Which of the following is not correct for the first aid of Snake bite (Snake bite)?

SCTIMST Staff Nurse - 2015 (Set-A)

Medical Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: SCTIMST Staff Nurse - 2015 (Set-A)

Explanation

Seeking a snake charmer is a dangerous and ineffective traditional practice.
This action wastes critical time and delays transport to a medical facility where life-saving antivenom can be administered.
Scientific medical intervention is the only proven treatment for venomous snakebites.
Relying on unproven methods significantly increases the risk of permanent disability or death.

Option A: This is a correct and the most critical action. Rapid transport to a hospital is essential for the patient to receive antivenom and supportive care.
Option B: This is a correct action. Reassuring the patient helps to keep them calm, which can slow down their heart rate and the circulation of venom through the body. The provided statistic, that many bites are from non-venomous snakes, is a valid tool for reassurance.
Option D: This is a correct action. Immobilizing the affected limb, for example with a splint, helps to slow the spread of venom through the lymphatic system.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain First aid management for snake bites as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
In nursing practice, a key role is patient and community education. Nurses must strongly advise against harmful traditional practices like visiting snake charmers and emphasize the urgency of seeking immediate medical help.
The 'golden hour' concept applies here; the sooner antivenom is administered, the better the outcome. Delays for any reason, especially for unproven remedies, can be fatal.
What if the patient or family has already applied a tight tourniquet? Do not remove it abruptly, as this can cause a sudden systemic surge of venom. The tourniquet should only be removed in a hospital setting where the patient can be managed for potential shock or respiratory failure.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify that the question asks what is 'not correct'. This means you are looking for the harmful or incorrect action among the options.
Read each option and evaluate it based on standard first-aid principles for snakebites.
Option A (Transport to hospital), Option B (Reassure), and Option D (Immobilize) are all recommended and correct first-aid measures.
Option C (Finding a snake charmer) represents a traditional, unscientific practice that contradicts the primary goal of getting immediate medical attention.
Therefore, the incorrect action, and the correct answer to this question, is the one that delays or replaces evidence-based medical care.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 85-87

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