If you are anything like me, you hate having other people tell you what to do. It can be very inconvenient to listen to other people’s wishes or commands. So when we are faced with people telling us what to do we often find ourselves landing in decision making land:
Obey thy request or face thy consequence
Decision making like this takes place in every aspect of our lives. For some people though, this decision making takes place at a physiological level. I am talking about Diabetes and Diabetic Emergencies.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease where the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone Insulin is impaired. Now why is insulin such a big deal? Insulin helps regulate the metabolism of carbohydrates and glucose (sugar) in our blood and urine. People who have diabetes have a different set of requests sent by their body and different commands they need to follow.
When was the last time you tested your blood sugar?
Are you monitoring how much sugar you have consumed?
Is your blood sugar too high/low?
AGAIN WHEN DID YOU TEST YOUR BLOOD SUGAR?
Do you have your insulin?
Have you TESTED YOUR BLOOD SUGAR AGAIN?
Now you may be asking yourself why is it imperative to really monitor blood sugar when you have diabetes. The short answer to that is because if our blood sugar is too high or low, our bodies can have some serious responses. These responses could end up being life threatening and turn into emergency situations. Being able to recognize and respond to different diabetic emergencies can stop a problem from becoming worse and can in some cases save a life.
When Blood Sugar is Too High (Hyperglycemia)
When your blood sugar is too high it is normally the result of insulin not allowing sugar to be used for energy. Our body proceeds to find an alternative source for energy and breaks down fat. The problem with breaking down fat as energy is a by product known as a Ketone. Ketones furthermore turn the blood acidic and can cause the known condition of ketoacidosis.
Signs and Symptoms
Nausea and Vomiting
Confusion
Abdominal Pain
Fruity (acetone) breath
Excessive thirst and frequent urination
Loss of consciousness
How to avoid and respond to High blood sugar
Here are a few tips on avoiding high blood glucose levels. It is very important to keep open communication with your diabetes care team and primary care physician.
Understand your symptoms and risk factors
Exercising regularly
Keeping up with insulin regulation
Staying hydrated
NOTE: * If someone becomes unconscious, be prepared to use life saving skills such as CPR and First Aid*
When Blood Sugar is Too Low (Hypoglycemia)
Having low levels of sugar in the blood is known as Hypoglycemia. This is often caused by having excess insulin or could be caused by not having eaten enough food to provide the energy (carbohydrates) to stay above 70 milligrams per deciliter. Hypoglycemia can also frequently occur in newborn babies.
Signs and Symptoms
Irregular heart rhythm
Fatigue and shakiness
Anxiety and confusion
Irritability
Hunger and tingling sensation in around the mouth
Seizures and loss of consciousness
How to respond
Find an immediate source of sugar (15-20 grams of sugar)
Continue to monitor blood glucose levels after ingestion
Be prepared to perform CPR in case a person loses consciousness and call 911 or the designated emergency contact
First Aid Combatting Diabetic Emergency Situations
In either case of high or low blood sugar situations, it is extremely valuable to understand life saving steps in case a bad situation has turned worse. Knowing how to respond and what signs and symptoms to look for can allow bystanders or even yourself to alert proper emergency contacts about the situation. First Aid for each situation will be different so having proper training and certification will allow you to combat a diabetic emergency situation. If a person becomes unconscious, it is imperative to call 911 and if you are certified perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
If you are interested in becoming certified in First Aid and CPR you should reach out to local providers and take a class. These certifications are often valid for a 2 year period and will walk you through situations of how to handle diabetic emergencies. You can sign up for a First Aid and CPR class with Before It’s Too Late LLC by visiting their website at B42L.com. B42L services the tri-state area and provides classes for college students and businesses. If you don’t see a class that fits your schedule, simply send a request and they can schedule something for your personal schedule!
Wrap up
Being diagnosed with Diabetes can be a hard thing to manage. It comes with many challenges and constant monitoring to stay safe and stay protected. The important thing to know is you can manage this disease and you can furthermore be prepared in case of an emergency situation.
