Instructor Preparation - Online Blended Part 1
Course Content
- Instructor preparation and update course introduction
- FAW Blended Part One Introduction and Regulations
- The Human Body
- First Aid the Initial Steps
- Asking permission and consent to help
- Calling the Emergency Services
- What3Words - location app
- Waiting for the E.M.S to arrive
- Scene Safety
- Chain of Survival
- DR ABC and the ABCD'S
- Using gloves
- How to use face shields
- Hand Washing
- Waterless hand gels
- Initial Assessment and Recovery Position
- BSi First Aid Kit
- Cardiac Arrest and Heart Conditions
- Adult CPR Introduction
- Heart Attack
- Heart Attack Position
- Aspirin and the Aspod
- Respiration and Breathing
- Pulse Points
- When to call for assistance
- Adult CPR
- Effective CPR
- Improving breaths
- Improving compressions
- Compressions Only CPR
- CPR Hand Over
- Seizures and Cardiac Arrest
- Drowning
- AED Introduction
- Using an AED - brief overview and demonstration
- Choking Management
- Bleeding Control
- Catastrophic Bleeding
- Why is this Training Now Required?
- Prioritising first aid
- Bleeding assessment
- Hemostatic Dressing or Tourniquet?
- Tourniquets and Where to Use Them
- Types of Tourniquets
- Improvised Tourniquets
- When Tourniquets Don't Work - Applying a Second
- Hemostatic Dressings
- Packing a Wound with Celox Z Fold Hemostatic Dressing
- The Woundclot range
- How Does Woundclot Work
- Woundclot features
- Woundclot and direct pressure
- Packing a wound with Woundclot
- Woundclot and knife crime injuries
- Woundclot and large areas
- Shock and Spinal Injury
- Injuries
- Secondary Care Introduction
- Injury Assessment
- Strains and Sprains and the RICE procedure
- Adult fractures
- Splints
- Dislocated Shoulders and Joints
- Types of head injury and consciousness
- Eye Injuries
- Foreign object in the eye
- Burns and burn kits
- Treating a burn
- Blister Care
- Electrical Injuries
- Abdominal Injuries
- Chest Injuries
- Heat emergencies
- Cold emergencies
- Dental Injuries
- Bites and stings
- Treating Snake Bites
- Splinters
- Illness
- Introduction to Paediatric and Adult First Aid
- Paediatric CPR and Choking
- Specific Paediatric Conditions
- How to use an AED
- Extra Subjects to allow you to teach specialist courses
- Teaching Equipment
- Summary
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If you have got a fractured limb and you are going to need to splint it somehow, an important thing when putting splints on is to make sure you do not cause even more injury. So if there is a broken bone in an arm, for example, then when you are putting a splint on, the idea is to mobilise it in the position you have got there, do not go stretching it and pulling it to make the joint lane in line. So if you are putting any splint on, you need to be very, very careful that you do not want to cause more of a problem. Now, if it is the case on like a leg, then you can put a splint on it, but basically all you are doing is you are immobilising it until the emergency services arrive. So you can use something like this, which is a box splint and the way these works is the straps going over here, which you can undo, they are on Velcro. The foot is at this end and this is for lower limb type fractures. Now, this is very good. If there are any problems with this, the actual injury, you can also put padding in here as well, but this is a commercial version, but you have got another splint available, which is the other leg, the good leg. So you can always use the good leg as a splint and use triangular bandages just to tie it up, and hold it in that position. If it is slightly deformed or laying at an odd angle, you can use clothing or pillows, something like that just to prop the leg and leave it in that position. When the emergency services get there, they may well put traction splints on and other items to actually enable them to move the patient. But your job as a first aider is just to immobilise in the position found. Now, this type of splint are not what you would have in a standard workplace. But if they are available and you could use them, they do a similar one like this for arms as well. Now, if you have got a fracture on an arm, a simple way would just be something like a card back envelope or a magazine. And if you just bend it around like that, you can put it over the arm and you can use Micropore tape over the top to hold it in place. And then you can put that into a horizontal sling. So it is a very crude way of keeping something in place. Other versions are a commercial version of that, which is this, which is a splint, which you could just mould it. It is aluminium covered in foam. So you can just make a bit on the end, put the hand, and undo it. Then you mould it onto your arm to start with, so you just hold it in place and then you can bring this bit around and just again, just mould it onto