Careful of the Can... -Training Scenario - First Aid Scenario Library

Scenario Overview:

The first aiders on at a music festival and get a message on the radio to attend a young female requesting assistance as they have cut their arm and are bleeding. You are only a minute away from the patient when you get the call. The patient has been opening a tin can whilst camping at the music festival and has sliced across her forearm. The tin can and knife she was trying to open the can with are next to the patient. The patient is bleeding profusely.

Difficulty:

First Aider Easy

How the scenario should progress:

The patient will deteriorate in response although will continue to breathe. The pulse will get quicker and weaker. If the bleeding is not controlled then the patient should deteriorate quickly and stop breathing. You will need to adjust the observations depending on the treatment that the first aiders give.

Patient 1:

Name: Jeannette Kennedy Age: 19 Sex: Female

Medication: No regular medication but did take 1 tablet of MDMA a few hours ago.

Allergies: Cats

Past medical/family/social history: Had operation on knee two years ago after skiing accident but otherwise usually fit and healthy. The patient is at the festival with her friends who are currently with her and are the ones who called for help.

Findings on examination: Arterial bleed from area of radial pulse, blood evidently pulsing out of wound. No other obvious injuries. Patient is light headed and dizzy and the response will deteriorate from relatively alert to much less responsive. Patient last ate at lunch time and she was just preparing dinner when she cut her arm. Pain in the area around the wound which is throbbing, 3/10 pain score. Nothing specifically makes pain better and it started immediately after she cut her arm. Patient is a bit panicked.

Possible treatment from first aiders: The bleeding should be controlled with direct pressure and covered with a dressing. The patient should be trated for shock (such as putting the legs up). An ambulance should be called promptly. They should also remove the danger of the tin/knife.

Time after start:	On scene	1 mins	2 mins
Response:	A	V	U
Airway:	Yes	Yes	Yes
Breathing?	Yes	Yes	Yes
Respirations:	24 panicked	25 shallow	24
Pulse:	145	150 weak	160 weak
Oxygen Sats:	95	90	85

Tips for the patient actors:

If you've got a load of fake blood (and perhaps a bottle and a tube to try and get it to look like it's spurting out) this will help the first aiders get into character. Get more out of it as the scenario goes on until your finally become unresponsive.

Scenario: Careful of the Can...