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DOTS - a useful first aid acronym!

4/1/2019

5 Comments

 
DOTS is an acronym used to remember what to look for when conducting a physical assessment of a casualty (i.e. looking for injuries).

​DOTS stands for:
  • Deformities
  • Open wounds
  • Tenderness
  • Swelling
 These four signs are common indications of an injury to a body part.

Deformities
A deformity is used to describe an abnormal shape of a body part. Common causes of deformities are fractures or dislocations as they disrupt the skeleton.
The best way to check for a deformity is to compare sides. For example, comparing both wrists to look for a deformity associated with a wrist fracture.

Open wounds
Searching for open wounds is an important part of the assessment of a casualty, especially if the person is unresponsive. It is important to find and stop any bleeding in order to prevent the casualty deteriorating.
Wounds can be hidden and not immediately obvious so you may have to go searching! Always remember to protect yourself from any bodily by wearing gloves.

Tenderness
Pressing on an area may cause pain, this is known as tenderness and may indicate an underlying injury. Tenderness will occur before other more visible signs (for example bruising). 
In an unresponsive patient who is unable to communicate you should always look at the face when assessing for tenderness. You may see a pain response if you press over an injury. 

Swelling
Swelling occurs mainly with soft tissue injuries and fractures. Swelling does not occur immediately after an injury so may not be obvious during your initial assessment. 

Life First provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. Life First is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information. It is strongly advised that you attend a First Aid course to understand what to do in a medical emergency.
5 Comments
Victoria Addington link
26/4/2022 11:54:53

I agreed when you stated that open wounds must be found to stop the bleeding. My friend's recent surgery left a wide wound. I should inform him to let a wound care professional check it regularly.

Reply
Katherine Ellwood link
7/5/2022 09:58:07

I am sorry to hear your friends surgery left them with such a nasty wound. Wishing them a quick recovery.

Reply
John Carston link
7/5/2022 03:43:33

It's great that you elaborated that if the person is unresponsive, you should look for the wound. My cousin mentioned to me last night that she was hoping to find a first-aid course to confidently manage emergency situations, and she asked if I had any idea what is the best option to do. Thanks to this informative article, I'll be sure to tell her that she can try consulting first-aid courses as they can provide proper training.

Reply
Katherine Ellwood link
7/5/2022 10:00:16

Thank you John, directing your cousin to seek out a an accredited fist aid course is the right thing to do. Face to face where you can practice the skills you learn.

Reply
Jude
14/5/2022 07:58:58

As an EMT, are we allowed to use ‘dislocated/dislocation’ aside from deformity?

Reply



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    Kate Ellwood: there are some simple first aid skills everyone should know!  I am committed to sharing those skills with people so they can save a life...........  

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