Learn how to treat minor injuries and shock.

What is a cut?

A cut is when the skin is fully broken.

What is a graze?

A graze is when only the top layers of skin are scraped off.

What to do

1. Clean the wound by rinsing it under running water or using sterile wipes. 

2. Pat the wound dry using a gauze swab and cover it with sterile gauze. If you don’t have these, use a clean, non-fluffy cloth, like a tea towel. 

3. For a cut, raise and support the injured part above the level of the heart. Avoid touching the wound.

4. Clean around the wound with soap and water. Make sure you are wiping away from the wound, using a clean swab for each stroke. Pat dry. Remove the cloth or gauze covering the wound and apply a sterile dressing or a large plaster. 

5. All souled dressing should be disposed of in a Yellow or orange clinic waste bag.

Seek medical help if:

A wound won’t stop bleeding.

A foreign object is embedded in the wound – like a splinter of wood or glass.

The wound is from a human or animal bite.

You think the wound might be infected.

You are unsure whether the casualty has been immunised against tetanus.

Bruising

What are bruises?

Bruises are patches that appear on the skin when tiny blood vessels called capillaries break or burst underneath. On fair skin the patches are usually bluish or purple coloured. On darker skin the patches may be a dark purple, brownish or black coloured.

What to do

1. Wrap an ice pack in a tea towel or triangular bandage. Place it on the bruise and apply pressure for 10 minutes.

If you don't have an ice pack, cold running water will help.

How to treat blisters

What are blisters?

Blisters are fluid-filled bumps that look like bubbles on the skin. They usually form when someone’s skin repeatedly rubs against something or is exposed to heat. When someone gets a blister, the part of the skin that is damaged leaks fluid that collects under the top layer of the skin, forming the blister.

What to do

1. If someone has a blister, don’t burst it as this can increase the risk of infection. Wash the skin around the blister with clean water and gently pat the skin dry with a sterile gauze pad or a clean, non-fluffy cloth.

If you cannot wash the area, try to keep it as clean as possible.

2. If the blister was caused by something rubbing against the skin, cover it with a plaster but make sure the pad on the plaster is larger than the blister area. Ideally use a special blister plaster, as these have a cushioned pad that gives extra protection.

How to treat nose bleeds

What to do

1. If someone is having a nosebleed, ask them to sit down and lean with their head tilted forward.

Do not tell them to lean their head back as this could cause the blood to trickle down the back of their throat and block the airway.

2. Ask them to breathe through their mouth and pinch the soft part of their nose. Give them a clean tissue to catch any blood.

3. After 10 minutes they can release the pressure on their nose. Ask them to pinch their nose again if the bleeding has not stopped. They should do this for two further periods of 10 minutes.

4. Once the bleeding has stopped, ask them to keep leaning forwards while you clean around their nose with lukewarm water. Once clean, advise them to rest, avoid exertion or blowing their nose to prevent disturbing the clots.

5. If the bleeding is severe, or if it lasts more than 30 minutes, call 999 or 112 for emergency help.

6. All souled dressing should be disposed of in a Yellow or orange clinic waste bag.

How to treat severe bleeding

If the bleeding isn’t controlled quickly, they may lose a lot of blood, become unresponsive and possibly develop shock. Shock does not mean emotional shock; it is a life-threatening condition, often caused by loss of blood.

Your priority is to stop the bleeding.

What to do:

1. With open wounds, there’s a risk of infection, so wear protective first aid gloves (if available) to help prevent any infection passing between you both.

2. Apply direct pressure to the wound using a sterile dressing if possible or a clean non-fluffy cloth, to stop the bleeding.

If you don't have a dressing you can ask the casualty to do this themselves.

If the wound is covered by the casualty's clothing, remove or cut the clothes to uncover the wound.

If there’s an object in the wound, don’t pull it out. It may be acting as a plug to reduce the bleeding. Instead apply pressure on either side of the object to push the edges together.

First aid - call 999 or 112 for emergency help.

