This document outlines how to respond to various medical emergencies that may occur with residents. It describes how to assess the situation and victim, call for help, provide first aid such as CPR, and document the incident. Key steps include controlling bleeding, not moving potential spine injuries, cooling minor burns with water, giving food for low blood sugar, and immediately alerting nurses about strokes, seizures, or impending medical issues. The overall message is to remain calm, seek help, and safely assist the resident until emergency responders arrive.

1. Many kinds of emergencies
• Heart attacks
• Accidents
Assess the situation - Is it safe?
Assess the victim
• If unconscious, try to get a response, if no
response, call for help…911

2. Always get help, Call the nurse
Stay with the resident
Start CPR, if necessary, until help comes,
and they take over
If you witness someone go unconscious,
note the time. This will be important for
documentation

3.  Assess the situation
• Safe
• Resident: conscious or unconscious –” Are you ok?”
• Breathing? Heart beat?
• Look, listen, and feel
 Start CPR, if needed
• Latest guidelines indicate priority is chest
compressions.
• No circulation leads to brain damage and death

4. Definition: Obstructed airway
• Airway is blocked, person can’t breathe
• If person can cough or speak, they do not have an
obstructed airway…”are you choking?” If yes,
then…
• Call light, yell out for help, do not leave resident
• 5 sharp back blows, abdominal thrusts – Heimlich
Maneuver
• Continue until airway clears or person
unconscious
• Report and document

5. Definition:
• Decreased blood flow to organs
Cause:
• Heart attack, injury, severe infection
• Dangerous, life-threatening emergency
Signs:
• Pale or bluish skin color
• Rapid pulse and respirations
• Low blood pressure (suddenly)

6.  Call for help!!
 Have person lie down on back; this raises the blood pressure
 If bleeding from mouth, place on side to avoid choking
 Control bleeding (pressure)
 Remain calm, keep resident calm
 Elevate feet unless head or abdominal injury, breathing problems, or
fractured bone or back.
 Elevate head and shoulders if breathing problems or head wound.
 Report and document.

7. Definition:
• Heart muscle not getting enough oxygen because
of blocked blood vessel
Signs:
• Sudden chest pain
• Jaw pain, arm pain, neck or back pain, chest
pressure
• “Indigestion” or heart burn feeling
• Nausea, vomiting, breathing difficulty (dyspnea)
• Pale, cold, clammy skin

8.  Call for help!!
 Loosen clothing, encourage rest
 Reassure
 Do not give liquids or food
 Stay with resident
 Report and document

9. Put on gloves…take the time to do this.
Bleeding must be controlled…loss can be
life-threatening
Apply pressure with towel, thick pad, until
help arrives
Raise wound above heart level, if able
Stay with resident until help arrives
Report and document

10. Notify the nurse
Check for bottle or container to indicate
what resident has eaten or taken
Poison control
Report and document

11. 3 types of burns:
• 1st degree: just outer layer of skin
 Red, painful, swollen, no blisters
• 2nd degree: Injury extends to next layer of skin
 Red, painful, swollen, blisters
• 3rd degree: all 3 layers of skin
 Injury may extend to bone
 Nerves destroyed, no pain
 Skin may appear white, shiny, hard

12.  Minor burn (1st degree)
• Cool water, not ice, prevents further injury
• Dampen cloth and place over area
• May cover with sterile gauze
• No ointment
 More serious burns:
• Remove resident from burn source
• Call for help
• Check for breathing problems or rapid pulse
• Do not apply water
• Cover burn with sterile gauze, if available
• Have person lay down and elevate affected part if does not cause
further discomfort
• Stay with resident until help arrives

13. • Caused by decreased blood flow to brain
Symptoms before fainting:
• Dizzy, pale, weak pulse
What to do?
• Have person lie or sit down before faints
• Bend forward, put head between knees
• If flat, elevate legs

14. Loosen tight clothing
Stay with person until help comes
Report and document
If fainting occurs:
• Lower to floor or position on back
• Call for help
• Elevate legs
• Loosen tight clothing
• Check to make sure breathing
• Report and document

15. Have person sit up, lean forward
Gloves
Firm pressure over bridge of nose
Tell nurse
Report and document

16. Hypoglycemia – low blood sugar
• Too much insulin or too little food (see handout)
Symptoms:
• Dizziness, sweating, confusion, feels shaky,
headache, cold clammy skin
What to do?
• Give food, orange juice

17. Caused by abnormality in brain
Can be result of high fever
What to do?
• Call nurse
• Keep resident safe, provide pillows under head,
lay on side, prevent injury
• Do not place hands in mouth or put anything
between teeth of resident
• Stay with resident until seizure if over
• Report and document

18. Warning sign of impending stroke
Temporary lack of oxygen to brain
Symptoms
• Facial droop, sudden weakness, numbness,
slurred speech, headache
What to do?
• Tell nurse right away. If in resident’s home, call
911

19. May be specific to area of country
Tornados, hurricanes, lightning storms,
floods, blackouts
Need to become familiar with disaster
protocols of facility and region