Immobilisation for a snake bite

Use for sea and land snake bites, funnel web spider ​bites, blue ringed octopus​ and cone shell stings​

Attention

  • Do not wash, cut or drain wound or apply suction
  • Use this procedure for bite on limb
  • If bitten on head or torso — just bandage bite site
  • Keep person calm, reassured and lying or sitting still
  • Work quickly, don't bother to remove clothing

What you need

  • 3 or more 10–15cm tension/elastic compression bandages if not available — use crepe bandages
  • Splint
  • Tape
  • Marker/pen for marking bite site
  • Stretcher

What you do
  • Wrap first bandage over bite site — Figure 3.79
  • Start second bandage at fingers or toes and wrap bandage/s firmly up limb as far as possible — Figure 3.80
    • Include fingers/toes in bandaging to stop them moving and moving muscles
    • Leave tips of fingers/toes visible to check circulation
    • Mark bite or sting site on bandage — Figure 3.80

Figure 3.79  

Figure 3.80  
  • Bandage firmly as for sprain — hard to put in fingers under bandage but not tight enough to cut circulation
  • Aim is to prevent spread of venom by
    • Stopping muscle, limb, joint movement
    • Compressing lymphatic vessels
  • Use last bandage/s to bind limb to splint — Figure 3.81 and Figure 3.82
  • Bites to arm or hand. Put arm in sling to stop movement — Figure 3.82
    • Have elbow bent
  • Bites to leg or foot. If no splint handy — tie legs together — Figure 3.83
  • Now immobilise whole person — use stretcher if available

Figure 3.81  

Figure 3.82  

Figure 3.83