Before It’s Too Late has had one memorable 2018 and we look forward to riding the success into 2019. 2018 was full of milestones. We were able to hit 1,000 trained responders, built new relationships across our 3 states of service and recognized the individual effort that was shown by one of our first trained students.
Campus Ambassadors
Our 2018 Campus Ambassador Program was a complete success. Senior Safety Management students Jovi Ryder and Damon Morris, both played incredible roles in reaching students at Slippery Rock University during the 2018 fall semester. The Campus Ambassador Role was designed to educate, empower, and endorse students who show outstanding interest and participation in safety and emergency preparedness.
Jovi and Damon were able to recruit students from over 10 different majors to participate in on-campus training events. The total number of participants for the fall of 2018 was 108 Slippery Rock Students. This is the most participation we have ever had in one semester at Slippery Rock and now these students are all equipped to help SAVE LIVES!
The Campus Ambassador program also is a financial assistance program that aids providing a $500 scholarship to its participants. In the 2019 spring semester Damon and Jovi will be offered the opportunity to sit for their instructor certification.
As we approach our 3rd year of operations, we are able to report more than $12,000 has been allocated to The American Red Cross. B42L was also honored to be nominated as a local Jefferson Award Recipient by Highmark Inc.
The Jefferson Awards recognize and champion individuals who make an impact in their community. Highmark also made a donation to The Miracle League of South Hills, a non profit baseball league for individuals with special needs.
We look forward to continued community service and impact in 2019!
The RULE OF 2
Each class provided by B42L has both lecture and hands-on skills assessment. Depending on the class size, the skills portion could last around 2 hours. We take pride in ensuring every participant who takes a class with us hits the learning objectives but more importantly can confidently answer this question:
“Although we learned these skills in around 2 hours, if you needed to, could you perform these skills 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years down the road?”
Because our certifications are good for 2 years, we make sure that every student is confident in their abilities. If they cannot say “yes” to that question → back to compressions and back to helping rescue our manicans named “Bob”.
This rule for us has shown to be a nice way to ensure anyone who takes a class with us is educated and empowered to take action if called upon. We reflect on one story as proof. Samantha Balaj was a student over 2 years ago with B42L. She was actually in one of our first classes ever. Samantha used her skills in CPR and emergency preparedness to help rescue a fellow student suffering cardiac arrest.
The big picture is Samantha used her skills almost 2 years after taking a class with us. Her certification was set to expire almost a week after the event took place. We applaud Samantha in her efforts and she will be recognized nationally by The American Red Cross in Washington D.C this spring!
Check out the full video interview with Samantha Here
B42L has launched a blog that focuses on delivering health and safety related topics. That means even if you have not taken a class with us, you can still read up on important relevant topics in the health and safety world.
We have covered topics such as:
AED tips
What is Heart Disease
Resume Building for the safety professional
We will continue writing informative content into the new year. Be sure to subscribe to our email list and follow our social media for all blog posts!
Industry Specific Training
B42L takes pride in providing classes in multiple industries. In 2018 we are happy to report classes in the following industries/lines of business
Oil and Gas
Manufacturing
Personal Training
Cycling/Group Fitness
Education (special education school systems)
Transportation
Civil Engineering
We are currently also moving forward on developing an application process for Universities to apply for PEC Safeland Instruction for their students in Safety Management and Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Programs.
Between 2010 and 2040 there is an estimated 56% net growth in global energy demand. B42L is looking forward to providing the training needed to help fulfil this need and equip students with training that serves the booming industry.
2019 plans
In 2019 B42L looks forward to providing the most excellent training experience for your company, organization, group. We also will be launching our new Online store providing safety equipment and emergency preparedness tools.
AED
We want to say thank you to everyone who has joined us in our mission to SAVE LIVES and ask that you continue to help spread our message #BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE
Because you are not superman you most likely fall into one of these three categories:
Employee
Employer (manager/decision maker)
Community Member
Although all of these groups are unique, there is one evident similarity between them. That similarity is, each groups member’s are at risk to either suffer an emergency situation or be a bystander in an emergency. Having a proper Emergency Plan in place is a proactive step to ensure your staff/group is aware of these situations, but what happens when they need to act?
