of trying to expel the object out.
If the object is firmly lodged in the airway (complete obstruction), coughing at least keeps it high in the windpipe, though it will not necessarily expel it.
Signs and symptoms
First aid
Anaphylaxis is a severe form of allergic reaction that can develop rapidly and is potentially life-threatening. It must be treated as a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment. More than one body system may be involved, however the most dangerous allergic reactions involve the respiratory system and/or cardiovascular system.
Signs and symptoms
First aid
if required;
Abrasion wounds: the surface layers of the skin is broken or grazed.
Incised wounds: cut or slice into the skin.
Signs and symptoms
Check responses:
First aid
A a wound that fails to heal, heals slowly or heals but tends to recur is a chronic wound. See a doctor immediately for symptoms such as bleeding, increasing pain, pus or discharge, and/or fever.
Chest injuries can be caused in a variety of different situations such as vehicle entrapment, falling debris, industrial accident, mining accidents and cave-ins.
Signs and symptoms
Rib injury:
First aid
Diabetics don’t produce insulin properly, which makes their blood glucose (sugar) levels higher. They need to regulate the amount of glucose in their body by medication or diet.
Many have a medical alert bracelet, necklet or warning card and carry sugar, lollies, glucose or a ready-made ‘Hypo’ pack in case of an emergency.
Signs and symptoms
Onset symptoms:
Progressive symptoms:
First aid
Conscious casualty:
Unconscious, drowsy or unable to swallow: THIS IS AN EMERGENCY
A burn causes the partial or complete destruction of skin. There are two layers of the skin. Once the skin is burnt, the extent of damage can be minimised by effective immediate first aid treatment.
Signs and symptoms
First aid
Important - Airway, breathing, circulation, take precedent over caring for the burn. An ambulance must be called if the casualty is a child or for significant or severe burns.
The human body requires the correct amount of blood and fluid to be transported around the body in order to function properly. The blood transports oxygen to every cell in the body and then transports the waste products away from the cell.
Bleeding is the loss of blood from the circulatory system. The loss can be from external or internal bleeding, ranging from minor through to severe or massive. First aid for any type of severe bleeding is critical. The aim is to limit the loss of blood until emergency medical aid arrives. Always call Triple Zero (000).
Signs and symptoms
The signs and symptoms will depend on where the bleeding is inside the body:
Concealed internal bleeding: bleeding that remains contained within the body
First aid
Prompt medical help is vital:
Signs and symptoms
First aid
Minor bleeding: small cuts and abrasions that are not bleeding excessively can be treated as a ‘basic wound’.
Nose bleeding: bleeding from the nose is usually not severe.
The abdominal cavity contains solid organs like the liver and the spleen and hollow organs.
Different organs react in different ways when subjected to trauma, thus presenting different symptoms.
Signs and symptoms
Trauma related injury:
Non trauma related:
First aid
Check responses, assess for shock.
Call an ambulance and monitor until the ambulance arrives for the following:
Precautions - gauze can stick if it is dry - be careful to keep normal gauze moist if used. Avoid paper products like paper towel or toilet paper they will turn to pulp, causing major complications.
Mild to moderate allergic reactions are not generally life-threatening. Small singular welts, an itch, or a small localised rash, is relatively harmless. However, some mild to moderate reactions may develop further into anaphylaxis and so careful monitoring is needed.
Signs and symptoms
First aid
If possible, stay with the person and ask others to get medications, action plans, adrenaline auto-injector to use if they develop anaphylaxis.
Unconsciousness is when a person is breathing, but they cannot be woken from what looks like a sleep, they are unaware of their surroundings, and no purposeful response can be obtained.
Signs and symptoms
First aid
Bandages
How to apply a roller bandage:
How to fold a triangular bandage:
Slings
Upper arm sling:
Lower arm sling:
The DRSABCD action plan can be followed for all illnesses, injuries and conditions that require first aid. Adapt each step in accordance to the incident, type of injuries and the condition of the casualty.
1. Provide safety: (D)
Dangers - Ensure safety for yourself, the casualty and bystanders. Identify, assess and remove or minimise hazards. Follow infection control principles and procedures, including use of standard precautions and PPE such as gloves and masks.
2. Look for: (R)
Response - Look for a response, assess their signs and symptoms. Make a decision about their condition and what to do next. Look for evidence and obtain a history from the scene, bystanders, witnesses or the casualty if they are conscious.
3. Send for help: (S)
Arrange for the ambulance to be called and send someone to obtain resources, such as a first aid kit, as per the situation and the casualty’s condition. If there is no-one else to assist, call the ambulance yourself and assist the casualty using available resources at the scene.
4. First aid: (ABCD)
Obtain consent. Provide first aid according to the injury or illness and within your own skills and limitations.
Always use appropriate behaviour, respect privacy, dignity and confidentiality. Be ethical, use cultural awareness. Be confident and reassuring. Provide comfort.
After the incident - Communicate the details of the incident to emergency response services or the person assisting the casualty after your treatment. Report details of incident as required. Evaluate your own performance. Be aware of the possible psychological impacts to oneself and others involved in critical incidents. Use stress management techniques, support from others and participate in debriefing as required.
07 5438 8888
8/10 Capital Place
Birtinya QLD 4575
ABN 63 114 756 857
ACN 114 756 857