G’day, humans! It’s Joe Blake here, a helpful snake, slithering into the role of first aid assistant. You’ve met Linda before. As you might know, she is a registered nurse and first aid trainer legend. We met a few years ago when we lived next to each other. Her home backed onto my bush home. We respectfully learnt to keep our distance and live in (relative) harmony. And here we find ourselves collaborating on a first aid blog for My First Aid Course, Brisbane. Funny old world, isn’t it! (She’s doing the typing – I find that a bit tricky).
Now, before we get into the nitty-gritty, let me just say that I’m truly sorry about the whole snake bite situation. I want to apologise on behalf of all my snake mates. We snakes, we’re not out to get you, I swear on my forked tongue. We’d much rather be off doing our own thing, keeping the rodent population in check and soaking up some rays on a nice warm rock.
Well, except for maybe the eastern brown. That bloke can be a bit of a cranky bugger even on his best days. But the rest of us? We’re lovers, not fighters.
So, we’re going to pretend that the unthinkable has happened and someone has been bitten. Linda asked me to share some advice on how to avoid this happening, and how to manage the situation if it does. She wanted a unique, slithery perspective for this article, as if I was the one who had delivered the bite. So often humans think they’re experts on everything. Well I can tell you us snakes know a thing or two too, especially about the wonderful world of Pressure Immobilisation Technique (PIT).
Table of Contents
The Unfortunate Encounter
Look, I feel terrible about this. Truly, I do. If I could take it back, I would. But what’s done is done, and now we’ve got to deal with it. Here’s the thing: when we snakes bite, it’s not because we’re aggressive psychopaths. We’re just scared, alright? You’d be jumpy too if you were my size and a giant came stomping around your home.
The most important thing right now is to stay calm. I know, easier said than done when you’ve just been bitten by a venomous snake, but trust me on this one. Panicking will only make things worse.
Pressure Immobilisation Technique (PIT): The Basics
Right, let’s get down to business. PIT is your best mate when it comes to dealing with certain venomous bites and stings in Australia. It’s not just for snake bites, mind you, but we’ll get to that later.
PIT works by slowing down the spread of venom through your lymphatic system (Linda said, “lymphatic fluid moves through our body every time our muscles contract”). Think of it like putting a roadblock on the venom highway. It buys you time to get proper medical help, which is essential because, let’s face it, my venom packs quite a punch.
Now, here’s the catch: PIT isn’t for every bite or sting. It’s specifically for bites from snakes (that’s me and my mates), blue-ringed octopuses, cone snails, and funnel-web spiders. For other nasties like redbacks or box jellyfish, you’ll need a different approach. (Linda again, “At My First Aid Course we teach this in our Provide First Aid course, HLTAID011”).
Step-by-Step Guide to PIT
Alright, pay attention because this could save your life or the life of someone you care about:
- Stay still: Keep as still as possible. Movement is the venom’s best friend, and we don’t want to be making friends with venom, do we?
- Apply the pressure bandage: You want it firm, but not so tight that it cuts off circulation. If you can slip a finger under the bandage, you’re on the money.
There’s a few differing approaches to where to start the bandage. ANZCOR guideline 9.4.8 has all the details.
Linda teaches start to bandage at the fingertips, or toes and proceed all the way up the limb to the armpit or groin. If you run out of bandage, grab another one. The special purpose snakebite bandages are perfect, but if you’ve only got regular ones, they’ll do the trick.
- Splint the limb: Use whatever you’ve got handy – a stick, a rolled-up newspaper, your mate’s cricket bat. Just make sure it keeps the limb nice and still.
- Keep the patient still: This is important. No walking, no moving about (think muscles contracting). If you’re in the bush, send someone else for help. If you’re alone, use your mobile to call emergency services. If you’re out of mobile range, you’re in strife. I hope you have a personal location beacon on you.
- Seek medical help: Get to a hospital, pronto. Don’t remove the bandage, leave that for the professionals.
Snake Bite Misconceptions
Now, let’s clear up a few things. First off, forget everything you’ve seen in the movies. Don’t try to suck out the venom – unless you fancy a mouthful of poison. And for the love of all that’s scaly, don’t use a tourniquet. That’s a one-way ticket to losing a limb.
Also, don’t waste time trying to catch or kill the snake. I know you might be feeling a bit vengeful, but it’s not worth the risk of another bite. Plus, we’ve got feelings too, you know.
The Other Deadly Creatures
As I mentioned earlier, PIT isn’t just for snake bites. There are a few other Aussie critters you need to watch out for:
Blue-ringed octopus: These little beauties might look pretty, but their bite packs a wallop. They’re usually found in rock pools and shallow reefs. If you get bitten, apply PIT and get medical help immediately.
Cone snail: These shell-dwelling assassins are found in tropical, subtropical and temperate ocean waters on coral reefs, in shallow water and rock pools. Their sting can be fatal, so treat it just like a snake bite.
Funnel-web spider: These eight-legged terrors are mainly found in NSW and southern Queensland. Their bite is seriously nasty, so don’t muck about – use PIT and get to a hospital.
Prevention is Better Than Cure
Look, as much as I’ve enjoyed our chat, I’d really rather not meet you in person. So here are a few tips to avoid an encounter:
- Wear proper shoes and long pants when bushwalking
- Watch where you’re putting your hands and feet
- Use a torch at night
The Importance of Snake Bite Bandaging Training
Now, I know I’ve given you a lot of info here, but reading about PIT and actually doing it are two very different things. You wouldn’t try to wrestle a croc after watching a few episodes of The Crocodile Hunter, would you? (Actually, don’t answer that.)
That’s why I’m going to do something I never thought I’d do – recommend you spend more time with humans. Specifically, the legends over at My First Aid Course, Brisbane. They really know their stuff when it comes to first aid training, and they’ll give you hands-on practice with PIT. Linda tells me their HLTAID011 Provide First Aid course is the way to sink your teeth into this training.
Word on the grapevine is that Linda might even be there teaching some courses. But don’t worry, I solemnly swear on my non-existent eyelids that I won’t be making an appearance. Scout’s honour!
Stay safe out there, humans. This is Joe Blake, your reptilian guide, handing over to Linda, and sliding back into the undergrowth!
Further Reading and Resources