If the situation becomes life or death, can you confidently proclaim: “My employees have the best fighting chance”
If you are unsure please continue reading.
Reasons to Train Your Staff for an Emergency Situation
The Workforce is Unprepared as a Whole:
According to the American Heart Association 55% of employees in corporate offices, hospitality, education and industry/labor cant get CPR/AED/First Aid training from their employer. What was more shocking is that nearly 50% of employees couldn’t even locate an AED in their workplace.
US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that there are somewhere close to 10,000 cardiac arrest cases occurring in the workplace every year.
Prevalence of Diverse Emergency Situations: THE STATS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
The CDC reported the number 7 cause of death being diabetic emergencies. There were a total of 79,535 lives lost between 2011-2014. With nearly 26,000 deaths every year, diabetic emergencies are a tremendous threat and should be taken seriously.
There were 1.7 million emergency department visits with asthma as the primary diagnosis in 2016. Many people believe asthma is a condition that only athletes suffer. It is evident that many individuals visit the emergency room due to asthma related emergencies. The best plan of action you can take is having your staff aware of these statistics and preparing them to respond.
The CDC also reports that there were 16 million cases of Hay Fever in the past 12 months (2016 data). Hay Fever, is an allergy caused by pollen or dust in which mucous membranes are inflamed in the eyes and nose. Whether you are in the landscaping business and are exposed to grass, or an office that has routine dust collection, your EMPLOYEES ARE AT RISK!
These are just a few of the emergency situations a workforce could be exposed to. Being prepared in the event of an emergency is the best way to ensure you protect your employees and reduce the risk of fatalities caused by emergencies.
COMPLIANCE COMPLIANCE COMPLIANCE
One pressing reason to get your staff trained is to ultimately protect yourself against fines and auditing scares.
“In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid”.
Many first aid programs cover the following topics:
Shock
Diabetic Emergencies/Allergic Reactions
Breathing emergencies including choking
Slips/trips/falls (suspected or obvious trauma causing broken bones)
Bleeding emergencies
Heat/cold related emergencies
Suspected poisoning/overdose including proper Naloxone protocol.
Now that we have covered a few reasons why the employer should invest in preparing for emergency situations, let’s take a look at why employees and community members should BUY IN TO EMERGENCY TRAINING:
Reasons Employees or Community Members should become trained
You could experience an emergency yourself – if you are trained in emergency preparedness, we applaud you in your efforts to provide care. All too often though, there have been instances where the person who was the designated trained, experiences an emergency themselves.
You can use your skills outside of the office – While we have been highlighting workplace preparedness, you may end up in a situation out of the office that requires your skills to be used.
Rules have changed – Yes, you may have taken a CPR class 20 years ago when you were in PE. That being said, certifications are only valid for 2 years upon completion. The reason behind a 2 year certification is because standards change and science teaches us more up to date information to apply to use. One of the biggest changes is the use of Compression Only CPR. In this form of care, a responder chooses not to administer rescue breaths.
Take a look where the fitness staff used their skills out of the classroom to help save the life of a Gonzaga basketball player on the court.
There are plenty of resources available to you. The most important thing to keep in mind is where the information is coming from. Having trainers that are certified instructors makes the difference and brings credibility to your event. Here are a few resources:
B42L is based out of Pittsburgh, PA and has certified nearly 1,000 participants
B42L travels to your location and provides onsite training
B42L has all instructors certified through The American Red Cross
B42L has trained companies in the following industries: Oil and Gas, Home care and nursing, physical therapy, trucking, construction, manufacturing, and many more
You can also use resources such as The American Red Cross or American Heart Association.
Final Thoughts: It is important to take ownership of safety protocol and emergency preparedness. Employers should abide by OSHA regulation to stay in compliance. You could fall victim to an emergency situation yourself. B42L is proud to serve your training needs!
Visit B42L.com to save your seat and check out other safety resources.
Was this helpful? Leave a comment and connect with us on social media or you can visit our website atB42L.com
You also justify your thought process because of the similar case below:
My uncle Terry told me he doesn’t vaccinate his kids against Influenza because vaccines cause Autism and Cancer!
