Directions For Use - Laerdal Practoplast Mode D'emploi

Practoplast.qxd 09-03-06

Directions for Use

Practoplast imitation wounds are fastened to the skin with the
enclosed special Latex adhesive in the following manner:
1. Place a few drops of adhesive on the imitation wounds
and spread it thinly and evenly over the surface with the
plastic spatula.
2. In the same manner, apply adhesive to the skin where
the imitation wound is to be attached.
The glued surface of the skin should be larger than
the plastic wound.
3. Let adhesvie dry until clear. Then place the Practoplast
wound on the skin. Wound will now adhere to the skin.
The Practoplast wounds can easily be removed from the skin,
and the adhesive can be easily pulled or wiped off.
If adhesive is covering hairy portion of skin, moisten with alcohol,
an scrub lightly with a brush.
During extensive training exercices, it is practical to apply adhesive
to the imitation wounds in advance, thus saving time in drying.
To simulate bleeding:
1. Fasten plastic blood droplets to the imitation wound and skin,
using the Latex adhesive.
2. Liquid blood: Concentrated artificial blood from tube is diluted
in water. Use bottles with coneshaped spouts.
Mixture:
Light arterial blood – 1 part blood concentrate to 10 parts water
Dark venous blood – 1 part blood concentrate to 2 parts water
The coneshaped spout of the blood bottles makes it easy to
apply blood for the wounded area.
Bleeding from artery or veins is simulated by using the tube and
plastic bulb found with the Practoplast Kit. The bulb is filled as
follows:
Squeeze the bulb firmly and insert it on the spout of the blood
bottle. When the bottle is squeezed, the bulb will fill with blood.
Use of Practoplast wounds in training
In order that first aid instruction be fully effective, it is necessary
that the students be able to practice their first aid knowledge in
realistically simulated situations. By using Practoplast imitation
wounds during training, a student will not only learn to identify
various traumatic injuries, but will also become accustomed to
treating bleeding wounds, open fractures, burns etc. The student
will also receive the mental training which is necessary for him to
act in a clear-thinking manner when an emergency arises. It is
impossible to simulate a fully realistic situation by using the
Practoplast imitation wounds and make up alone. The "injured
person" must also be able to behave in the same manner as if
actually wounded.
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The instructor:
- must instruct the "injured person" on how he should act and
react due to his injury. If the instructor is uncertain as to how
the injured person should behave, he should consult a doctor,
or some other experienced person.
- The "injured person" must be told what kind, and how
extensive his injury is, and when, where, and how, the injury
occurred, so that he can reply correctly when first aid personnel
asks for details.
Example: Imitation No. 9 – "Compound fracture
of humerus". The "injured person" informs the first aid
personnel that he slipped and, while reaching out to support
himself, fell on his arm. The accident occurred at 4 pm on the
corner of Elm and Main Street.
If the training exercise is arranged so that the accident occurs in the
presence of an audience, the "injured person" must be able to act
and react in a realistic manner.
- Example: The "injured person" comes on the scene, the
imitation wound fastened under his jacket sleeve, he slips, falls
to the ground, groans and states that he has heard a bone
break.
The "injured person" should know, and be able to simulate the
extent of his pain. Are the pains weak, strong, burning, etc.?
With certain injuries the "injured person" is to be unconscious.
He must be informed when and how he is to regain consciousness.
Some injuries, particularly those caused by serious accidents, may
cause hysteria and other type of psychic trauma, in the "injured
person". This should be simulated in a realistic manner, and care
should be taken that it does not appear comical or unrealistic.
The "injured person" must be trained how to behave and react
when first aid treatment is given. For instance, in case of careless
treatment, he must express discomfort and great pain. In the same
way, he must react psychologically (apprehensive and afraid) if the
first aid personnel appear to be inexperienced or uncertain, as to
what type of treatment should be given.
As previously mentioned, the dramatic ability of the "injured per-
son" and his behaviour under a traumatic situation, will to a great
extent decide whether or not the training session will be a success.
The "injured person" should at all times, act and react in the same
manner as he would in a true-to-life situation.
For people who have not had experience in the treating
on-the-scene wounds and injuries, it is not easy to forecast how
an injured person will behave in various circumstances.
On the following pages, you will find a guide as to how an
"injured person" should behave under various traumatic situations.
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