video: ongoing first aid

[zen_en_vert]

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.

Comments

[zen_en_vert]

Bruce is fine.

[He says, politely.]

It's nice to meet you in perseon.

[dedikated]

[ Pushing her sunglasses up her nose, Kate's expression loses the hard lines, settling into something more neutral. ] Kate. [ She gestures to the clinic behind him with a nod. ] Wanna talk in there?

[zen_en_vert]

Sure. Come on in.

[He steps back, to invite her inside.]

I'll get the kettle on.

[dedikated]

What do you have to drink? [ Because somehow she doubts she's getting that whatever-it-is blend her local coffee shop offers, but something is better than nothing. She is, at least, polite enough to wipe off any caked on dirt from her boots before entering the place, glancing around curiously at the state of the place. ]

[zen_en_vert]

Just tea, I'm afraid- and it isn't very good tea at all.

[dedikated]

Not much is good here, is it? [ But, that idle musing aside. ] Milk and two sugars for me.

[zen_en_vert]

Hah. I have... something kind of like jam you could maybe stir in for sweetness?

[dedikated]

[ That sounds vile but... ] Alright.

[ But, with most of the pleasantries out of the way, it's time to get down to business. So Kate pushes her sunglasses up into her hair and pulls up a chair. ] Reet, where should I begin?

[zen_en_vert]

Tell me about the kinds of powers people have in your world?

[While he brings her her teacup.]

[dedikated]

[ She nods her thanks, drumming her fingers against the surface of the table as she runs through various ways of answering that, because there would be a whole lot to cover. ]

Mmm, there's a lot. [ Deep breath, and Kate curls her hands around the cup. ] Telekinetics, Firebreathers, Healers, people who can control minds... 'S kind of a grab bag.

[ Which also seems to be the case here, she's noticed. There's a whole lot of everything, and a lot of it makes even the most powerful people from her home look basic and weak. ] Anything like that where you come from?

[zen_en_vert]

Yes, some. I've even got a little bit of- something not quite typical in me myself, though it doesn't let me do any of that.

Healing, I haven't seen before, though.

[dedikated]

Really? Don't think I'd be in one piece without a healer. [ There a brief quirk of her lips, like that was supposed to be funny. Taking a swig of her tea - and managing not to grimace at the taste, good grief - she turns the cup around in her hands and watches the liquid swirl inside it.

There's a sharp intake of breath, and she adds: ] I, on the other hand, get to make things react to powers. [ Which isn't as bad as it sounds, once she learned to use it. Still, it would be nice to have a power that did something more. ]

[zen_en_vert]

You make things react to them- what do you mean?

[He's having trouble envisioning this; his head goes somewhere with magnetic forces and things being polarized, but that's likely wrong.]

[dedikated]

[ THANKFULLY, she came... sort of prepared for this? Holding a finger up, she digs a knife out of her hip bag. ]

Give me a minute. [ She places it on the table and taps her fingers against it, multiple times - pressing down for long stretches and short. It looks like Morse Code, but doesn't sound anything like it.

After a bit of concentration, she picks the knife back up and runs it over her arm like a scanner, where it does nothing but glow green. ]

Like this. In this case, it's checking to see if my powers are blocked for any reason.

[zen_en_vert]

How are you doing this?

[Is Bruce's next question, immediately shifting forwards to get a better look. That's unbelievable, really.]

[dedikated]

Enchanted it. [ She shrugs and places the knife on the table, clicking her tongue. ] My mentor said powers have 'wavelengths' or such, and I make things respond to them. It's just a question of how the thing needs to react.

[ Now, if only she could actually make it work with other people in this place. Something was sure making that difficult. ]

[zen_en_vert]

And what do you think is the best way for you to use it in Hadriel?

[He wonders, glancing around the clinic.]

[dedikated]

[ A deep inhale, one that allows her the seconds needed to parse an answer together. ]

Imagine it couldn't be much different from home. Setting up alarms to make sure this place is safe, or checking people over if they think something's wrong with their powers.

[zen_en_vert]

Well, let's start with alarms, if you're all right with that? And the powers, we can handle on a case by case basis.

[dedikated]

[ that is enough to make her lips quirk upwards for a moment. ]

Sure. I can set some up against the creatures that roam around here right now. [ she takes the knife, balancing it against her palm where it glows. ] They'll probably need recharging every few weeks.

[zen_en_vert]

That's good to know. If you vanish, I won't rely on them to work long.

How do I tell if they activate? I mean, would I see anything?

[dedikated]

I usually make them light up. Could make them sound out if that's better for you.

[zen_en_vert]

No, the light would be perfect, thank you. That'll be good for me.

[dedikated]

Reet. [ She pushes herself away from the table and stands, tugging the edge of her hoodie down over her jeans. ] Let's get to work.

[ And she'll begin with the nearest window. ]

So... Did you work in healthcare before you got here?

[zen_en_vert]

I did first aid and housecalls in India for a year or two, and before that I was a biomedical researcher. So I'm not a doctor, but.