Introduction to first aid PDF

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Notes about first aid...

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FIRST AID Definition 1. Is temporary help given to an injured or a sick person before professional medical treatment can be provided. 2. First Aid is the life saving, critical help given to an injured or sick person/causality before professional medical aid arrives. 3. It is the provision of immediate care to a victim with an injury or illness, usually effected by a lay person and performed with in a limited skill range. PRINCIPLES OF FIRST AID There are risks in most activities but these risks can be eliminated or considerably be reduced. The principles are tabulated in order of performance. Assess the situation and check that the area is safe for you and the casuality.  Rescue and remove the causality from danger in the shortest time or remove further danger from the patient e.g. if a child fell into fire he/she must be immediately removed to a safe environment before any treatment can be carried out. Make an initial assessment of the casualty.  Treat the most urgent condition first and in order of priority for example; ABCD -Apparent cessation of breathing -Bleeding severely -Shock.  Train for the job so that you can work safely with equipment and materials and appropriate steps to eliminate the accident potential.  Unconscious patients should be placed on the prone position or lying on the side.They must never be given anything to drink.  Re-assure the patient by word of mouth.  Medical aid should be sought by a written message rather than verbally.

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Call for help  Organize on-lookers and survivors to help in any way possible e.g. they can act as messengers i.e. can be used to call for an ambulance.  Control by-standers and on-lookers and prevent them from exciting the patient.  Handle the causalities properly. Do not lift the patient unless there are sufficient helpers. Provide first aid.  Assessment of the situation should be done sensibly especially if a decision has to be made regarding the need of medical aid or the transportation of the patient to hospital. AIMS OF FIRST AID  To preserve life by;-maintaining an open airway -Applying Artificial ventilation -Controlling bleeding.  To prevent the condition from worsening by:-Dressing wounds. -immobilizing fractures -put the causality in recovery position.  To promote recovery -By relieving causality of anxiety and promote confidence. -Relieving pain and discomfort -Handle him gently so as not to do him harm. QUALITIES OF A FIRST AID AIDER  Observant  Tactful  Resourceful  Explicit (clear,open).  Discriminating –choose priorities  Preserving –keep on trying to help causality 2

 Sympathetic. The type of people who are capable of carrying out the most satisfactory type of first Aid are those who:o Have necessary knowledge o Have common sense o Have sympathy and understanding o Have the ability to act quickly, make decisions and improvise. o Have initiative and sense of leadership o Appreciate that sometimes the less the interference the better. Note: With the basic first Aid knowledge you can make the difference between life and death. FIRST AID REQUIREMENTS All work places, leisure centres, homes and cars should have first Aid kits. These kits must conform to legal requirements; they should also be clearly marked and easily accessible. Any first Aid kit must be kept in a dry place and checked, replenished (reload, stock up) regularly so that the items are always ready for use. First Aid kit includes: 1. Dressings like:- improvised stocking, shirts, neck ties o Adhesive dressing or plasters. o Sterile dressings of different sizes. 2. Bandages like:o Roller bandages o Triangular bandage o Tubular bandage. 3. Others o Pins and cups o cotton wool

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o Cleaning wipes o face protection (pocket masks or face masks) o Disposable gloves. o Gauze pads.

Items for use out doors o o o o o o

A blanket A torch A Whistle Adhesive tape, scissors and tweezers card board tags Note pads and pencils, pens for noting.

Moving equipment o Stretchers o Carrying chairs or wheel chairs. SPECIFIC EMERGENCIES Emergencies that are likely to be found while executing duties include:           

Hypoxia/Asphyxia Shock Severe Haemorrhage Compound fractures and dislocation. Burns and Scalds poisoning Insect and snake bites. Epistaxis Unconsciousness Drowning Convulsions Foreign bodies in ENT and Eye.

REQUIREMENTS FOR MANAGING THESE EMERGENCIES   

Emergency tray Splints Crepe and cotton bandages 4

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Safety pins Oxygen cylinders and fittings Ambubags for children and Adults Mouth airway piece Syringes and needles Blood pressure machine, stethoscope, pulsometer and thermometer.

