hadriel | video: ongoing first aid

Hello everyone. My name is Doctor Banner, and I help organize the clinic here in Hadriel. About a month back, I talked on here about wound care, given the shortage of effective antibiotics in the city.

Now, since none of us can do the normal thing and just google this, I'd like to go on a bit more today about what to do if you or someone you know is bleeding.

First of all, if at all possible, wash your hands. I know that out on the ground you might not be able to do that, but whenever you can, treat injuries with clean hands, or even better, a pair of gloves.

The acronym that they use in first aid training is RED, for blood. Red, as in rest, elevation, and direct pressure. If you can get the person sitting down and as calm as possible, that's good- elevate the injury above their heart, if you can, then apply direct pressure to stop the bleeding.

You do it with clean fabric if you have it- bandages are ideal, but you can do clothing in a pinch. If someone is deeply cut and in danger of bleeding out, I've seen it done with duct tape applied directly to the skin, but I wholeheartedly caution against it unless it's literally a life or death emergency.

After this stage, get yourself or your friend to the clinic, or do home care to get the dirt or debris out of the cuts. Gravel, filth, anything of any kind needs to be cleared away with clean water, with soap and a washcloth, or with tweezers cleaned with alcohol. In the real world, this is where you'd be sent to get a tetanus shot, which I have absolutely no ability to give any of you right now- so just. Try really hard not to get tetanus. I'll see if I can scrape something together; anyone who hasn't had a tetanus booster in the last ten years may want to consider coming by, if I can work it out.

For a long time we used hydrogen peroxide, iodine or an iodine-containing cleanser, which can be irritating to tissue already injured. Best medical practice is not to apply those sorts of really astringent products any more, and to stay with soap, and an applied antibiotic.

We do have more of the topical creams and ointments available in the clinic now, so if you'd like to come by, I can give out a small supply. On any injury, bandages need to be changed once a day, or sooner if they're wet or dirty.

Now; stitches. Any deep cut will need stitches. If you see muscle, if you see fat, if the wound appears gaping or at all jagged, you need stitches. Adhesive is not a substitute, tape is not a substitute, stitches are the only thing that minimize your risk of infection, never mind scarring, which I assume few of you care about. Let me stress again that with the level of medical care here, an infection is likely to be fatal. I know that even our fatalities aren't technically consistently fatal, but let's be better safe than sorry. Stitches, I can teach in person, or we can go over next time.

I think I covered pretty much everything else in the infection post- if you'd like any more information about that or reminders, don't hesitate to let me know.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

This is really helpful, Doctor, and... I think I'd like to learn more, if it wouldn't be any trouble for you.

Not at all.

What would you be curious about learning about? If I were designing lesson plans.

I've only ever taken a basic first aid class, and we covered things like splints, bandaging, slings, and CPR, but I think I could probably use a real refresher on everything. I just really want to be able to help when things get... nasty again here.

I'll say again- it's not the big surgeries I'm running into here. It's blisters, it's twisted ankles and scraped up knees with gravel in them, it's cracked ribs and black eyes and an awful lot of thrown out backs. Minor stuff that you just need a little help to deal with.

Everyone can learn to cope with that.

Some of those things just require rest, right? [ or an ice pack, and some soap and water. Those are all easy things to deal with. ]

And anti-inflammatories, which I'm also collecting a supply of.

Where are you getting a supply? Hope? [ if Hope is taking requests, Ash believes antidepressants would be great. ]

Scavenging them. You can find them around.

[It's not a lie if it's to keep a promise, and to protect someone, he figures.]

Oh. [ She hasn't seen any around, but that obviously doesn't mean there aren't any. ] I can keep an eye out for them, then? Uh, you know, just to help out. Bandages, and stuff, too.

That would be great, thank you. I really appreciate it.

Hey, anything I can do to help. [ she doesn't have a skillset that lends itself well to this situation—not that she's aware of, yet—so she has to do what little things she can. ] If you ever need help around the clinic, too, give me a call.