Shock Recognition

What to remember

• Shock means too little blood flow to the body's tissues, so cells, then organs, stop working. It leads to death if it is not recognized and treated quickly.CLS M10 Slides, PDF p.6
• On the battlefield, assume shock comes from severe blood loss (hemorrhagic shock).CLS M10 Slides, PDF p.7
• Signs of shock include mental confusion, rapid breathing, sweaty cool clammy skin, pale or gray skin, a weak or absent radial pulse, nausea, excessive thirst and earlier severe bleeding.CLS M10 Slides, PDF p.8
• The two best clues in the field are a lowered level of consciousness (when there is no head injury) and a weak or missing radial pulse.CLS M10 Slides, PDF p.12
• Prevent shock by controlling bleeding: recheck that tourniquets and pressure dressings are tight and check the radial pulse. Do not wait for signs of shock to appear.CLS M10 Slides, PDF p.11
• Check the level of consciousness with AVPU (Alert, Verbal, Pain, Unresponsive) every 15 minutes; a falling level means the casualty is getting worse.CLS M10 Slides, PDF p.13
• A casualty in shock is at extreme risk of hypothermia even in a hot place, so insulate them from the ground and cover them.CLS M10 Slides, PDF p.15

Where people go wrong

• Waiting for signs of shock before acting, instead of controlling the bleeding right away.CLS M10 Slides, PDF p.11
• Forgetting to keep a bleeding casualty warm because the weather is hot.CLS M10 Slides, PDF p.15

Check yourself

Questions on this module, each with the reason and the slide it came from.