Ankle Ambulance -Training Scenario - First Aid Scenario Library

Scenario Overview:

This scenario is all about dealing with a pretty minor injury but under the pressure of someone demanding that they need an ambulance. The first aiders are covering an event at a college disco. An intoxicated male patient has twisted their ankle whilst dancing and has hobbled across to the first aider post with his friends for some help.

Difficulty:

First Aider Moderate

How the scenario should progress:

The patient will be completely stable throughout. However, the patient will get more and more agitated because the first aiders haven't called an ambulance and will ask for their names to be able to make a complaint against them. The patient will become aggressive and start using abusive language and accuse the first aiders of lying to him.

Patient 1:

Name: Donnie Baker Age: 42 Sex: Male

Medication: Some stuff for high blood pressure but he's not sure what. He's drunk '4 or 5 pints of lager'.

Allergies: None Known

Past medical/family/social history: Dislocated his shoulder a few months ago.

Findings on examination: Patient will be complaining of pain in ankle (rated 5/10) which stays locally in the ankle and is described as sharp. Large movements of the foot make the pain a bit worse although pressing on the ankle doesn't really. There are no obvious deformities but some very minor swelling. Patient is able to move foot and has pulse and sensation distal to the injury. Patient has no other pains and did hit is head or anything when he twisted his ankle because his mates caught him as he fell over. Patient demands that the first aiders call an ambulance to take him to hospital.

Possible treatment from first aiders: The main challenge is communication to try and keep the patient calm after giving simple RICE treatment and explaining that the patient does not need an ambulance.

Time after start:	0 mins
Response:	Alert
Airway:	Yes
Breathing?	Yes
Respirations:	16
Pulse:	120

Tips for the patient actors:

Be quite nice to begin with but then become more and more rude and angry as the scenario progresses as you realise you aren't getting an ambulance. You will threaten to complain and to take the first aiders to court and ask for their names and how to complain.

Scenario: Ankle Ambulance