They don't teach first aid for alcohol poisoning in the Boy Scouts. Nor did I learn it in lifeguard training. Last night I encountered an unconscious young man with all the signs of alcohol poisoning.
However, I didn't know what alcohol poisoning looked like.
A group of young Chinese National or Chinese American students struggled to hold up a ragdoll-limp body by the street outside a night club as I passed by.
I came up asking if he was okay and met with hurried tones of assurance: "he's fine... everything's okay!" I gave a questioning second look and walked on.
It wasn't until a few people in my group mentioned it wasn't right for someone to be unconscious, that it was symptomatic of alcohol poisoning and needed medical attention that I turned around to re-engage the Chinese/Chinese American students and prompt them to seek professional medical attention.
Strangely enough, the person in my group who recognized alcohol poisoning actually knew how to check on an unconscious person, down to recognizing how much alcohol dissolved in the blood it takes before one can smell it as a sign of serious dehydration.
In retrospect, it's a form of first aid, and certainly not a form I had ever thoroughly prepared for before.
I motioned for us to carry him into the night club where it was warmer so they could wait for an ambulance there.
Knowing what you know in a situation, what's your responsibility?
For anyone who wants to know, here's what to do if you come across someone too intoxicated for their own good:
http://www.alcohol.org.nz/alcohol-you/how-be-safer/first-aid
http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/safety/alcohol.shtml
However, I didn't know what alcohol poisoning looked like.
A group of young Chinese National or Chinese American students struggled to hold up a ragdoll-limp body by the street outside a night club as I passed by.
I came up asking if he was okay and met with hurried tones of assurance: "he's fine... everything's okay!" I gave a questioning second look and walked on.
It wasn't until a few people in my group mentioned it wasn't right for someone to be unconscious, that it was symptomatic of alcohol poisoning and needed medical attention that I turned around to re-engage the Chinese/Chinese American students and prompt them to seek professional medical attention.
Strangely enough, the person in my group who recognized alcohol poisoning actually knew how to check on an unconscious person, down to recognizing how much alcohol dissolved in the blood it takes before one can smell it as a sign of serious dehydration.
In retrospect, it's a form of first aid, and certainly not a form I had ever thoroughly prepared for before.
I motioned for us to carry him into the night club where it was warmer so they could wait for an ambulance there.
Knowing what you know in a situation, what's your responsibility?
For anyone who wants to know, here's what to do if you come across someone too intoxicated for their own good:
http://www.alcohol.org.nz/alcohol-you/how-be-safer/first-aid
http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/safety/alcohol.shtml
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