It is very normal to ask yourself these questions. It is also extremely relatable due to the simple fact that we all have an Uncle Terry in our lives. The answers to your routine questions are provided below:
What is the Flu?
The word “Flu” is an abbreviation for Influenza. Furthermore, Influenza is known to attack the respiratory system and cause illness. According to the CDC, most cases of the flu are not deadly, but some cases can be life threatening and, in some cases, kill the host AKA YOU. That being said, lets answer a few questions you have about the flu and understand the importance of vaccinating against the virus.
There are four types of flu viruses: A, B, C, D. The Human Influenza A and B viruses cause seasonal epidemics of disease in the winter months almost every year in the United States. The C and D viruses do not generally cause epidemics, so we will focus on A and B viruses. Both A and B viruses can be broken down into different strains.
Each year “experts” make the best prediction of which virus will emerge and a vaccine is made in effort to prevent the flu from attacking. These Viruses are furthermore named and a naming structure was accepted by the international community (World Health Organization better known as the WHO) in 1979. The flu typically is transmitted by droplets made when people cough, sneeze, or talk. The droplets are inhaled into the lungs and the virus gets to work multiplying itself.
What Are the Common Signs and Symptoms of the Flu?
The influenza virus has very clear signs and symptoms. Here is a list of the common signs and symptoms that the flu virus may cause:
Fever
Cough and sore throat
Body and headaches
Chills and fatigue
Vomiting
Loss of appetite
Although a fever is a common sign and symptom, it is important to know not all cases of the flu will show a fever.
Is the Flu the Same Thing as a Cold?
A cold is a mild respiratory illness that is less severe than Influenza. The common cold normally beings with classic signs of a sore throat and a runny nose. Colds normally last a week in duration but can develop into sinus infections or worse if untreated. My mom always rattled this saying to me when I was facing a cold as a child.
3 days coming
3 days staying
3 days leaving
This motherly DIY diagnosis was a quick and easy way to let me know, that the tissues would only be required for a few more days. It was also important for her because if my symptoms did not get better, than she would need to make a trip to our family doctor or local Med Express.
Although my mother is a nurse, I just want to point out that this was her motherly way of helping me through the common cold and not a medical diagnosis. If your symptoms are getting out of hand, make sure you get checked out and evaluated.
How Can I Fight the Flu?
This is the important part of our discussion. Yes, you can protect against the flu and there are preventive measures. Although nothing is 100% effective, you can dramatically reduce your risk for contracting the illness. Here are a few steps:
Get a flu vaccine – We hate to break it to uncle Terry, but it has been proven that the flu vaccine does not cause any type of cancer or autism. The CDC reports that the flu vaccine protects against the viruses that are most common each flu season. Vaccinations are extremely important for individuals younger than 5 years but older than 6 months as well as adults above 65.
The higher risk populations also include pregnant women and residents of nursing homes.
Preventative actions that reduce the spread of germs – These steps are the simple things we know and sometimes ignore. During flu season you should wash your hands regularly, cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze, and avoid touching surfaces that many people are also touching (door knobs, handles, railings)
You should also make it routine to clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that could be contaminated by germs and avoid close contact with sick people.
The use of PPE or Personal Protective Equipment is important. PPE examples include breathing masks, gloves and other forms of sterile barriers that reduce the risk of infection and spread of disease.
Listening to your doctor – if you do happen to get the flu, listen to your doctor. You may be prescribed antiviral drugs. Antiviral drugs are different than antibiotics and are not available over the counter.
Can I Die from Influenza?
Remember, we did mention that most cases of the flu are not going to kill you. That being said, the CDC still keeps us up to date with the over all tracking of hospitalizations and deaths that Influenza inevitably causes.
Since 2010, there has been around 36 million illnesses associated with the virus. Additionally, the CDC reports there around anywhere from 12,000 to 56,000 deaths per year associated with the Influenza Virus.