your arm. Now you are doing it onto your arm because if you started bending this and shaping it around someone else's arm, who has got the fracture, that is going to really hurt them. Take it to allowance the fact that your arm might be longer or shorter than theirs. So once you have got that, you can then take that splint. You can gently with the help, pop the splint on, put the top bit on and then you can use Micropore tape again to hold that in place. The reason we are using Micropore tape is it is very easy to tear. So if you did have to remove this in a hurry, you can do. And also if there is any swelling, you can, again, very quickly cut it. Once that is in a secure place, again, you can hold that in the horizontal sling, using the horizontal slings we cover in other videos. Another version of this, way of keeping an arm secure could be the use of a pneumatic splint. An advantage of these are, that they are very small. They do ones for lower legs and lower arms and they work by applying pressure through blowing into here. So what you do with this is take the limb, put it into the splint itself, and leave the fingers out because you want to be able to check for refills. You do not want to put this on too tight. And on the side is a zip. So what we are going to do now is just do the zip up. Once you put it on there, zip that up where you need it. And then this end here, we just blow into it. And on here is a locking mechanism. So you pull it out to let air in, and push it down to block it off. So to start with inflating it, I will pull it out. Once it is full, just push it back in. And now that is not only is it holding it nice and firmly, but also it gives it an element of padding as well. This is a full arm one. You can get half arm ones as well. And with this, you would not be able to put it into the horizontal sling. This sort of thing would be where they are laying down on the floor. And you just pop this in a sling in the splint just to hold it in place. The advantage of this also is when the paramedics get there or they get to the hospital, it is very easy to remove, what you do is lift that out to allow the air out. Then you can just unzip it. Then just lay it down. And now the arm is exposed. You have not had to pull stuff away or cut away any dressings. So these are just an example of some methods of splinting. Now we are looking here with standard fractures and we are not going to actually know it is fractured until they get to the hospital. So it may well be you think this is a fracture and it is actually just a strain or a sprain, but if you have got a fracture, an open fracture where blood is actually showing, or there is bones coming out, be really careful. Because you do not want to put a splint on, this thing going to force the bones back in. Also, you need to deal with the bleed. So the primary thing would be dealing with the bleed. So with that, you need to make sure that you put the relevant dressings on to keep it nice and clean. And remember one of these splints are very good, but you, if you have got them available, but something simple, like a magazine or an envelope or something like that to hold it in place, can work just as well.
Using Splints to Immobilise a Fractured Limb
Commercial Splints
Commercial splints, such as the SAM splint, are available to immobilise a fractured limb. These splints are made of aluminium covered in foam. To avoid causing further injury or pain, open the splint and mould it to fit the injured limb without applying pressure.
Securing the Splint
Use tape to hold the splint in position, preventing movement of the arm and wrist (in this instance).
Pneumatic Splints
Pneumatic splints work differently. Here’s how to use them:
- Open the zip and wrap the splint around the limb.
- Zip it up while the splint is deflated.
- Once in position, inflate the splint by blowing into the valve. This will immobilise the limb and provide cushioning for patient comfort.
You can adjust the pressure by adding more air or, if the splint is too tight, releasing some air after performing a capillary refill test.
Makeshift Splints
Most first aid kits do not include splints. If you need to immobilise a fracture and do not have a commercial splint, you can use a magazine or newspaper as an effective alternative. Secure it with micropore tape. If the splint is too tight, cut the tape and reapply.
Supporting the Arm
When dealing with an injury to the lower arm, use a triangular bandage to support the arm and keep it still. This will help the patient make their way to seek emergency medical assistance.
Conclusion
Using the correct technique to immobilise a fractured limb is crucial for preventing further injury and ensuring patient comfort. Whether using commercial splints, pneumatic splints, or makeshift alternatives, always prioritise the safety and well-being of the injured person.