Lincoln Rugby Club
Aid Memoire
For
First Aid
999 Call for Ambulance
- Name of person reporting
- Give mobile number
- Location – Lindum Sports Club
- Nature of injury
- Age
- Access point
- Any hazards
- Request time to incident
Action after mobile call
- Send responsible person to meet ambulance
- Check that ground is hard enough to take ambulance
- Ensure any matches that need to be stopped are done so
- Direct ambulance to injured person
- Give ambulance crew brief description of injury, name and age of patient
What to do with the patient after decision to call ambulance
- Do not move the patient
- Keep the patient warm
- Talk to the patient
- Keep patient calm
- Re-assess injuries
Spinal Injuries
IF PATIENT COMPLAINS OF NECK OR BACK PAIN DO NOT MOVE THEM
Recognising spinal injury
- Pain or tenderness in the neck or back
- Inability to move limbs at or below injury site
- Loss of feeling below the injury site
- Pins and needles in limbs
- Difficulty in breathing
- Incontinence
Management
- Do not move patient
- Check A, B, C
- Place yours hands either side of face around the ear to keep head still
- Keep patient warm and still
- Talk to patient and keep them calm
Head Injuries
Recognition of Concussion
Symptoms
- Headache
- Feeling dazed or spaced out
- Balance problem
- Dizziness
- Hearing problem/ringing in ear
- Visual problems
- Nausea and or vomiting
- Confusion
- Drowsiness
- Irritable/emotional
- Asking same question repeatedly
- Memory loss – unable to remember incident
Signs
- Period of unconsciousness
- Seizure/convulsion
- Slurred speech
- Unsteady or unable to stand unassisted
- Poor memory
- Significant impaired playing ability
Management
Check for spinal injury – if found treat for that injury first
Remove player from pitch
Sit them in quiet area
Assess whether require hospital treatment – under 18 must go to hospital
Do not leave patient alone for 24 hours in case symptoms worsen
Additional
Please see new IRB guidelines
Bone injuries
Types
Dislocation
The head of the bone becomes displaced at a joint
Recognition
- Pain and swelling at the site of the injury
- Deformity; may look odd and out of position
- Inability to move the joint
- Possible associated fracture
Management
- Support in a position comfortable for the patient
- Apply an ice pack or cold compress (not directly on the skin)
- Elevate if possible
- Treat for shock
- Take to Emergency department or 999
- DO NOT try to put a dislocated joint back into place
Fracture
A break in the continuity of a bone’s structure
The types
- Open – fracture accompanied by open wound by the fracture site
- Closed – where the skin around the fracture is not broken
- Complicated – fracture accompanied by serious injury to internal organs or where more than one fracture to the bone
- Green stick – bone is split but not completely severed
Recognition
- Pain near the site
- Loss of power/sensation
- Un-natural movement
- Swelling/bruising at or near the site
- Deformity – shortening, rotation ,change in the curvature of the limb
- Irregularity – lumps or depression along the surface
- Crepitus – grating of the bone
- Tenderness around the site of the injury
Management
- DO NOT move the casualty
- DO NOT give anything to eat or drink
- Support the injury by holding and padding
- Treat for shock
- Dial 999
- Cover any open wounds with a sterile dressing
Fractured ribs
Recognition
- Pain is immediate and severe
- Breathing or coughing will give pain at the site of the fracture
- Fast shallow breathing
- Pale and clammy skin
- Cyanosis
- Uneven chest movements
- Sound of air being drawn into wound
Management
- If sucking chest wound cover with an airtight pad taped on three sides to stop air entry but allowing it to escape
- If they become unconscious place in the recovery position with the injured side lowest
- Fractured ribs are more uncomfortable than serious