[studentIVlife]

hello I am looking into getting into nursing but keep seeing stuff I wish I knew. My question is, if you see some one fall of a ladder or something and they break their hand?? What would you do. I saw this happen and someone ran for ice. Is this what is normally done?? I didn't think ice would do the trick. But who am I to say. Any suggestions of what is normally done when a broken bone occurs???

[Sweetooth EMT-P, RN]

hi,

it depends on how far the fall was.. the PRIMARY concern is first determine if the person has any life threats ie. they are unconcioius and/or not breathing or not breathing well, or they are bleeding uncontrollably ( I am not talking a little cut on the head or elsewhere, I mean arterial), and also assess whether they have neck and/or back pain. Your best bet if the pateint is incapable of tell you waht hurts is to let them lie still and dial 911

If they get up and just have a minor injury like a broken hand you could get them some ice, but also make sure they did not hurt their neck or back.

You could take a first aid class, there are some around from the Red Cross I beleive.

Sweetooth

[bakpakr]

I highly suggest taking a first aid class to everyone I know. Also take the CPR class as well.

In the situation you are talking about depending on the hight of the fall do what Sweetooth said. Remember ABC airway, breathing, circulation.
And as with any fall initially assume there may be a spinal cord injury and not move the patient or allow them to move until it is proven otherwise. If there are no other injuries ice is good for reducing swelling.

But I implore you take a first aid class.