1 TRIAGE
Exercises
2 CONTROLLING BLEEDING FROM AN EXTREMITY
Section I. General
Section II. Controlling External Bleeding From a
Wound on an Extremity
Section III. Applying an Improvised Tourniquet
Section IV. Controlling Bleeding From an Amputation
Section V. Treating Internal Bleeding in an
Extremity
Exercises
3 TREATING CHEST INJURIES.
Section I. General
Section II. Treating Open Chest Wounds
Section III. Treating Closed Chest Injuries
Exercises
4 TREATING ABDOMINAL INJURIES
Section I. General
Section II. Treating Open Abdominal Wounds
Section III. Treating an Acute Abdomen
Exercises
5 TREATING HEAD INJURIES
Section I. Open and Closed Head Injuries
Section II. Treating Open Head Wounds
Section III. Treating Other Injuries
Exercises
6 TREATING BURNS
Section I. General
Section II. Treating Thermal Burns
Section III. Treating Electrical Burns
Section IV. Treating Chemical Burns
Section V. Treating Radiant Energy Burns
Exercises
7 TREATING HYPOVOLEMIC SHOCK
Exercises
8 TREATING SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
Exercises.
1-1. GENERAL
1-2. TRIAGE PROCEDURES
Triage means sorting. In general, triage consists of
the following steps.
a. Perform a General Survey of the Scene.
A general survey of the scene
(paragraph 1-3) allows you to locate the casualties and determine how
many casualties are present. You should also determine if the
casualties must be moved to a place of safety before providing
treatment. Determine if other soldiers are available to provide
assistance (buddy-aid).
b. Anticipate Types of Injuries.
You can anticipate the types of
injuries you will most likely find based upon the cause (mechanism) of
the injuries.
(1) Parachute (airborne) operations often result in
fractured legs and spinal injuries.
(2) Diving accidents often result in head and neck
injuries.
(3) Motor vehicle accidents often result in head,
neck, chest, and pelvic injuries.
(4) Blunt trauma to the chest often results in
fractured ribs, pneumothorax, and hemothorax.
c. Move Casualties to Safety, if Appropriate.
If the casualties' lives are in
immediate danger (exposed to enemy fire, near a burning vehicle, and
so forth) remove the casualties and yourself from the danger before
treating the casualties.
If a casualty is near a live electrical power line,
remove the casualty from the electrical source before administering
treatment. [This and other safety procedures concerning burns are
given in Lesson 6.]
d. Perform
Primary Surveys. Perform a primary survey (paragraph 1-4)
of each casualty.
(1) If you find a condition which immediately
threatens the casualty's life and which can be quickly corrected
(lack of breathing, massive bleeding from an arm or leg, hypovolemic
shock, etc.), stop your survey and treat it immediately. After the
condition has been treated, complete your primary survey. Obtain
assistance from other soldiers if the military situation permits.
NOTE: Combat lifesavers are nonmedical
soldiers who have received training in advanced first aid.
(2) After completing the primary survey on one
casualty, perform a primary survey on the next casualty. Continue
until a primary survey has been performed on all casualties.
e. Perform
Secondary Surveys. Once all immediate life-threatening
conditions have been identified and treated, perform secondary surveys
(paragraph 1-5) on the casualties as time and the military situation
permit.
f. Categorize
and Treat Casualties. Categorize the casualties (paragraphs
1-6 and 1-7) and treat accordingly. If a life-threatening condition
arises (immediate category), stop the secondary survey or treatment
and treat the life-threatening condition immediately.
g. Document
Treatment. Initiate a DD Form 1380, U.S. Field Medical Card
(FMC), for each casualty. Record the treatment given and observations
(vital signs, and so forth).
NOTE: Instructions for preparing the FMC
are given in Subcourse MD0920, Medical Records and Sick Call
Procedures.
h. Evacuate Casualties.
Evacuate casualties who need additional treatment or evaluation.
Attach the FMC to the casualty's clothing prior to evacuation. (NOTE:
Evacuation procedures are discussed in Subcourse MD0001, Evacuation in
the Field.) Casualties who do not require evacuation can be returned
to duty or used to assist in treatment and evacuation.
From Tactical Combat
Casualty Care and Wound Treatment