PRINCIPLES OF A GOOD SAMARITAN. You are a good Samaritan if you help a person when you have no legal duty to do so. You give your help without being paid; give it in good faith i.e. you are helping because you care about the person and not for some other reason. The following principles apply whenever a person is giving help in an emergency situation:

Consent Identify yourself as a first aider and get permission to help the ill person before you touch him. In case of a child, consent must be obtained from the parent. If the causality denies consent, repeat your offer to help and if necessary stay with him in case the person changes his mind or loses consciousness.

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Implied consent Identify yourself as a first aider if causality is unresponsive, you may take this as an implied consent.

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Reasonable skill and care Act accordingly to the level of knowledge and skill you have.

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Negligence Use common sense and make sure your actions are in the causality’s best interests

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Abandonment Never abandon a causality who is in your care. Stay with him until you hand him over to medical help or another first aider or he no longer wants your help.

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PERSONAL SAFETY OF A FIRST AIDER When carrying out first Aid, it is important for you to protect yourself from injury and infection. Bear in mind that infection may be a risk, even with minor injuries. 

Do not attempt rescues in hazardous circumstances because if you put yourself at risk, you are unable to help casualities effectively.

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Always assess the situation first and make sure that the situation you are entering is safe for you.

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An important part of first aid id to prevent cross infection and this is done by use of simple measures like hand washing and wearing gloves.

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It is recommended that all first Aiders should be immunized against hepatitis B.

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Wear a plastic apron when dealing with large quantities of body fluids and wear plastic glasses to protect your eyes.

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Try not to breathe, cough or sneeze over a wound while you are treating a casuality.

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Take care not to prick yourself with any needle found on or near a casuality or cut yourself on glass.

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Dispose off all waste safety to prevent the spread of infection, into special plastic bags ideally a biohazard bag (yellow).

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If possible, carry protective disposable gloves with you at all times and use them when giving treatment.

EMERGENCY SCENE MANAGEMENT. ACTION AT AN EMERGENCY In any emergency, you must follow a clear plan of action and this will enable you to prioritise the demands that may be made. Steps include:1) Assess the situation 2) Make the area safe 6

3) Give emergency first Aid 4) Get help from others. Assess the situation Quickly and calmly observe what has happened and look for dangers to your self and to the casuality. Never put yourself at risk. First, ask yourself these questions;-Is there any continuing danger? -Is any one’s life in immediate danger? -Are there any bystanders who can help? -Do I need specialist help? Make the area safe -Protect the casuality from danger as far as you can but be aware of your limitations. -Remember that you must put your own safety first because the conditions that gave rise to the incident may still be presenting a danger. Give emergency aid Assess all casualities to determine treatment priorities and treat those with life threatening conditions first. For each casuality, establish the following:-Is he conscious? -is his air way open? -Is he breathing? Does he have signs of circulation like pulse?

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Get help from others Quickly make sure that any necessary medical aid or other expert help has been called and is on its way. You may be faced with several tasks, other people can be asked to do the following:-Make the area safe -Telephone for assistance -Fetch first Aid equipment -Control traffic and onlookers. -Maintain bleeding or support the limb Maintain casuality’s privacy. Transport the casuality to a safe place. HOW TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY CALL FOR HELP Emergency services are got from a number of sources and free of charge dial 999. -Police, Fire, Ambulance. -When you dial 999 give the following information:

State your name clearly and say that you are acting in your capacity as a first aider.

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Your telephone number.

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The exact location of the incident; give the road name or number and if possible any junctions or land marks.

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The type and gravity of the emergency like traffic incident, road blocked and two people are trapped.

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The number, sex an approximately ages of causalities.

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Anything you know about their condition like man, early fourties, suspected cardiac arrest.

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Details of any hazards like gas, toxic substances e.t.c.

NOTE: Try to stay calm so that you can give all the information the emergency services need. Do not hang up until the control officer has cleared the line.

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