I came across an unconscious woman - what should I do?
Discussion
I was out in the forest the other morning when I saw a figure collapsed on the path with a dog by its side
As I got there it was a woman in her early 30s. She was on her side and alive but unconscious so I checked her airways were clear and rang 999. She was already on her side and didn't want to move her and there was no need to.
I checked the dog for an address or phone number but nothing, it wasn't sure whether it wanted to wag its tail or bite me.
I rummaged through her pockets and found her phone which had an emergency screen saying she was type 1 diabetic and an emergency contact number which I rang. Her husband answered and when I told him where I was, he said he was on his way.
The ambulance arrived and they had her sorted and conscious in about 15 minutes.
Is there anything I should have done differently?
As I got there it was a woman in her early 30s. She was on her side and alive but unconscious so I checked her airways were clear and rang 999. She was already on her side and didn't want to move her and there was no need to.
I checked the dog for an address or phone number but nothing, it wasn't sure whether it wanted to wag its tail or bite me.
I rummaged through her pockets and found her phone which had an emergency screen saying she was type 1 diabetic and an emergency contact number which I rang. Her husband answered and when I told him where I was, he said he was on his way.
The ambulance arrived and they had her sorted and conscious in about 15 minutes.
Is there anything I should have done differently?
Sounds like you did a great job 
If you're regularly out and about on your own, it might pay to get on a first response course/workshop. They'll cover the basics of mouth to mouth, CPR, bleeding control. In all honesty, anything more serious that that and you're gonna be getting the pros in.
If you're regularly out and about on your own, it might pay to get on a first response course/workshop. They'll cover the basics of mouth to mouth, CPR, bleeding control. In all honesty, anything more serious that that and you're gonna be getting the pros in.
It's likely she would have been wearing a talisman necklace or bracelet with emergency information but you found what was needed and did the right thing:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Accidents-and-first-a...
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Accidents-and-first-a...
Good suggestion re the first response course. I've only recently moved to this rural location so it could come in useful. We had an RAF helicopter drop out of the sky the other month which could have been nasty but thankfully no injuries.
A friend of mine found somebody who had hung themselves. Luckily found him blue but still alive.
Re the necklace, I wouldn't have found it as she was dressed for walking in the cold and I felt uncomfortable enough rummaging in her pockets. If anything, she seemed over dressed for the temperature as I was just in a thin long sleeved shirt and not cold.
Very good point about the necklace though as if this kind of thing happens again, I won't be so reluctant to invade personal space. They could be dying.
The frightening thing was that she looked so healthy with no obvious signs of external injuries and at first had no idea what could have happened to her. The possibility of being diabetic hadn't entered my head.
A friend of mine found somebody who had hung themselves. Luckily found him blue but still alive.
Re the necklace, I wouldn't have found it as she was dressed for walking in the cold and I felt uncomfortable enough rummaging in her pockets. If anything, she seemed over dressed for the temperature as I was just in a thin long sleeved shirt and not cold.
Very good point about the necklace though as if this kind of thing happens again, I won't be so reluctant to invade personal space. They could be dying.
The frightening thing was that she looked so healthy with no obvious signs of external injuries and at first had no idea what could have happened to her. The possibility of being diabetic hadn't entered my head.
Shoegrip said:
Very good point about the necklace though as if this kind of thing happens again, I won't be so reluctant to invade personal space. They could be dying.
The first aid course I went on said to give a commentary of what you're doing so if they're unconscious but aware of voices they don't worry about what you're doing, ie. just say "I'm just going to check if you've got an emergency necklace on", or "I'll just look in your pockets for your phone to see if there's emergency contact details on it".I went on a st johns ambulance first aid at work course as I was worried about my lack of first aid
The course just centered around finding someone unconscious/on the ground and then what to do , was good and insightful
Well a week after doing the course..walking my dogs I think "whys that lady lying on the ground..by her car" ..."oh s
t she is unconscious" and had to put what I learnt into practice
She was ok, but it was quite a challenges, lots of people offered to help, but some completely fell apart and didnt even know the number 999 when I asked them to call an ambulance!! Other people just ignored her and carried on walking!!
Sounds like you did well OP , some handy hints on this thread as well
The course just centered around finding someone unconscious/on the ground and then what to do , was good and insightful
Well a week after doing the course..walking my dogs I think "whys that lady lying on the ground..by her car" ..."oh s
t she is unconscious" and had to put what I learnt into practice She was ok, but it was quite a challenges, lots of people offered to help, but some completely fell apart and didnt even know the number 999 when I asked them to call an ambulance!! Other people just ignored her and carried on walking!!
