FRACTURES – FIRST AID AND VIDEOS
General Treatment
Casualties with fractures should not be moved unless it is absolutely necessary. Make the casualty as comfortable as possible, steady the part by hand or with padding and await the arrival of skilled help. If you must move the casualty do so carefully and gently to avoid further injury and increased pain.
Specific fractures are dealt with individually later in the chapter. However, the general rules for treatment of any fracture are as follows:
- Conduct a Primary & Secondary Survey
- Call for help & EMS – transport to hospital
- Treat the injury in the position you find it
- DO NOT re-align or straighten a limb
- Immobilize injury with soft, bulky padding
- If bone is protruding, treat as an impaled object
- Apply ice pack around affected area – if possible
- Only move patient once limb is in a splint or sling
- Treat patient for shock
NB A fractured limb may be so deformed that it will be impossible to apply bandages or splints without some re-alignment of the limb. In this case carefully and gently apply traction to the end of the limb and straighten it as far as the casualty will allow causing as little pain as possible.