Table of contents:
- Gunshot wound mechanism
- Steps to help victims of gunshot wounds
- That happened after recovering from a gunshot wound
Gunshot wounds occur when a person is hit by a bullet or other type of projectile from a firearm; during a criminal confrontation or terrorist incident (including gunshots by law enforcement officials), attempted suicide, or unwanted "accidental" shots - whether from among civilians or the armed forces.
Although media coverage is currently rife with gun killings, armed crime in Indonesia is not widespread and the majority of doctors will rarely face injuries from firearms. If this occurs, victims of gunshot wounds will receive surgical services or be admitted to a regional trauma center to receive further treatment.
However, there are lessons to be learned from here. You never really know for sure what you will face in the future. The tips below will help you know what steps you should take when faced with a gunshot wound case.
Gunshot wound mechanism
There are different types of bullets, but the ones most commonly used are those that have a tin core coated with some type of casing. At average speed when fired, the projectile can travel up to 1,500 meters per second, depending on the core of the ammunition and the type of weapon used.
There are three main factors for determining the severity of a gunshot wound, namely:
- Locations of fire and bullet entry and exit routes
- Projectile size
- Projectile velocity
All three would have an impact on gunshot wounds, but changing the velocity of the bullet made a big difference to the fatality rate caused by the shot. In short, the bigger the weapon, the bigger the resulting gunshot wound.
Steps to help victims of gunshot wounds
1. Stay safe. If you are not a gunshot wound victim, always use general precautions. Any situation involving a firearm is potentially dangerous. If you are injured too, you cannot provide much help to the victim.
2. Call the police (110) or emergency services (119/112), as soon as you become certain that there is involvement of firearms. Survival from a gunshot wound depends largely on how quickly the victim is rushed to hospital. Ideally, victims of gunshot wounds should be rushed to the nearest emergency room within 10 minutes of being shot.
3. Do not move the victim, if his own safety is threatened.
4. Take off his clothing or pants, and inspect them thoroughly for gunshot wounds. You can't just rely on finding the bullet's entry and exit path, that all bullets will automatically penetrate out of the same path as the entry point intact. Sometimes, the bullet can hit the bone, break into small pieces, and turn anywhere in the body. Some types of bullets can cause multiple wounds.
The head and upper body (chest and abdomen) are the two most critical areas of the body, with possible complications of major nervous system disorders or severe organ damage and bleeding.
5. Stop bleeding
- Apply direct pressure. As much as possible, apply pressure to the wound. If you have gauze, use it. The gauze bandages will hold the blood and help the components of the blood to stick together in the wound, to promote the blood clotting process. If you don't have gauze, a torn victim's shirt or towel will work just as well. If blood penetrates the gauze, add a layer and never remove the cloth. Peeling the gauze from the wound will stop the clotting process and the bleeding will continue.
- Raise the injured body part higher than the heart. Position the wound higher than the heart. That way, you will slow down blood flow and make it easier to stop bleeding. Remember: keep applying pressure over the wound.
- Hold the wound. Pressure points are areas of the body where the blood vessels are clearly visible from the surface of the skin. By pressing on the blood vessels at this location, the blood will flow more slowly, which allows direct pressure to stop bleeding. Make sure you are pressing on the blood vessels in a location closer to the heart, not around the wound. Pressing the blood vessels away from the heart will not have any effect on stopping the bleeding.
6. Treat shock. Treatment for shock should be started early and alongside treatment for bleeding, and continue until medical help arrives. How:
- Make sure the victim is still breathing.
- If you don't see a neck injury, make sure the victim is on his back and elevating his leg above the heart. Do not raise your leg to treat shock if the gunshot wound is above the waist, unless the gunshot wound is on the arm.
- If the victim vomits, tilt his head. If in a lying position, open its mouth and spit out the vomit.
- Keep victim warm. Death from hypothermia is a real risk.
7. If the victim is unconscious, but still breathing, be sure to keep the airways open and unobstructed. If the victim is not breathing, perform CPR. Pay attention to the victim's vital signs.
That happened after recovering from a gunshot wound
Being shot by a firearm is a traumatic experience. You may feel shaken, feel threatened for your safety, become depressed, or get angry as a result. These are all normal reactions for someone who has recently had a traumatic experience and are not signs of weakness. You may also notice other symptoms, such as:
- Anxiety
- Nightmares or trouble sleeping
- Remembered by the traumatic incident all the time
- Irritable
- Sluggish and lack of energy
- Overwhelmed by sadness
If you continue to experience the above symptoms and feel overwhelmed by negative feelings for more than three weeks, contact your doctor. A gunshot victim needs to receive not only physical care for the gunshot wound, but also emotional care to deal with the above symptoms that may develop into post-traumatic stress disorder (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder/ PTSD).
