FIRST AID FOR GUNSHOT WOUNDS (GSW)

In our life time we might never have to contend with a situation were we have to provide help to a gunshot victim, but what about if it happens!? Are we going to be unable to help prevent a preventable death? Be prepared. Knowledge is power. Gunshot wounds (GSW)- (wounds sustained from bullets fired from a gun), can be fatal depending on-

1) Part of body affected

2) Organ(s) affected

3) How long it takes to get adequate medical help

Now this means that not all GSW are fatal or have to be fatal, sometimes fatality from GSW is preventable. The causes of preventable deaths from GSW are:

1) Compromise of the airway system

2) Tension pneumothorax (air in the chest cavity, that can’t go out which causes the lungs to collapse)

3) Severe bleeding.

Surviving a gunshot wound depends greatly on how quickly a patient gets to a hospital. Ideally, a GSW patient should be on the way to a hospital in an ambulance within 10 minutes of being shot.

There may be an entry and an exit wound or just an entry wound, if the bullet is embedded in the victim. The bullet causes external as well as internal injuries, internal bleeding may also occur as well as bleeding that is externally evidenced. The probability of death is higher when GSW affects the head, neck, chest and abdomen, however depending on the depth of penetration of the bullet and organs affected, lives could still be saved. Let’s get out of that reasoning that nothing can be done. Let’s never give up or keep trying until we get the victim to a hospital or a medical professional says otherwise.

If you are an untrained medical professional and you are faced with the decision to give help to a gunshot victim, would you know what to do? Here are first aid tips on managing a victim with GSW before medical professional help is accessed.

1) Ensure you are safe; do not endanger your life in the process of rescue.

2) Call for help (medical help, if there is access to emergency medical service (EMS), they should be contacted.

3) Assess the victim, if victim is unconscious, commence cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) but ideally, priority is given to profuse bleeding over resuscitation. If victim is conscious, arrest the bleeding (If gloves are available put them on)

HOW TO ARREST BLEEDING

1. STOP THE BLEEDING

-Pressure is the most important thing. If blood is coming out of a hole, put a lot of pressure on it. For particularly bad bleeding, don't be afraid to use your knee and really lean on the wound hard.

-Use a dressing (gauze, towels, shirts, etc.) Dressings help the blood to clot and seal the wound.

-Use a tourniquet if you can. Professional tourniquets are great, but using them properly takes practice. It should be very uncomfortable if it's on correctly—maybe even painful. Improvised tourniquets fail often. So, if you don't have a commercial version, just hold pressure and really lean into it.

2. If the patient is not breathing, begin CPR.

3. Seal gunshot wounds to the chest with some type of plastic to keep air from being sucked into the wound. This helps prevent the development of a collapsed lung. If the patient begins complaining of worsening shortness of breath after sealing the wound, remove the seal.

If the bleeding is in the extremities, apply direct pressure, then elevate the wounded body part and if a pressure bandage is available, apply it.

CRUCIAL INFO

-Do not elevate legs to treat for shock if the GSW is above the waist (unless the gunshot wound is in the arm). GSW to the abdomen and chest will bleed more quickly once the legs are elevated, making it harder for the patient to breathe.

-Let conscious patients sit or lie in a position most comfortable for them. Unconscious patients should be placed in the recovery position.

-Never give the patient anything to eat or drink, including water.

-Keep victim warm by covering with clothes or blanket if available, as excessive blood loss can cause a drop in temperature.

-If you cannot immediately see the evidence of GSW, then the victim should be stripped and look all over his/her body for the GSW

Get the victim to professional medical treatment ASAP. There are all sorts of things that can go wrong. For one thing, if the bleeding won’t stop, surgery may be the only treatment that helps. Also, they may need blood transfusions. Neither of these is an option outside a medical facility.

#BeEmergencyReady

#BeSafe

#BeFABulouS

Just recently a friend of mine lost his brother. He got shot in the chest and tummy. Help didn’t come in on time, people around took off for their own safety; someone eventually took him to the hospital he was registered with, unbelievable that they refused to attend to him. They took him to a military hospital and they offered first aid treatment and referred him to the teaching hospital. He eventually died 11 hours after the time he was shot.

In the first week of September 2017, season 3 winner of the Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS) Hector was killed. Gun men went to his house, pumped bullets into him and ended his life. He was shot in the chest while his father was shot in the hand. One of his neighbors said he was immediately rushed to a hospital, but that over an hour later he did not receive quick medical response. He eventually died.

Could these guys have been alive today, probably yes? Why would a health care provider deny another human the chance to be alive? Is the issue of bringing a police report before a gunshot victim is attended to, helping preserve lives? Were those around the victims equipped with enough info to prevent a bad situation from getting worse or ending in death? That is what first aid knowledge does for you. It’s too disheartening that we are losing a hold on the sanctity of life and losing our humanity, turning our backs on our duty to help others. Be informed and equipped to help when duty calls.

The period between the GSW and the time it takes helpers to get the victim to access professional medical care is very crucial. If appropriate first aid is administered during this period, the survival chances of a GSW victim are greatly increased.

NOTE:

FIRST AID CARE DOES NOT ALWAYS RULE OUT INTERVENTION OF PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL CARE. FIRST AID SAVES LIVES, IT PREVENTS SITUATIONS FROM GETTING WORSE AND PROMOTES RECOVERY.