What is the difference between poisoning and accidental first aid

The most essential difference between the two is that the priority of tracing the cause of the disease and the target of intervention are completely different. To put it bluntly, in accident first aid, the "injury" is treated first, and in poisoning first aid, the "poison" is first treated.

On a mission with 120 last month, we received two calls for help in the same residential area. One was an accidental injury caused by an electric scooter that fell into a green belt while dodging pedestrians. When he was delivered, his cheekbone was bruised and his face was covered in blood. On the way, we applied a hemostatic pack, checked whether there was any misalignment of the cervical vertebrae, and checked for the risk of airway obstruction. We had no time to ask whether he was hiding from people or if the brakes were malfunctioning. Let's eliminate the fatal risk first. The other was that an old lady from the same community became dizzy and vomited after drinking the "Tu Sanqi" soaked wine given by her neighbor. As soon as we entered the door, we dug through the remaining half bottle of wine and the dregs of the soaked wine, grabbed the samples and took them to the hospital. On the way, we greeted colleagues from the emergency gastroenterology department to prepare for the corresponding treatment in advance, and even the warm water to induce vomiting was prepared in advance.

It seems that the two scenes are very different. When it comes to getting busy, many people will confuse the logic of the two. The logic of accidental first aid is to "deal with it first and then investigate the cause." It's a bit like using a basin to catch a leak at home or using a cloth to seal the cracks. Wait until the rain stops and then check whether the roof is cracked or the water pipe burst. Even if it is finally found that the patient fell due to a sudden myocardial infarction, it does not affect the early treatment of the trauma caused by the fall. The logic of poisoning is just the opposite. It is to "find the cause first and then deal with it accurately." Just like if there is a pest in your home, you must first find out whether it is a cockroach or a termite, so that you can choose the right medicine to be effective. If you spray it randomly, you may drive the poisonous pest to a more hidden corner, or even damage the furniture in your home.

Of course, there are a lot of controversies in the first aid community now, especially when encountering cases of unexplained coma. One group advocates following the procedures of accidental first aid, measuring vital signs first, and performing CPR when necessary, and do not delay the prime rescue time to find the cause; My habit is to pay attention to both sides when I'm on a mission. While taking out samples, I keep monitoring the vital signs on my hand. Anyway, if I waste two more seconds, I might be able to save a life.

I have encountered panicked family members who brought someone here before. They only said that the person collapsed suddenly. We handled it according to the accident procedure for ten minutes before we smelled the smell of organophosphorus pesticides on his sleeves. After further questioning, we found out that he had an argument at home in the morning and secretly drank half a bottle of dichlorvos, which caused the delay. In these ten minutes, the pulmonary edema had already set in, and I was rescued in the ICU for half a month but still couldn't keep it. After that, whenever I encountered an unexplained coma when I went to the emergency room, I would first scan the table for empty bottles and any suspicious medicine bags in the garbage bags when I entered the door. It never hurts to be more cautious.

In fact, to be honest, the two are not completely separated. Whether it is poisoning or an accident, the ultimate goal is to rescue people. It is just a matter of adjusting the priority according to the situation on the scene. When it comes to a critical moment, it is enough to respond flexibly.