3. Ask a helper to call 999 or 112 for emergency help and give Ambulance Control details of where the wound is and the extent of the bleeding.

If you are on your own, use the hands-free speaker on a phone so that you can treat while speaking to ambulance control.

4. Firmly secure the dressing with a bandage to maintain pressure on the wound. Make it firm enough to maintain pressure but not so tight that it restricts their circulation.

5. Check their circulation beyond the bandage. Press one of the nails or the skin beyond the bandage for five seconds until it turns pale, then release the pressure. If the colour does not return within two seconds, the bandage is too tight. If necessary, loosen and reapply the bandage.

6. The loss of blood could cause the casualty to develop shock. Treat them for this by helping them to lie down, on a rug or blanket. Raise and support their legs, so they are above the level of their heart. You should then loosen any tight clothing around their neck, chest and waist and cover the casualty with a blanket to keep them warm.

7. If bleeding shows through the pad or dressing, don’t remove it and apply a second dressing on top of the first. If blood seeps through both dressings, remove both and replace with a fresh dressing. When changing dressings, keep pressure applied to the bleeding site.

8. Support the injured part with a sling or bandage and keep checking the circulation beyond the bandage every 10 minutes.

9. Keep monitoring their level of response until help arrives. If they become unresponsive at any point, prepare to start CPR.

10. All souled dressing should be disposed of in a Yellow or orange clinic waste bag

How to treat shock

What is shock?

Shock can be caused by anything that reduces the flow of blood, such as:

Severe internal or external bleeding.

Heart problems, such as a heart attack, or heart failure

loss of body fluids, from dehydration, diarrhoea, vomiting, or burns.

Severe allergic reactions and overwhelming infection (septic shock).

Spinal cord injury.

Signs and symptoms

Look for:

Pale skin, which may be cold and clammy.

Sweating.

Fast pulse - as shock gets worse.

Fast, shallow breathing.

A weak pulse.

Grey blue skin, especially inside the lips.

Nausea and possible vomiting - as the brains oxygen supply decreases.

Restlessness and aggressive behaviour.

Yawning and gasping for air.

The casualty could become unresponsive.

What to do:

1. First, treat any cause of shock that you can see or that you have identified from the primary survey, such as severe bleeding.

2. Then help the casualty to lie down. Raise the casualty’s legs, supporting them on a chair, as this will help to improve the blood supply to their vital organs.

If available, lay them down on a rug or blanket to protect them from the cold.

3. Call 999 or 112 for emergency help and tell ambulance control you think they are in shock. If possible, explain what you think caused it.

4. Loosen any tight clothing around the neck, chest, and waist to make sure it doesn’t constrict their blood flow.

5. While waiting for help to arrive, cover them with a coat or blanket to help keep them warm.

Remember, fear and pain can make shock worse by increasing the body’s demand for oxygen, so try to reassure the casualty and keep them calm if you can.

6. Monitor their level of response.

If they become unresponsive at any point, prepare to treat an unresponsive casualty.

Steps people should take in an anaphylaxis emergency

1. Use your adrenaline auto-injectors (AAI) without delay
If you have any signs of anaphylaxis, use your AAI immediately.
Signs may include swelling in the throat or tongue, wheezing or breathing difficulty, dizziness, tiredness and confusion.

If in doubt, use it. 2. Immediately dial 9 Say anaphylaxis (“ana-fill-axis”)

3. If you are not already lying down, then do so
Lie down flat and raise your legs (if you’re pregnant, lie on your left side). This will assist blood flow to the heart and vital organ. Stay lying down even if you feel better

4. Use your second AAI if you haven’t improved after 5 minutes
You should carry two AAIs at all time. Check the expiry dates! See a pharmacist if you need a replacement!

By being better informed, it is hoped that people with allergies are supported to better survive anaphylaxis with less serious consequences, even if they have never experienced anaphylaxis before, and that those without allergies know what to do if they see someone who needs help.