Accident types

• Car accident
• Motorcycle accident
• Work accident
• Public place accident
• Slip, trip or fall
• Head Injury
• Medical negligence
• Whiplash injury
• Back Injury
• Road Traffic Accident
• Crush Injury
• Construction Accidents
• Animal Attack Injury

Types of wounds

Open

Open wounds can be classified according to the object that caused the wound. The types
of open wound are:

• Incisions or incised wounds, caused by a clean, sharp-edged object such as a

knife, a razor or a glass splinter.
• Lacerations, irregular tear-like wounds caused by some blunt trauma. For
example, a blunt impact to soft tissue that lies over bone, or a tearing of skin and
other tissues caused by childbirth. Lacerations from blunt impacts may show
bridging, as connective tissue or blood vessels are flattened against the underlying
hard surface.[citation needed] The term laceration is commonly misused in reference to
incisions.
• Abrasions (grazes), superficial wounds in which the topmost layer of the skin
(the epidermis) is scraped off. Abrasions are often caused by a sliding fall onto a
rough surface.
• Puncture wounds, caused by an object puncturing the skin, such as a nail or
needle.
• Penetration wounds, caused by an object such as a knife entering the body.
• Gunshot wounds, caused by a bullet or similar projectile driving into or through
the body. There may be two wounds, one at the site of entry and one at the site of
exit, such is generally known as a through-and-through.

In a medical context, stab wounds and gunshot wounds are considered major wounds
Closed

Closed wounds have fewer categories, but are just as dangerous as open wounds. The
types of closed wounds are:

• Contusions, more commonly known as bruises, caused by blunt force trauma that
damages tissue under the skin.
• Hematomas, also called blood tumors, caused by damage to a blood vessel that in
turn causes blood to collect under the skin.
• Crushing injuries, caused by a great or extreme amount of force applied over a
long period of time.

Healing

heal a wound, the body undertakes a series of actions collectively known as the wound
healing process.

Infection

Bacterial infection of wound can impede the healing process and lead to life threatening
complications. Scientists at Sheffield University have identified a way of using light to
rapidly detect the presence of bacteria. They are developing a portable kit in which
specially designed molecules emit a light signal when bound to bacteria. Current
laboratory-based detection of bacteria can take hours or even days.

FIRST AID MEASURES FOR SHARPS, BITES AND SCRATCHES

Avoid injury from blood borne viruses

Adopt the following principles to prevent injury from blood borne biruses

• Treat all blood as potentially dangerous

• Remember anyone can be infected with HIV, Hepatitis B and C virus and anyone can be
involved in an accident
• Wear gloves where contact with blood/body fluids is expected
• Wash hands before and after using gloves
• Take sharps box and injection to the patient
• Dispose of the needle and syringe immediately after use into the sharps box with the
needle pointing downwards
• Ensure you know which patients are known “biters and scratchers” and treat them with
caution
• Cover all body fluid spillages with “Virkon” granules and leave for 10 minutes. Brush up
and dispose of into clinical waste bag/bin
• If you are at risk of exposure to blood and/or body fluids consider Hepatitis B
immunisation
 FIRST AID MEASURES FOR SHARPS, BITES AND SCRATCHES

If you are injured by a used/dirty sharp or bite, immediately:

 encourage the area to bleed

 wash the area with soap and water
 apply a waterproof dressing
 splashes should be washed from eyes and mouth with water
 report the incident to the manager in charge of the department and complete an
Adverse Incident Report Form
 as soon as possible arrange to attend Occupational Health for advice or attend Accident
and Emergency
If an injury has occurred from a known HIV, Hepatitis B or C patient, go immediately to Accident
and Emergency and inform Occupational Health and Infection Control.