Sounds like you did well OP , some handy hints on this thread as well
FunkyNige said:
Shoegrip said:
Very good point about the necklace though as if this kind of thing happens again, I won't be so reluctant to invade personal space. They could be dying.
The first aid course I went on said to give a commentary of what you're doing so if they're unconscious but aware of voices they don't worry about what you're doing, ie. just say "I'm just going to check if you've got an emergency necklace on", or "I'll just look in your pockets for your phone to see if there's emergency contact details on it".When I posted this, I was wondering whether it is best to move them or not. As it was, she didn't need moving much.
Myself & my OH found a woman passed out in a field a while ago, looked like she had been drinking (bottle of wine in her open handbag) but she claimed she'd been attacked by a dog (her leg was bleeding slightly) so we called an ambulance & stayed with her until it arrived.
Trying to keep somebody in the recovery position on a slope was fun (neither of us have any 1st aid training).
She had been ignored by various dog walkers before we stepped in & it was getting towards dusk.
Trying to keep somebody in the recovery position on a slope was fun (neither of us have any 1st aid training).
She had been ignored by various dog walkers before we stepped in & it was getting towards dusk.
You did all the right things, well done for actually stepping up and doing something.
Only thing id say, is be cautious of dangers as you approach and interact with someone unconscious, you don't know how they got in that state and your own safety is your main concern.
http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice/what-to...
http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice/what-to...
Only thing id say, is be cautious of dangers as you approach and interact with someone unconscious, you don't know how they got in that state and your own safety is your main concern.
http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice/what-to...
http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice/what-to...
You did fine mate. If you find a diabetic that is unconscious (assuming it's because they have very low blood sugar), unless you happen to have a glucagon kit on you, there is nothing you can do to bring them round. Keep them on their side to make sure they keep breathing and phone for help.
Once they've been found and they are still breathing, a diabetic coma is not likely to cause any more issues than it already has. Glucagon/dextrose works very fast so don't try ramming sugar in their mouth. You can absorb sugar through the gumline but maintaining the airway is much more important.
Once they've been found and they are still breathing, a diabetic coma is not likely to cause any more issues than it already has. Glucagon/dextrose works very fast so don't try ramming sugar in their mouth. You can absorb sugar through the gumline but maintaining the airway is much more important.
I have stopped three times in the last 4 years on the roads of Cumbria to rescue people.
I once saved an unconscious bloke's life, having seen his Ford Fiesta get hit side on by a Jag at 70mph. I stood in a ditch holding on to him, in my suit and brand-new-on-that-morning shoes, for 20 minutes.
The last time was last week when I helped a woman free of her totalled vehicle after she was in collision with a tanker lorry.
I've got a nice collection of thank you letters from Traffic Police.
I am an ATLS Instructor and ALS trained too, so there's plenty possible at the roadside, but do you know what, I have only ever done simple things like Chin-Lift and Jaw-Thrust. Never had to slide a biro down or crack a chest with my Leatherman.
OP: Good on you, bask in the knowledge that you are going to heaven for your actions. Then feel slightly cheesed off when you realise none of your mates will be there.....
I once saved an unconscious bloke's life, having seen his Ford Fiesta get hit side on by a Jag at 70mph. I stood in a ditch holding on to him, in my suit and brand-new-on-that-morning shoes, for 20 minutes.
The last time was last week when I helped a woman free of her totalled vehicle after she was in collision with a tanker lorry.
I've got a nice collection of thank you letters from Traffic Police.
I am an ATLS Instructor and ALS trained too, so there's plenty possible at the roadside, but do you know what, I have only ever done simple things like Chin-Lift and Jaw-Thrust. Never had to slide a biro down or crack a chest with my Leatherman.
OP: Good on you, bask in the knowledge that you are going to heaven for your actions. Then feel slightly cheesed off when you realise none of your mates will be there.....
The_Doc said:
OP: Good on you, bask in the knowledge that you are going to heaven for your actions. Then feel slightly cheesed off when you realise none of your mates will be there.....
Doubt I'll be going to heaven. When she sent me a text thanking me for helping I told her it was nothing - anyone would have done the same thing and it was lucky she only had an iPhone 5 because if it would have been a 7 I would have just robbed her and left her. (Only joking about that last bit - it would have had to be a 7 plus for me to do that )The_Doc said:
I've got a nice collection of thank you letters from Traffic Police.
You've done better than me, I've been 1st at the scene of a RTC on a few occasions & have helped out whilst waiting up to 25mins for TrafPol to arrive, never even been thanked! Thankfully nobody was seriously injured at any of them Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff