Managing Medical Emergencies
While working in the architecture studio on the Berkeley campus, I witnessed my fair share of horrific X-Acto-related mishaps. My personal favorite was the girl who confused her index finger with a mackerel and filleted it down to the first knuckle. Between her screaming, my nearly vomiting, and her boyfriend wetting himself, the situation was frantic to say the least. Fortunately, a cool-headed grad student—who had witnessed her fair share of bandsaw gaffes—came to the rescue. After washing out the wound in a nearby drinking fountain and receiving 13 stitches at the local Doctors on Duty, the girl was right back in the studio in time to finish her final project.
In this time of duress, I was about as useless as one of Lindsay Lohan’s rehab stints. There’s just something about a little blood that turns even the bravest of us into whimpering maniacs. But no matter how much you knock on wood, emergencies are bound to happen. By remaining calm and keeping the following ten tips in mind, we hope you'll be better equipped to handle the occasional crisis. If you're really eager to become an emergency hero, you might even try signing up for a first aid class, which are usually available to the public at community colleges, fire stations, and hospitals.
1. Take Charge and Give Direct Orders
Dealing with an emergency is a group undertaking. People are needed to fetch bandages, console the victim, and contact emergency services. The only way this traumatic situation can play out smoothly is if someone takes charge and gives detailed directions to other willing helpers. For instance, instead of saying something like, “somebody call 911,” say “John, call 911.” We simultaneously eliminate confusion and reduce emergency response time. If you start freaking out when the you know what hits the fan, you can do more harm than good. If others are more prepared to take action, you can best help the situation by stepping aside and letting the sane people handle it.
2. Saving a Tooth
Knocking out a tooth does not condemn you to a lifetime of looking like a hockey player. If a tooth is dislodged, place it in a glass of milk and immediately visit your dentist or the emergency room. Don’t freak out and try to stick it back in the socket; you’ll likely just swallow it or choke.
3. Use Caution When Moving a Victim
Never move someone suffering from a potential neck or spine injury. The nerves, synapses, and other sciencey parts of this area are extremely delicate, and one wrong move can magnify any damage that’s already been done. Click here for additional spinal injury tips.
4. Creatively Make Splints and Slings
If a friend of yours suffers a shoulder injury, don’t hesitate to give them the shirt off your back. It can easily be fashioned into a sling to support the injured arm. I often use this strategy on dates (with little success), trying to get to second base. All that’s needed to create a splint for someone with an injured leg or arm is a stiff object and something to affix it to the injured limb. A bike pump and inner tube will suffice on a bike ride, and an umbrella and belt will work if you slip in the rain. Most of my injuries are a direct result of my bicycling hobby. Here are more cycling safety tips.
5. Tourniquets Aren’t a Smart Idea
In almost all cases, a tourniquet is not needed to stop bleeding. If done incorrectly, they can do much more harm than good. Applying direct, constant pressure to the wound and elevating it above the heart should be sufficient until you can reach a medical professional. Ten other useless—or even dangerous—first aid myths.
