First Aid II, Danger Shop, Tuesday Morning
Elliot is scratching at some small pink bumps on her arms and ankle as she waits for the class to file in, but she makes herself stop when they're there.
"Hey. So if any of you were total idiots, like your teacher, and went on a hike this weekend without insect repellent, you might be learning that one of the many joys of summer in what used to be a swamp is mosquitoes. So, y'know, I decided to tie the session to the season and talk about animal and insect bites this week.
Mosquito bites are just insanely annoying, they won't really do anything. Well, unless you scratch them into an infection. Here's a good handout on insect bites. With a bee sting, you want to get the stinger out as fast as you can and then apply a cold pack, and give an antihistamine, like benadryl, or apply calamine lotion for itching. And eventually -- possibly after too long, if you're the one with the sting -- it'll go away.
Sometimes you do need to go to the doctor, though. Like, with a sting anywhere in the mouth? Get immediate medical attention or it can cause severe swelling that may block airways. And some people are allergic to bee stings; with them, you'll usually see wheezing or difficulty breathing, tightness in the throat or chest, swelling of the lips, dizziness or fainting or nausea or vomiting. They need medical care; inject them with an epi-pen if they carry one, but otherwise get them to the hospital ASAP.
And, of course, some people might think an insect bite is easy next to a bite from a dog, cat, or other mammal. Here's a handout about that. Basically, what you want to do with an animal bite is: Calm and reassure the person, but glove up or wash hands thoroughly before attending to the wound, and wash your hands afterwards as well. If the bite is not bleeding severely, wash the wound thoroughly with mild soap and running water for 3 to 5 minutes. Then, cover the bite with antibiotic ointment and a clean dressing. If the bite is actively bleeding, apply direct pressure with a clean, dry cloth until the bleeding subsides. Elevate the area of the bite. If the bite is on the hand or fingers, or on any other sensitive area, like the face or genitals, they need medical care. Over the next 24 to 48 hours, observe the bite for signs of infection (increasing skin redness, swelling, and pain). If the bite becomes infected, call the doctor or take the person to an emergency facility. And ditto if you do not know for sure the animal is rabies-free. Because foaming at the mouth? Not as much fun as it might sound."
Elliot smiled at her class. "I've been really nice to the Danger Shop all week, so I think the simulators are working again. Get out there and treat some fake victims. Pair up or work in threes if you want."
"Hey. So if any of you were total idiots, like your teacher, and went on a hike this weekend without insect repellent, you might be learning that one of the many joys of summer in what used to be a swamp is mosquitoes. So, y'know, I decided to tie the session to the season and talk about animal and insect bites this week.
Mosquito bites are just insanely annoying, they won't really do anything. Well, unless you scratch them into an infection. Here's a good handout on insect bites. With a bee sting, you want to get the stinger out as fast as you can and then apply a cold pack, and give an antihistamine, like benadryl, or apply calamine lotion for itching. And eventually -- possibly after too long, if you're the one with the sting -- it'll go away.
Sometimes you do need to go to the doctor, though. Like, with a sting anywhere in the mouth? Get immediate medical attention or it can cause severe swelling that may block airways. And some people are allergic to bee stings; with them, you'll usually see wheezing or difficulty breathing, tightness in the throat or chest, swelling of the lips, dizziness or fainting or nausea or vomiting. They need medical care; inject them with an epi-pen if they carry one, but otherwise get them to the hospital ASAP.
And, of course, some people might think an insect bite is easy next to a bite from a dog, cat, or other mammal. Here's a handout about that. Basically, what you want to do with an animal bite is: Calm and reassure the person, but glove up or wash hands thoroughly before attending to the wound, and wash your hands afterwards as well. If the bite is not bleeding severely, wash the wound thoroughly with mild soap and running water for 3 to 5 minutes. Then, cover the bite with antibiotic ointment and a clean dressing. If the bite is actively bleeding, apply direct pressure with a clean, dry cloth until the bleeding subsides. Elevate the area of the bite. If the bite is on the hand or fingers, or on any other sensitive area, like the face or genitals, they need medical care. Over the next 24 to 48 hours, observe the bite for signs of infection (increasing skin redness, swelling, and pain). If the bite becomes infected, call the doctor or take the person to an emergency facility. And ditto if you do not know for sure the animal is rabies-free. Because foaming at the mouth? Not as much fun as it might sound."
Elliot smiled at her class. "I've been really nice to the Danger Shop all week, so I think the simulators are working again. Get out there and treat some fake victims. Pair up or work in threes if you want."