All first aid advice provided on this page is from the Scout book. The authors of this page are not medical professionals and do not claim the following to be medical advice. Get advice from a medical professional before performing any procedure. To complete this requirement you must show how you should treat each of the listed injuries that does not mean the person you are treating must actually be injured. Before performing any first aid, when practical, make sure to wash or sanitize your hands and wear disposable latex-free gloves. Wash your hands after treating someone. Before performing any first aid, evaluate the situation and make sure that it is safe for you to perform first aid.
Wash the scrape or cut with soap and water, and, if the injured individual is not allergic, treat with an antibiotic ointment and cover with a sterile bandage. Change the bandage every day or as needed. Make sure the wound stays dry and does not get infected. The wound might be infected if it is red, warm, tender, swollen, or has a green or yellow fluid. Consult a doctor if infected or you see red streaks around the infection.
Popping a blister is not recommended as it can increase the chance of infection. Cut a piece of moleskin to slightly larger than the size of the blister and place on the blister. If a blister does pop, sterilize it and place moleskin on the area. If you are going to continue the activity that caused the blister or are going to do an activity that may cause the blister to pop, drain the fluid by pricking it with a sterilized needle (sterilize it over the flame of a match or in hydrogen peroxide) and keeping the area bandaged.
A minor burn or scald may be caused by a sunburn or touching something hot for a short time, like a stove. The best treatment for minor burns is to prevent them in the first place (wear sunscreen, use an oven mitt or hot pad when touching something hot). In the case that you or someone around you does get a minor burn, the area will be tender and could appear red. Hold the burned area under cold water or use a cool compress until the area is no longer painful. Do not use ice, it could further the damage to the skin. You can also apply aloe vera to the affected area.
Tick bites may be common, but they must be treated as soon as they are noticed. Using a tick removal tool such as a pair of tweezers, grab the tick as close to the head as possible and gently pull until the tick is loose. Do not squeeze, jerk, or twist the tick, that may cause the head of the tick to break off in the skin. Wash the bite with soap and water and apply an antiseptic. Sterilize the tool used to remove the tick after use.
Chiggers can cause very intense itching. Use calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream on the affected area to relieve itching. Nail polish, rubbing alcohol, and bleach will not affect the chiggers, so avoid using any of these.
Spider bites, for the most part, only cause minor pain, itching, or swelling, but some bites can cause serious medical conditions. Clean the bite area with soap and water and use an ice pack to reduce pain and swelling. The person who was bit might exhibit shock symptoms, so treat accordingly. If any more serious symptoms present themselves, consult a doctor.
Bee or hornet stings can be very painful. Remove the stinger by scraping with something flat, such as a credit card. Squeezing the stinger will cause it to inject more venom, therefore you should try to avoid this. Use ice to reduce the pain and swelling. For some individuals, bee or hornet stings can cause a potentially deadly symptom known as anaphylactic shock, or cause difficult breathing. If the injured individual is experiencing anaphylactic shock, call 911 immediately and treat with an Epi Pen if the person is carrying one.
The first step in treating someone who has been bit is to keep them calm and then call 911. If you have time before emergency services arrive you should gently wash the bite with soap and water and remove any jewelry or restrictive clothing, as the affected area will swell. Do your best to keep the person who was bit calm. You may treat for shock but do not elevate the limb that was bit.
While a bloody nose might look bad, if it is not caused by an injury, will usually stop on its own. Have the affected person lean forward and pinch their nose just below the bone. You can also hold a cold compress to the nose. After 10 minutes, check to see if the bleeding has stopped. If the bleeding hasn't stopped after 15 minutes, seek medical attention.
Frostbite occurs when skin has been exposed to cold conditions long enough to freeze. Signs include gray and white patches on the skin. The first step is to remove the person from the cold conditions as best as you are able, such as taking them to a tent or building. You should then have them hold the affected area close to their body to warm it up. If the frostbite is severe, get the person into dry clothing (if their clothing is wet), wrap them in a blanket, and get them to a doctor. When the risk of refreezing is gone, warm the area by placing it in warm water (not hot) until the skin regains a normal color. Do not re-warm the affected area by placing them near a fire or heater, this could cause more damage. Treat sunburn as you would treat a minor burn (see Minor Burns or Scalds)
Choking is a hurry case that must be treated without delay. Immediately ask someone to call 911. If the person choking can cough, speak, or breathe, some air is making its way to their lungs, encourage them to cough up the obstruction. If there is no airflow, you will need to perform the Heimlich maneuver. If the individual is conscious, stand behind them and place your arm across their chest and shoulder; firmly strike their back between the shoulder blades five times. If this does not work, continue to the next steps. Stand behind them and place your arms around their waist. Make a fist with one hand and place the thumb against their body just below the rib cage. Thrust your clasped hand inward and upward with enough force to pop loose the obstruction. Continue until the object is no longer blocking airflow, medical professionals arrive, or they have lost consciousness. If they are no longer conscious, lower them to the ground carefully and put on gloves if available. See if there is an obstruction you can remove from their mouth. If you cannot remove the object, carefully tilt their head and neck back and perform CPR. If you are not CPR certified, do not perform CPR unless instructed to by medical professionals (911 operator). Treat the individual for shock until medical help arrives.