Shock

Lesson 5
Shock
Circulatory system failure
Most common cause of death in an
injured victim
Brain damage in 4-6 minutes
Abdominal organs in 45-90 minutes
Skin & muscle cells in 3-6 hours
Causes of Shock
Severe bleeding: not enough circulating blood
Heart problems: heart cannot pump enough
blood
Nervous system injuries: neck or spine injuries
Dehydration
Heart failure
Serious infections
Severe burns
Allergic reactions
Precautions
Do not raise legs of victims with head
injuries or strokes
Do not place these people on their
backs
Chest injuries
breathing difficulties
penetrating eye injuries
heart attacks
advanced pregnant victims
vomiting victims
Shock: what to look for
Altered mental status: anxiety, agitation,
& restlessness
Dizziness & Lightheadness
Pale, cold, & clammy skin, lips, & nail
beds
Nausea & Vomiting
Rapid breathing & pulse
Changing responsiveness

Shock: what to do
Check ABCs
Treat life-threatening
injuries
Lay victim on back
Raise legs 8-12
inches
Try to maintain
victims normal
temperature, (ex.
Blanket, coat, etc.)

Additional Care for Shock
Stay with victim
Offer reassurance and comfort
Put unresponsive victim in recovery
position
Keep bystanders from crowding victim
Do not let shock victim eat, drink, or
smoke
Anaphylaxis
Massive allergic reaction by the bodys
immune system
Causes
Medications
Food & Food Additives
Insect Stings
Plant Pollen
Radiographic Dyes

Anaphylaxis: what to look
for
Peaks in 15-30
minutes
Warm sensation
Sneezing, Coughing,
& Wheezing
Shortness of Breath
Tightness & Swelling
in the throat

Tightness in chest
Increased pulse rate
Swelling of mucous
membranes
Blueness around lips
& mouths
Dizziness
Nausea & Vomiting
Anaphylaxis: what to do
Apply rescue breathing or CPR if needed
Remove stinger
Apply ice pack
Use epinephrine
Use Benadryl (takes 20 minutes to work)



Applying Epinephrine
AniKit & EpiPen
Front, outside of thigh
Push the autoinjector firmly until activates
Apply for 10 seconds
Massage area
Scenario 1
The rear bumper of a truck backing up to
the loading dock strikes a mans leg above
the knee, knocking him down. He is
yelling with pain, and his leg looks twisted
and distorted above the knee. By the time
you reach him he has become quiet and
seems confused about what happened.
He is sweating but his skin is cool and
clammy. What should you do?

Scenario 2
You are finishing lunch in a restaurant with a
coworker when she says she does not feel well.
She is wheezing and short of breath, and
holding her throat. Her eyes look puffy. You ask
her if she has any allergies and she says she is
allergic to peanuts, but she didnt think there
were any nuts in the sauce on her food. Her
wheezing becomes worse, and she is very
agitated. What do you do?

Scenario 3
While working outdoors, your coworker is
stung by a bee. He says he is allergic to
bees. Almost immediately he starts having
difficulty breathing. What is the first thing
you should ask him?