Five hours, two pair gloves, eight stitches later.

So, today at work I had two injuries [to my campers]. One was a minor fall, no bruising as of now, and the other was a fall-with-branch, wherein one of my Junior-age girl scouts got very cleanly puncture slash ripped in her knee. Blue (CIT director) and the CIT’s were nearby where we were playing this doomed game of camouflage, and I asked all the girls to go sit at the green cathedral (where we have scouts’ own ceremonies) while me and my co administered first aid. You could see fatty tissue, meaning it was a pretty serious wound, but no muscle or bone, so it was just a flesh wound. Anyway, I used the maxi pad in my bag, told my co to put on a glove and she held it there till I got a BZK wipe to wipe away blood, and any remaining foreign matter (of which there was none), wrapped gauze tape around the wound, taped it, put an Ace bandage on top for compression, and then walked her up to the Pill Box. There was a lot of blood, at first, but once pressure was applied, there was really no problem, and I knew that stitches and hospital trip would be a big deal, but I’m also sure I administered adequate and appropriate first aid (though at this point I am thinking just a Telfa pad, taped on, and compression bandage would have been more finessed. But, the care was right. Not to mention she fell really well on that stick, what with how clean it cut her. I feel bad because this was the second injury while playing camouflage in the area we played it in, and maybe I should have moved the girls, maybe we shouldn’t have been there. Maybe I overestimated the abilities of Juniors to not run with lots of dead wood around. Bygones, things in the past, just a flesh wound, etc. but I know it was pretty scary for my girls, for the nurse and camp director and my co-counselors’. At least it was nothing too serious. No bending the knee too much, she’s moving to a bottom bunk, and it may get sore, but 8 stitches later and we’re all okay. And a little more cautious for the experience. Really thankful for the WFA training though. I’m thinking about doing N Outdoor Leadership School or American Red Cross Wilderness First Responder, which is 10 days or so, but seems pretty sweet. Of course, what does WFR have to do with Residence Life and Student Affairs, I have no idea. Other than every employer loves ridiculous certifications.