CPR First Aid The Pistol Grip

First Aiders should use the Pistol Grip when performing CPR. Most people do not understand why this is important and as a result all sorts of far less effective grips are used. OK you ask - so why is it so important to use a Pistol Grip for CPR? All will be revealed...

What is a Pistol Grip?
Answer - A Pistol Grip is employed by grasping your hand into the shape one would use when (heaven help us) a pistol is used.

When you grasp the casualties chin/jaw it is important to open the airway properly. To attain the CPR pistol grip make a fist with your hand then release the thumb and first finger next to the thumb.

Next place your thumb on the casualties chin just below and horizontal to the bottom lip. The three remaining scrunched up fingers go under the chin to allow a good grip on the casualties jaw.

The remaining finger (the one next to the thumb) just sits anywhere comfortable above the scrunched fingers. Great - you have cracked it; the you-beaut CPR Pistol Grip.
Why It is important?
The use of two fingers on the bottom of the chin just doesn't cut the mustard. Here is why:

When the casualty is laying on their back the tongue can fall back and block the airway. Employing a CPR pistol grip allows the rescuer to be able to pull the jaw forward slightly, in turn pulling the tongue clear so the airway is partially opened. The head tilt we talked about in the previous blog to this does the rest of the job in opening the airway fully.

Additionally the CPR pistol grip assists in clearing the epiglottis. The epiglottis is the little flap located in the upper airway. It blocks the airway when food, drink or foreign matter is likely to endanger the airway. In most cases The CPR pistol grip assists in moving the epiglottis and slightly opening the airway. (for instance It may become very swollen in the case of epiglottitis or even an allergic reaction, to name a couple of problems). Also in a near drowning incident the casualty will have a laryngeal spasm whereby the muscles surrounding the voice box spasm and the epiglottis endeavours to stop the passage of water into the lungs.

Next blog we shall take a look at the where's and whyfors of rescue breathing

Anyone got any ideas for Flu First Aid

Crikey I've Got the Flu

Just what you need in a tropical hot steamy summer (not)

Shock, Horror... No remedies for this in my first aid courses. OK, Never mind, how sad, too bad. Let's play this by ear. Some wonderful person out there may just have the dinky di cure for this malady. All well meaning solutions will be considered.

Symptoms - Chest cough; aches and pains in parts of my body I never knew existed till now; headache; Blowing very hot and cold. What to do - Can't take penicillin or antibiotics (darned allergies) so how about resting up. What do you think I have been doing for the past couple of days. I would love to be able to get up if my head would stop spinning long enough. This is cruelty itself for someone who normally rises at 5.30 am ish...

Advice received to date from the Well Meaning
Take some cough medicine - I've tried chesty cough medicine, still got a chesty cough - Bugger!
Take plenty of fluids - If I take anymore I may well turn into a lake! Complete with its own waterfall if I don't make it to the loo anytime soon.
Try a hot toddy - If I could get out to get some booze I would but hey I'm bed bound here. Duh!
Lemons - Yeah, cracker stuff, you just can't beat the juice.
Try Manuka Honey - onto that mate, eases the throat really good.
Olive Extract - heard that's good, in fact that's next on my sons shopping list before he heads off to Brisbane. Don't think I'll be able to convince him about the ingredients for the hot toddy though.

Snake Bite Envenomation Australian First Aid

My heart goes out to the family of the poor young lad who died yesterday after being bitten by a Brown Snake.

Everyone who resides in Australia needs to be aware of the dangers of snakebites and although fatal envenomations are rare they obviously can and do occur. Unfortunately most people do not pressure bandage and if they do the bandage is often either too loose or too tight.

Most people who are bitten have either been trying to handle the snake or have stepped on or near one or have been climbing among rocks and when reaching for a handhold unwittingly placed their hand close enough to present a threat to the snake.

To avoid a potential snakebite we need to be aware that we should wear appropriate footwear and clothing in their territory - decent boots, socks and long trousers for example. Be prepared: Preferably attend a first aid course so you know what you are doing.

Carry with you at least one 7.5cm wide and two or three 15cm wide HEAVY Crepe Bandages which are usually brown in colour. The lighter white crepe bandages tend to loosen up very quickly after they have been applied. Also carry one or two triangular bandages which you can use to splint the limb. Stick these into a plastic bag together with a dressing and a marker pen so you can mark the spot where the bite occurred on top of the bandages.

Suggestion
It is a good idea to practice with your bandage around someones arm or leg. Compare one limb with another to see if your tension is firm enough without cutting of the blood supply.

Treatment Note this same treatment can be applied to envenomations from Funnel Web Spiders, Coneshell and Blue ringed octopus envenomations.

In the event of a snakebite try to calm the casualty. Ask them to lay down and keep as still as possible. The reason for this is that you need to slow down their lymph system. Do not raise the limb you are bandaging - keep it as flat as you can.

Make sure the ambulance has been called. In Australia call 000 or 112 from your mobile and be specific about which state you are in and your exact location. Do not hang up till you are told to.

You may see fang marks, a scratch or bruise or maybe even the wet saliva like substance of the venom on a trouser leg or sleeve. If you are not sure take no chances and treat for snakebite anyway. That way you have nothing to lose have you?

Place a dressing; preferably plastic or gladwrap, over the site of the bite. Although it is possible to test the venom if it has soaked into a bandage, it is obviously going to be easier to test if the venom has not soaked in. Don't worry - leaving it there will not cause any further problem.

How to apply the bandages

It is important not to bandage too tightly, You are NOT trying to restrict the flow of blood, it is the lymph system you are trying to restrict. Apparently the fangs of Australian snakes are not as long as some of the overseas varieties.

Keep reassuring the casualty. Using the same tension as you would if you were bandaging a sprained ankle, take the smaller bandage and wind it over the site of the bite in a figure of eight fashion. Take one of your larger bandages and start at the lower end of the limb ie hand or foot and wind the bandage all the way from the bottom to the top as far as you can go. When one bandage is used up, anchor another one over it and carry on up the limb. Do not bandage downwards. Work quickly and don't forget to mark the site of the bite.

Next use the triangular bandages to splint one leg to the other around the ankles and knees or in the case of an arm to secure the arm to the side of the body. Remember we do not want to elevate the limb. We are trying to prevent the venom from entering the blood system.

Be prepared to do CPR.

Bring help to the person. Do not move the person toward the help. You need to keep them still until the Ambulance or Flying Doctor arrives.