1. Firecat143

    Firecat143 New Member

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    Paramedic and Shock?

    Discussion in 'Research' started by Firecat143, Mar 26, 2016.

    Ok so I'm writing a story and a few characters are trapped in an elevator. Character A has cleithrophobia (and if your wondering why she was in the elevator anyways it's because the doors that lead to the stairs are loked. It's after hours.) and the building is on fire. By the time the fire department and paramedics get there she has gone into shock. What exacw would the paramedics do now that she is in shock? Thanks on advance for any answers. :)
     
  2. Midge23

    Midge23 Active Member

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    I'm a UK para. Generally it would be reassurance only - removing them from the cause of the stress is the most important thing.

    Clinical shock is lack of perfusion of the tissues, so you can have shock from blood loss for example. The treatment there, apart from plugging the leak, is oxygen and IV fluid to raise the blood pressure to a point where perfusion is adequate.
    I say the above as 'shock' is often used to discribe someone who is upset/panicking.
    Severe emotional upset/stress can cause the blood pressure to drop, and so lead to lack of perfusion of the tissues, so it is possible for a patient to be clinically shocked from the situation you discribe, but it would be rare in my experience. They would most likely be hyperventilating (excessively high breathing rate).
    Either way, getting them out and calm is the key.
    They may need a lot of physical assistance, carrying, and then laying them down as they could be in such an emotional state they would not respond to instruction and be incapable of self-rescue.

    If, at any point, they had breathed in smoke, they would get given high-flow oxygen (15 litres per minute, from a non-rebreather mask - has a bag underneath, which you can see expanding and contracting as they breath).
    This is to try and clear their blood of any carbon monoxide they may have breathed in, and is pretty standard treatment for smoke inhalation.

    On a side note, I would be smashing down doors, throwing chairs through windows, need to believe my death was absolutely imminent, before I would get in a lift in a building fire.
    If smoke gets into the lift shaft chances are the paramedics will be filling out the 'my patient is dead' forms.

    Hope that gives some food for thought.
     
    Firecat143 likes this.

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