Animal bites are treated as puncture wounds but
should be reported to the County Wide Services,
Sheriff’s Department, Animal Control for follow up.

(510-667-7763 or 925-803-7047).

Burns

Cuts

Clean superficial cuts with soap and water and apply band-aid.

Deep cuts should be treated as follows:

• • Apply pressure over wound with clean cloth or sterile gauze.
  • Apply additional dressing and bandage snugly if bleeding through.
  • Elevate the injured area, if possible, and do not remove the dressing.
  • Refer to Health Services for assessment and further instructions (ext. 2320).

Nosebleeds

• • Keep person quiet and sitting upright.
  • Assist the person to pinch nostrils and maintain pressure until the bleeding stops.
  • Cold compresses may be applied to the face or nose after the bleeding has stopped.
  • Instruct the person to avoid nose blowing for at least one hour.

If bleeding is severe and/or lasts longer than 10 minutes, refer to Health Services for assessment and further instructions (ext. 2320).

Puncture Wounds

SPECIAL THANKS to Santa Rosa Junior College for their courteous permission to use some of the information contained above.

If the victim can cough, speak, or breathe… do not interfere.

If the victim cannot cough, speak, or breathe: Have someone Call 911 AND Sheriff’s Department, Ext. 7236 or (510) 465-3456.

For a conscious victim

For an unconscious victim

• • Use head tilt/chin lift to open airway.
  • Try to ventilate (at least twice).
  • Give 6-10 abdominal thrusts. (Put the heel of one hand on the victim’s abdomen between the rib cage and waist.  With your shoulders directly over the victim’s abdomen, press inward and upward with quick thrusts.)
  • Look for obstruction.
  • Repeat steps until effective.
  • Continue rescue breathing or CPR, as indicated.

Everyone should learn how to perform the above steps for choking and how to give cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

CAUTION: Abdominal thrusts may cause injury. Do not practice on people. Do not give abdominal thrusts to a pregnant woman.

SPECIAL THANKS to Santa Rosa Junior College for their courteous permission to use some of the information contained above.

Diabetes can produce two kinds of emergencies:

• • One from too much insulin (insulin shock), and
  • One from lack of insulin (diabetic coma).

Either emergency may cause unconsciousness!

Insulin Reaction (Shock) Signs/Symptoms

• • Weakness
  • Moist, pale skin
  • Intense hunger
  • Drowsiness
  • Normal or shallow respiration
  • Irritability
  • Headache
  • Blood sugar is too low

The patient needs sugar immediately!  The patient needs medical attention!

Treatment for Insulin Reaction:

• • If conscious, give sugar and call Sheriff’s Department, Ext. 7236 or (510) 465-3456.
  • If unconscious, do not give anything by mouth.  Call (from campus phone) 9-911 and   Sheriff’s Department, Ext. 7236 or (510) 465-3456

Diabetic Coma Signs/Symptoms

• • Extremely ill appearance
  • Dry, flushed skin
  • Weak, rapid pulse
  • Deep, noisy breathing
  • Excessive thirst
  • Dull and sleepy
  • Acetone odor to breath
  • Blood sugar is too high

The patient needs medical attention!  Get medical attention immediately!

Treatment for Diabetic Coma:

Call 911 and Sheriff’s Department Ext. 7236 or (510) 465-3456

SPECIAL THANKS to Santa Rosa Junior College for their courteous permission to use some of the information contained above.

Penetrating Lacerations / Wounds to Eye

• • Do not attempt to treat or to remove the penetrating object if present.
  • Have the person lie quietly with both eyes lightly covered with a small paper cup or like object.
  • Refer to Health Services for assessment and further instructions (ext. 2320).

SPECIAL THANKS to Santa Rosa Junior College for their courteous permission to use some of the information contained above.

Unconsciousness

• • Keep the person flat and maintain an open airway.
  • Check for breathing and pulse. Administer artificial respiration or CPR as needed.
  • Do not move or leave the person unattended.
  • Send or call for assistance.
  • If unconsciousness is prolonged and assistance is not available, call 911  and  Sheriff’s Department, Ext. 7236 or (510) 465-3456.

Major Head Injury

• • Call 911 and Sheriff’s Department, Ext.7236 or (510) 465-3456.
  • If unconsciousness, convulsions, or the discharge of blood or fluid from the ears occurs, do not move the person.
  • If the person has a severe headache, nausea or vomiting, incoherence or a dazed appearance, do not move the person and do not give fluid.

Minor Blows to the Head

• • Allow the person to rest and apply ice to the affected area.
  • Observe the person for symptoms as above.
  • Caution against over activity.
  • Refer to Health Services for assessment and further instructions (ext. 2320).

SPECIAL THANKS to Santa Rosa Junior College for their courteous permission to use some of the information contained above.

Have someone call Sheriff’s Department, Ext. 7236 or (510) 465-3456.

• • Do not move the injured part.
  • Support the injured part, using cardboard, newspaper or magazines for splints.
  • In cases of major joint injury (knee, hip, shoulder, ankle) or suspected back or neck injury, do not move the person.
  • Elevate the injured part and apply ice if possible.

SPECIAL THANKS to Santa Rosa Junior College for their courteous permission to use some of the information contained above.

SUSPECTED HEART ATTACK

First aid until help arrives

• • Have someone call 911 AND Sheriff’s Department Ext. 7236 or (510) 465-3456 immediately.
  • If conscious, help individual to the least painful position, usually sitting with legs up, bent at the knees.
  • Loosen constrictive clothing around neck and midriff.
  • Check for breathing and begin rescue breathing if necessary.
  • Check for pulse; begin CPR if necessary.
  • Do not allow victim to assist in moving himself or herself.

CESSATION OF BREATHING

When a person cannot breathe on his/her own, due to electric shock, drowning,
or asphyxiation, the first four minutes are critical!

Have someone call 911 AND Sheriff’s Department, Ext. 7236 or (510) 465-3456 immediately.

• • Open airway
  • Tilt head back with one hand.
  • Place fingertips of other hand under chin to lift jaw.
  • Listen for breathing for 5 seconds.

If not breathing

• • Maintain open airway with head tilted back.
  • Pinch off nostrils.
  • Seal your mouth around victim’s mouth.
  • Give one full breath every 5 seconds. (Every 4 seconds for children,
    every 3 seconds for infants.)
  • Check pulse after first two breaths. If no pulse, perform CPR if trained (2 breaths/15 compressions).

SPECIAL THANKS to Santa Rosa Junior College for their courteous permission to use some of the information contained above.

Remove stinger if possible without squeezing venom sack. An object like a credit card can be used to “flick” the stinger away.  If stinger can be seen and not removed, refer to Health Services for assessment and further instructions (ext. 2320).

• • Apply cold compresses to site.
  • Observe the person and/or accompany to Health Services for evaluation.

If hives (red welts on skin away from the site of the bite), rapid swelling about the eyes and mouth or difficulty in breathing occurs…

• • Have someone call 911 AND Sheriff’s Department, Ext. 7236 or (510)465-3456 immediately!
  • Administer rescue breathing if needed.
  • Keep the affected part down, below the level of the victim’s heart.
  • Ask the person if he/she has medication for allergic reactions and assist them to self-administer, if necessary.

SPECIAL THANKS to Santa Rosa Junior College for their courteous permission to use some of the information contained above.

Response

• • Have someone call 911 AND Sheriff’s Department, Ext. 7236 or (510) 465-3456.
  • Do not give fluids to an unconscious person.
  • Identify the poison if possible.
  • Call San Francisco Bay Area Regional Poison Center (800) 876-4766 and follow their instructions.
  • Do NOT induce vomiting unless instructed to do so by Poison Center.

SPECIAL THANKS to Santa Rosa Junior College for their courteous permission to use some of the information contained above.

• • Lay the person flat, face turned to one side to keep the airway clear and prevent choking.
  • Do not restrain person’s movement.  Loosen restrictive clothing.
  • Remove chairs, desks or other nearby hazards that the person may hit.
  • Protect head from injury.
  • Do not place any objects between his/her teeth.
  • Provide privacy during the seizure.  Ask bystanders to leave the scene.
  • Do not try to revive him/her with fluids, stimulants, fresh air or walking.
    There is nothing you can do to hasten recovery.
  • Do not use artificial respiration unless breathing is absent after muscle jerks subside, or unless water has been inhaled.
  • Do not panic. Usually the seizure will subside, and the person will recover.
  • Check for Medic-Alert bracelet or necklace or card.

Evaluate whether you need outside help

There is no need to call an ambulance if:

• • If medical I.D. jewelry or card says “epilepsy” and
  • If the seizure ends in under five minutes, and
  • If consciousness returns without further incident, and
  • If there are no signs of injury, physical distress, or pregnancy.

Call 911 AND  Sheriff’s Department, Ext. 7236 or (510) 465-3456 for any of the following:

• • If the seizure has happened in water.
  • If there is no medical I.D. and no way of knowing whether the seizure is caused by epilepsy.
  • If the person is pregnant, injured, or diabetic.
  • If the seizure continues for more than five minutes.
  • If a second seizure starts shortly after the first has ended.
  • If consciousness does not start to return after the shaking has stopped.
  • If an injury occurs during the seizure.

If the ambulance arrives after consciousness has returned, the person should be asked whether the seizure was associated with epilepsy and whether emergency room care is wanted.

SPECIAL THANKS to Santa Rosa Junior College for their courteous permission to use some of the information contained above.

After a seizure, the person may be drowsy, slow to respond and require observation.  Refer to Health Services for assessment and further instructions (ext. 2320).