1. Call for help, if needed. then...
Make sure the electricty is off in the area of the victim in order to assure we don't accidentally injure rescuers. If you can't be certain of this, do not directly touch the patient -- use a non-conductive tool (perhaps made of wood), to move the patient away from the eleectical source. Note that rubber gloves may not provide adequate insulation. Be aware of ground water.
2. Ensure breathing and cardio. If not, resuscitate and/or administer CPR as needed. If CPR doesn't help, you can consider defibrilation, if the equipment is available. Get the victim stable before proceeding.
3. Treat for shock.
4. Examine for burns. Note that, with electrical burns, the current passes in a path from source to ground. If it passes through the body, it can cause damage all the way along the path, so you may want to look for "entry" and "exit" burns. Electrical burns can appear to be very small on the surface, but can widen within the body in a conical shape. Ergo, small surface burns to not conclusively allow you to rule out severe burns.
5. If burns are discovered, and especially the two-burn pattern, or the patient was unconscious, transport to a hospital.
No comments:
Post a Comment