Side Effects from the Flu Vaccine:
Because the flu vaccine is typically injected via needle, you may experience a few side effects. It is very common for individuals to have a sore upper arm and in some cases you may experience achiness and a small fever. Nonetheless, the 2 second sacrifice provides you with great preventative consciousness and you could even be walking out of the doctor’s office with a Star Wars bandage!
Should I get vaccinated for the Flu 2018-2019?
The short answer is YES. You should get vaccinated. The expression, “Better safe than sorry”, best describes the risk behind not becoming vaccinated.
Reasons to get the Influenza Vaccine:
Contracting the flu virus can cause illness and in some instance’s death
If you contract the flu virus, you risk spreading the virus to others
When you contract the flu virus, you may have to miss out on: work/schooling/daily activities
Getting the flu vaccine reduces the risk of flu hospitalization, which holds financial ramifications
Where can I get the flu vaccine?
The flu vaccine has become increasingly more accessible. You may be able to obtain the vaccine from:
Primary care physician
Local pharmacy
Onsite work or school related clinic
If you do not have access to these resources, I strongly encourage you to log on to the HealthMap Vaccine Finder tool. This tool allows you to plug in your zip code and provide addresses and facilities that offer the vaccine. They also provide directions, website information and allow you to plan your trip via Uber!
One of the biggest health disparities associated with participating in any type of medical care is cost. Unfortunately, people are very quick to roll the dice and bet on not contracting the virus.
The good thing is, it is very common for health insurance plans to cover vaccinations and most of these costs are built in to your healthcare coverage. If you are paying out of pocket for your vaccination, most vaccinations range from the $14-$40. Taking the preventive step and cost for vaccination is the wiser decision because like we previously mentioned, Influenza has associated financial consequences.
When you decide to get the Influenza vaccination, you are reducing the risk of obtaining the virus. Consequently, you are also reducing the risk of: hospitalization, antiviral drugs, lost compensation due to missed work and much more. The few dollars you spend will inevitably save you money in the long run.
I Don’t Like Needles
Unless you are someone who likes pointy objects penetrating their skin, I think it is safe to say we all don’t particularly have an affinity for needles. There is more good news about the flu vaccination. The vaccine can be provided in another form: the nasal spray. Make sure you consult with your healthcare provider to determine which vaccine is best suitable for you.
The Big take away:
Influenza is a virus that affects human’s respiratory tract commonly in the winter months
Influenza and the common cold are different from one another
In some severe cases, you could become hospitalized or die from the flu virus
You should get vaccinated for the Influenza Virus
There are resources that provide the Flu vaccine that are affordable
Was this helpful? Leave a comment and connect with us on social media or you can visit our website at B42L.com
Being able to recognize an emergency situation is just as important as responding to one. When you are planning on intervening in an emergency situation it is always important to make sure you are not putting yourself at risk. Think about it, it’s great having the skills needed to help a victim, but if you are putting yourself in danger that is never a good recipe. Actually, it is a recipe for disaster because you could be making the situation twice as BAD! First, lets go over a few emergency situations and then we can talk about the proper steps to take when responding.
Examples of emergency situations
Disclaimer: Of course, B42L is a huge advocate for helping others in need, but let’s make sure we are protecting ourselves and alerting proper medical or emergency response teams when we need to. If you ever think a situation is too dangerous or risky to handle alone, you should always call 911 or a designated emergency number.
Environmental emergencies: Heat related or cold related situations
Poisoning
More importantly, we should point out that the emergencies above are not the only situations you may be faced with. Being prepared for a multitude of situations is always the best precautionary step to saving a life.
How should I handle an emergency situation?
There isn’t a blanket response to this question. Although, you should always have sound judgment and keep calm. The victim suffering is most likely experiencing not only physical pain but some type of emotional and situational turmoil in their head. Victims frequently ask questions in the “What-if category”.
What if no one can help me?
What if they don’t get here in time?
What if this person helping me doesn’t know what they are doing?
As a responder, you don’t need to have every answer at your disposal. It is imperative you keep the victim calm, and assure them that you have the situation under control. Here is a quick step by step reference when you need to recognize something is taking place and decide what the best plan of action is to respond.
