Other asthma medications: Be they exist as some people may have them at work, sport etc. Used to keep asthma under control, NOT to be used during an asthma attack, they DO NOT relax the airways. Devices Types of devices may include: Spacers Pressurised metered dose inhalers (PMDI) Autohalers Turbuhalers Accuhaler Aeroliser Nebulisers Oxygen supply and delivery systems. Asthma Foundation Queensland recommends that all people with asthma use a spacer with their puffer to take their medications. Spacers What is a spacer? A plastic tube or (double sided cone). Asthma medications are sprayed into the tube. The person breathes the medication out of the tube. Eliminates the need to coordinate the firing and breathing in, that is necessary when using a puffer by itself. Enhances the effectiveness of asthma medications stored in a puffer. Why use a spacer? Four times more effective. Using puffer alone10% reaches lungs. Using spacer and puffer 40% reaches lungs Reduces side effects of medications. More medication is deposited directly into the lungs. Easier to use. Enables a person to assist in administering medication if required. Types of spacers
Workbook Quiz - Asthma Please print the quiz pages either after completing it online, or before completing on the printed copy, and take to your face to face session with your trainer. This is an important part of the course, and the workbook quiz must be completed before continuing with the practical part of the course. There will be a formal written assessment on completion of the entire course. Please fill in the following: Name: Date: Contact number: Please complete all questions – you can click in the circle beside your selected answer if completing on your computer, or colour in the dot if completing on a print out. You have been to arrange to call the ambulance because a child is having an Asthma attack. What would you do? Dial 911 and then call for further to assist with the child. Dial Triple Zero (000), ask for ambulance, provide location and incident details. Dial 111 provide details quickly, hang up, then call for further staff assistance. Dial 999 and stay on the line so they can trace the call. A girl that has NOT been diagnosed as an asthmatic is showing signs and symptoms of asthma. You should: Not administer the puffer that is supplied in your first aid kit until authorised by a doctor. Give her Ventolin using the blue reliever puffer from the emergency asthma kit following the workplace emergency asthma action plan and call an ambulance. Ask the principal to make a decision regarding treatment. Take her to the sick bay, lay her down and discuss what to do next with first aiders. Asthma is a condition that involves narrowing of the airway. This means the airway: Has an obstruction such as food. Lining become red and inflamed produces a sticky and the airway muscles tighten. Gets larger and larger. Causes severe dilation of the blood vessels. An asthma action plan should include: Where you can attend an asthma first aid course. Features of the person’s condition such as triggers, personal asthma first aid plan, signs of deteriorating asthma, and contact details of next of kin. Website address for Asthma Australia. Pressure immobilisation technique guidelines. Asthma is: A disease of the lower limbs. Chronic airways disease. No serious threat to your health. A heat related illness. of asthma devices include: Autohalers and turbuhalers. Spacers and nebulisers. Aerolisers and accuhalers. All of these.
An asthma action plan outlines: What medication to take on a yearly basis. A plan to manage your asthma. What to do when you are unwell and when your asthma is worse. Which chemist to take your prescriptions to. None of these options would be included in an action plan. Symptoms of a SEVERE asthma attack could be: Extreme difficulty breathing, very distressed and anxious. Can only speak a few words at a time. Wheeze is often quiet at this stage, sucking in at the throat and ribs. Any one or all of these may be present with someone having a severe asthma attack. A person that has a slight cough and/or wheeze, can speak in full sentences but has some shortness of breath may be presenting with: Severe Asthma. Moderate asthma. Mild Asthma. A Heart Attack. When a conscious asthmatic casualty is having breathing problems, what position assist them to breathe better? Laying on their side. Sitting up and if possible leaning forward. Laying down on their stomach. flat on their back. Which is NOT a sign or symptom of MODERATE asthma? A continual cough, moderate to loud wheeze. Obvious difficulty breathing. Talks easily in sentences. Can only speak in short phrases between breaths. The essential components of an asthma emergency first aid kit are: Bronchodilator, spacer, asthma plan, recording manual, alcohol swab. Bandages and slings. Defibrillator, razors, alcohol swab. Water and fire blanket. Following any first aid incident, you should consider: What else you could have done? Do I need updated training? What you would do differently next time? Would a debriefing meeting be beneficial? All of these things should be considered. What is one of the indications that a person's asthma is getting worse? A severe cold. Sleeping heavily. Using reliever puffer more than 3 times a week (not including before exercise). Using a nasal spray more than 3 times a week. The treatment for an asthma attack is: Give the casualty 6 puffs of a red puffer and be calm and caring. Give the casualty 4 puffs of a blue reliever puffer and be calm and caring. Give the casualty 2 puffs of a green puffer and be calm and caring. Ring the ambulance and wait until they arrive to provide treatment.