A head injury doesn’t always present as an open wound. A force to the head can cause a concussion, with symptoms being loss of consciousness or responsiveness, lack of balance or coordination, drowsiness, dizziness or confusion, blurred vision, headache, seizure, nausea or amnesia.
Head injury
If you are attending someone with a head injury:
1. Assess the patient’s conscious state. If they are conscious or semi-conscious and breathing normally, place them in the recovery position, but prepare for CPR if their conscious state deteriorates.
2. Call Triple Zero (000) or 112 from a mobile if there is a major laceration or force of injury, or if the patient loses consciousness or vomits.
3. Dress any ear or nose discharge with a sterile dressing but do not pack it.
4. Cover the patient with a blanket and continue your observation and reassurance.
5. Cleanse superficial wounds with saline and apply a sterile dressing.
Seek a medical concussion examination regardless of the type of head injury. Find out more about Head Injury resources and aids here. For more information go to the links below:
https://brainfoundation.org.au/disorders/concussion/
https://clinicalexcellence.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-03/concussion-work-sport.pdf