Question

List 1) injury/illness, 2) mechanism of injury, 3) signs/symptoms, and 4) emergency care for each of the following situations:

Drug overdose

Diabetic coma (hyperglycemia)

Insulin shock (hypoglycemia)

Internal bleeding

Seizures

Fainting

Answer 1

“Injury” means mental or physical harm to an employee caused by accident or disease.

It is damage to or destruction of artificial members, dental appliances, teeth, hearing aids and eyeglasses, but, in the case of hearing aids or eyeglasses, only if such damage or destruction resulted from accident which also caused personal injury entitling the employee to compensation therefore either for disability or treatment.

Mechanism of injury, or MOI, refers to the method by which damage (trauma) to skin, muscles, organs, and bones occurs.

Long falls are just one type of mechanism of injury that is used in emergency medicine.

Mechanism of injury, or MOI, refers to the method by which damage (trauma) to skin, muscles, organs, and bones occurs. Health care providers use MOI to help determine how likely it is that a serious injury has occurred.

The manner in which a physical injury occurred (e.g., fall from a height, ground-level fall, high- or low-speed motor vehicle accident, ejection from a vehicle, vehicle rollover). The MOI is used to estimate the forces involved in trauma and, thus, the potential severity for wounding, fractures, and internal organ damage that a patient may suffer as a result of the injury.

Mechanism of injury:

Primary injury-Direct/ extrinsic injury

-Indirect/intrinsic injury

- overuse injury-acute repetitive friction

- chronic repetitive microfatigue

Secondary injury- short term- primary injury mismanaged

-long term- degenerative problems

TISSUE BASED INJURIES

SOFT TISSUE-skin and deep fascia

Muscle and Tandon

Joint and other structures

Muscle compartments

HARD TISSUE- bone fracture

Periostitis

Stress fractures

Hyaline articulation and epiphysal cartilage injuries

Trauma starts with the transfer of energy to the body from an outside force. The transfer of kinetic energy may be blunt or sharp in nature. In addition to blunt and sharp mechanisms, there is the situation of thermal energy in the form of heat, cold, or chemical agent, which generates the heat or cold. With the event of more frequent war-like situations, blast injuries and other mass casualty events are more common from improvised explosive devices (IED) or other mass disasters.

SIGN AND SYMPTOMS OF INJURY

• Joint Pain. Joint pain, particularly in the joints of the knee, ankle, elbow and wrist, should never be ignored. ...
• Tenderness. ...
• Swelling. ...
• Reduced Range of Motion. ...
• Weakness.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OF DRUG OVERDOSES

• Check the person’s breathing and heart rate.
• If the person is unconscious, try to get a response. Ask the person questions to assess their level of alertness and to calmly keep them engaged, if possible.3
• If the person is not breathing, turn them on their side.3
• If you are medically qualified to do so, provide CPR if necessary.4
• Give first aid as directed by 911 operators.3
• Do not allow the person to take any more of the substance.
• Obtain as much information as possible, including the dose and the last time the person took the drug.
• If prescription medications or otherwise labeled substances have been used, take the container with you to the ER, even if it is empty.
• Make note of any identifying paraphernalia, or bring along any containers of other drugs or substances the person may have taken.
• Do not try to reason with the person or give your opinions about the situation.
• Stay as calm as possible while waiting for medical personnel arrive.
• Assure the person that help is coming.

DIABETIC COMA A diabetic coma is a life-threatening diabetes complication that causes unconsciousness. If you have diabetes, dangerously high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can lead to a diabetic coma.  

1. Intravenous fluids to restore water to your tissues.
2. Potassium, sodium or phosphate supplements to help your cells function correctly.
3. Insulin to help your tissues absorb the glucose in your blood.
4. Treatment for any underlying infections.
5. INSULIN SHOCK

6. Treating insulin shock

   Call 911, particularly if the person is unconscious. ... Don't give an unconscious person something to swallow as they may choke on it. Administer an injection of glucagon if the person is unconscious, if you have it. If you don't have glucagon, emergency personnel will have some.