Ideas for presentation
 

Hi all

After just getting back from HU UK I realised that there was nothing regarding health on the road. I'm a nurse in the UK (A&E and ITU) and have just studied tropical medicine and i thought there is a space at the next meet to perhaps do a talk on first aid/tropical disease etc.

Can i get response and ideas from you guys? Do you think its a good idea? If so what would you like to see covered?

Regards

Becky

First aid would be relevant to all travellers
- what medicines and equipment to take,
- how to persuade your GP to prescribe these,
- what to use and when,
- how to deal with crash injuries when miles from anywhere,
- pain management,
- how to deal with sickness on the road.

For example, I was trekking in the Atlas Mountains when 12 of the group of 16 came down with severe diarrhoea and fever. I was the only person there who knew that one should use paracetamol rather than ibuprofen to lower fever! And when the packets of rehydration salts ran out, I knew how to mix up a DIY brew.

For what it's worth I have two first aid kits, one labelled accidents, the other labelled sickness. The accident kit is packed last so it's on top and in addition to expected contents it includes optrex, gaffer tape, sun cream and a cigarette lighter. So it's really an 'on the road' kit and it's what I take when riding offroad.

Tim

Brilliant! You must give this talk and follow your own instincts on what to present. You cant go wrong - everybody is very nice and supportive.

I was thinking the same thing (although not a nurse or an MD). I was thinking that a full fledged motorcycle aimed first aid course (by prior booking and extra cost of course), just before or just after the meet would go down a treat! This is the one i took

Motorcycle First Aid

I have taken these and they are good value..

But for your idea in particular I think Tim hit it on the head,

Bang on. It's right on the mark in terms of what's important for bike trips.

I can second Caminando on his comment about people being supportive: I did a presentation at the Ripley meeting (first timer!), and I have to say that while I was a bit nervous about it beforehand, everyone was very supportive. The only minor issue I encountered was the previous session running about 10 minutes over, and into my time slot, leaving me a bit squeezed for time.

Not sure what the plans are for the next UK HU meeting, but talk to Glynn Roberts, who should be able to give you any info you need.

Not to burst your bubble Becky but I brought up the subject of a first aid course for the Canada meeting .
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ical-aid-23604

It was pretty much shot down by the first aid experts .
Their opinion was that anything less than a two day course was worthless .
I personally think that any first aid training is better than none at all , but then I'm not an expert .

A talk on sickness prevention and cures whilst travelling plus a printed handout or a download or something similar would be great .

Talking about medicines :
Now if it was cattle ,I have bottles of stuff that's good for infections ,another bottle for milk fever ,one to make hair grow back ,one for constipation ,another for diaro,duarrea,diera- umm the shits , an injection to make cows -err "receptive" to the bull and a lotion to rub on sore udders .Plus a home remedy for ED in aged bulls .
Maybe I should give a Men Only talk !

ps the bull remedy is available in 4 pint jugs - 20 quid a shot , don't stray into rural areas whilst undergoing medication .
Known side effects are snorting, stamping of feet and chasing guys holding red capes .

Bit of snob value there from the 'first aid experts' I think, maybe trying to protect their own rather lucrative little pies!! I agree that something is better than nothing, we're not talking FAW here necessarilly and it may even encourage a few people to take it that far or further.

Andy
TLC H60
Mitsi L200
Also an emergency department, aeromed and military nurse!

I think that is it is total snobery!
But why not have an adjunct two day course (two days before or two days after). I have done one (several actually = adv first responder (u call it a emergency medical responder), ELS, AED, mountain rescue1 and diver rescue 3), and found the motorcycle one very useful. I say organise a two+ day med course before or after. Just use the HU meet as a way of getting enough numbers. (My bet is that it will sell out and you will have to turn people away).

Ignore any naysayers, Becky. Even a 45 minute session would be handy, though perhaps it could be done as two stand-alone sessions. In fact (thinking as I'm typing), one on accidents, the other on sickness.

Personally I wouldn't focus on resusitation, unless as a third session (the only time I ever used this the guy died). I would concentrate more on typical biking accidents such as sprained/broken ankle, broken collarbone, deep grazes. More of a 'bush' first aid like how to make a neck brace, how to close a wound that won't close (which is where the gaffer tape comes it).

Tim

First Aid talk
 

I can see where the "first aid experts" are coming from and i do agree that in a 1 hour talk its impossible to cover everything. I have been in touch with some groups about doing a half day course/full day course which they are considering.

My aspect was ore of an introduction into what can go wrong (eg typical injuries) and how to treat temporarily (which when travelling with my partner i practised loads!) and stuff to take - which i am in talks with drug companies about getting free samples for people to take.

And perhaps a second presentation with handout giving facts/info about malaria, vacinations, other tropical diseases to allow people to then make an imformed decision about how much they prepare as i think that a lot of people do not have a understanding of the risks.

Will keep everyone updated on progress - if it goes to plan (!) then i hope to do a first aid course and a tropical disease talk with freebies!

Thanks for your support

Becky

PS You can contact me on: rebeccaburley@btinternet.com

I agree to a degree with the above sentiments about resuscitation. On a young fit trauma patient you won't resucitate them through cpr, you need to correct the cause of their cardiac arrest, and for that you need a doctor or paramedic type person. On an older person unless you can defibrillate them quickly your chances of a successful out come are also limited. The military now doesn't teach CPR as part of basic first aid. they just teach basic airway opening procedures, if they don't work the guy is dead. things are different in europe where medical treatment is not too far away and it is worth trying to keep someone going until they get to a hospital, but out in the boonies you've got no chance.

be extremely careful what drugs you take. In some countries even remedies you can buy over the counter in the UK (such as codeine preperations) will get you jailed as a drug smuggler.
Andy