Task
Apply a dressing to a casualty with an open chest wound.
Conditions
Given a simulated casualty with an open chest wound. The casualty is breathing. The casualty’s first aid packet is available.
Standard
Apply a dressing to the wound, following the correct sequence without causing further injury to the casualty. Make sure that the wound is properly sealed and that the dressing is firmly secured without interfering with breathing. Score a GO on the performance checklist.
Site Preparation
Use the same field dressing repeatedly. Prepare the field dressing outer wrapper or provide a piece of airtight material (plastic, cellophane, foil). Have another soldier act as the casualty. Use a moulage or otherwise simulate the chest wound.
Student Equipment
Field Dressing (s)
Tape
Cravat
Scenario
Tell the soldier to do, in order, all necessary first aid steps to treat the casualty’s wound, Tell the soldier that there is no exit wound. When testing step 1, you can vary the test by telling the soldier that clothing is stuck to the wound or that a chemical environment exists. Do not evaluate step 13 in the simulated mode.
|
Performance Measures |
Results | |
|
1. Exposes wound. |
Go |
No-go |
|
2. Opens field dressing plastic wrapper to create a flat surface without touching the inside surface of the plastic wrapper. |
Go |
No-go |
|
3. Places inside surface of plastic wrapper over wound when casualty exhales. |
Go |
No-go |
|
4. Ensures that plastic wrapper extends at least 2 inches beyond the edges of the wound. (Obtains and applies other airtight material to seal wound, if needed.). |
Go |
No-go |
|
5. Tapes three sides of wrapper. |
Go |
No-go |
|
6. Applies white side of field dressing over plastic wrapper. |
Go |
No-go |
|
7. Secures dressing with bandage. |
Go |
No-go |
|
8. Ties tails in a non-slip knot over the center of the dressing. |
Go |
No-go |
|
9. Bandages tight enough to keep dressing in proper position without restricting casualty's breathing. |
Go |
No-go |
|
10. Applies manual pressure over wound (5 to 10 minutes if practical). |
Go |
No-go |
|
11. Positions casualty on injured side or, if casualty desires, sitting up and leaning against a support. |
Go |
No-go |
|
12. Checks for tension pneumothorax. (If found, lifts seal, lets air escape, reseals wound, and secures seal.) |
Go |
No-go |
|
13. Watch the casualty closely for life-threatening conditions and check for other injuries, if necessary. |
Go |
No-go |
|
14. OVERALL EVALUATION |
Go |
No-go |
Score the student GO if all performance measures are go. Score the student NO GO if any performance measure is no-go. If the student scores a NO GO, show the student what was done wrong and how to do it correctly.