NOTE: You should always get consent when responding to someone in an emergency situation. There are instances where consent is implied, but a simple, “Can I help? I’m trained in First Aid” goes a long way.
Check the scene, then check the person
It may be retrospective thinking to actually ask yourself, “ Is this scene safe for me to enter or intervene?” This question though really can help mitigate risk and assure the proper tools and personnel arrive. A good example we like to give is responding to a car accident. At first glance you may think to just pull off to the side of the road and start helping immediately. You are superman so why not right? No!
Let’s take another look at the situation. Not only is there a car accident, but it is also rush hour, raining, and you are on a highway. In this situation your best plan of attack is pulling off to the side of the road and making a quick phone call. Describe to the proper authority what you see and use any clues to help pass information along.
Checking the scene makes sure nothing will happen to you when you respond. If you have deemed your scene safe to enter, proceed by checking the person. Make note if the victim is conscious or not and then use them to help assess the situation at hand. You can ask them all about how they got into this situation and use your first aid skills to help them out. If the victim is not conscious, CALL 911 or the designated number immediately. Furthermore, you can proceed to care within your scope of practice and certification.
Call the appropriate phone number
When you have assessed the scene, now you have to make the BOLD call. 911 is the best phone contact but sometimes there are other designated numbers in place so be mindful of that small detail. It is important either way to call someone and alert others of the situation. One large role you will play is being the leader in this situation. The bystander effect occurs when people observe a situation and think someone else will take care of it. This happens for many reasons, but we won’t get into the details. The big takeaway is having other people assist when they can. You can delegate others to go fetch first aid kits, AEDs or even call the appropriate number as you care for the victim.
Another key point you have to be able to recognize is sometimes calling authorities is not the best idea. A small scrape on your elbow most likely won’t render a trip in an ambulance, but again if at any point a situation is out of your comfort level, make the call. Being trained to recognize CALL first vs CARE first situations is important and we encourage you to become trained in these skills.
Care for the Individual
Caring for someone is our next step. When providing care to anyone in an emergency situation always make sure to use proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). Furthermore, proper PPE can lower the risk for infection and the spread of disease. If we look back to the emergency situations listed above, of course protocol will be different for any situation you are faced with so being properly trained and knowledgeable about each circumstance is imperative.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are caring for someone:
Only do what you are trained to do (act within your scope of practice)
This is really important. When you care for someone, it is noteworthy to provide care that is consistent with your level of training and certification. That means Youtube tutorials are not the best resource when caring for a bleeding emergency. When you administer care consistent with your degree of training you are ensuring you are protecting the victim and protecting yourself.
Provide care until EMS or authorities take over
Now that you have decided to care, you can’t get cold feet. Be confident in your decision making and stay calm as you provide care. Additionally, you should always stay with the victim until someone else can take over with more training. You should also brief medical personnel of what care you have performed and any information about the victim: allergies, head to toe check assessments, any interviewing that has taken place.
Be prepared for the situation to change
While you are caring for someone you should continuously monitor them. If a person is experiencing a heart attack, their situation could get worse if they slip into Sudden Cardiac Arrest. You need to be able to roll with the emergency at hand and have predictive judgment. Make note of their signs and symptoms as time passes. A good example could be someone experiencing a stroke.
Example notes:
At 1:30 pm the victim experienced pain in their left shoulder
At 1:35 pm the victims facial muscles began to droop on the left side
At 1:40 pm the victim could not produce speech
And the notes could continue…
Relay all of this information to the authorities and EMS personnel. It is the best way to help them know where the victim is on a timeline basis.
Take Away:
Being able to recognize to an emergency is just as important as responding to one. You should always get consent when providing care to an individual and you should never put yourself at risk. Assessing a scene can help decide what plan of attack you will have to help respond and alerting the proper emergency contact should never be forgotten. Lastly, if you do not think you can perform these skills, we encourage you to take a class and become certified. B42L has had numerous cases where trained students have responded to emergency situations. In 2017, a student actually responded to someone suffering Cardiac Arrest on campus. She saved his life. Check the whole story out below:
Slippery Rock University Student Saves The Life of a Fellow Student Suffering From Cardiac Arrest
