Tag: First Aid

First Aid Refresher – Part 3

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Part 1 of this series covered what to do when you initially approach an injured person. Part 2 outlined things that you should never do when providing first aid, as well as the basic treatment for bleeding and shock. In this final section, we will continue our discussion of first aid basics for several common conditions.

Broken Bone

  • Immobilize the area.
  • Numb the pain. Often, this can be done with an ice pack covered by a towel.
  • Make a splint. A bundle of newspapers and sturdy tape could do the trick. You could also stabilize a broken finger by taping it to an unbroken finger.
  • Make a sling, if necessary. Tie a shirt or a pillowcase around a broken arm and then around the shoulder.

Choking

Choking can cause death or permanent brain damage within minutes. The following describes how to use the Heimlich maneuver to clear the airway of a choking victim:

  • From behind, wrap your arms around the victim’s waist.
  • Make a fist and place the thumb side of your fist against the victim’s upper abdomen, below the ribcage and above the navel.
  • Grasp your fist with your other hand and press into their upper abdomen with a quick upward thrust. Do not squeeze the ribcage. Confine the force of the thrust to your hands.
  • Repeat until object is expelled.

Burns

Treat first- and second-degree burns by immersing or flushing them with cool water. Don’t use ice, creams, butter or other ointments, and do not pop blisters. Cover third-degree burns with a damp cloth. Remove clothing and jewelry from the burn if possible, but do not try to remove charred clothing that is stuck to the burn.

Possible Concussion

If the victim has suffered a blow to the head, look for signs of concussion. Common symptoms of concussion include: loss of consciousness following the injury, disorientation or memory impairment, vertigo, nausea and lethargy. Keep the injured person lying down and still.

Spinal Injury

If you suspect a spinal injury, it is especially critical that you not move the victim’s head, neck or back unless he/she is in immediate danger. Keep the person still. If the victim needs CPR, do not tilt the head back to open the airway. Use your fingers to gently grasp the jaw and lift it forward.

Seizure

Seizures can be scary. Luckily, helping people with seizures is relatively straightforward. Help the victim lie down to avoid injury, and let the seizure run its course. Following the seizure, check to see if the victim is breathing. If not, perform CPR at once. As soon as you can, write down any details that might help medical professionals diagnose the patient’s condition.

In all situations, use common sense, and call 911 as necessary.

 

First Aid Refresher – Part 2

Posted on by admin_ici

In Part 1 of this series on delivering the basics of first aid, we talked about how to approach an injured person and addressed the three Cs of first aid: 1) check the surroundings and circumstances, 2) call for help and 3) care for the condition of the injury. In Part 2, we will begin to expand on how to provide care. However, before we discuss what to do, let’s go over some things you should NEVER DO under any circumstances:

  • Do not try to feed or hydrate an unconscious person. This could cause choking and possible asphyxiation.
  • Do not leave the person alone. Unless you absolutely need to signal or call for help, stay with the person at all times.
  • Do not move an injured person’s head.
  • Do not prop up an unconscious person’s head with a pillow.
  • Do not slap an unconscious person’s face or splash it with water.
  • Do not move the person from the site unless the surrounding area is dangerous.

 

Let’s review some general first aid approaches to the most common first aid situations. Formal first aid training is necessary in order to provide the best level of care.

  • Stop the bleeding. Once you have established that the victim is breathing and has a pulse, controlling the bleeding is one of the most important things you can do to save a trauma victim. Use direct pressure on a wound before trying any other method of managing bleeding such as a tourniquet.
  • Treat shock next. Shock, often caused by a loss of blood flow to the body, frequently follows physical and, occasionally, psychological trauma. A person in shock may have cool, clammy skin, be agitated or have an altered mental status and have pale color to the skin around the face and lips. If left untreated, shock can be fatal. Anyone who has suffered a severe injury or life-threatening situation is at risk for shock. Have the person lie down. Be extremely gentle, since any sudden movements could injure the person. If the person is not in pain, place his or her legs on a pillow to elevate them about 12 inches above the head.
  • Keep the person flat and still after he or she is lying down.
  • Keep the person warm.

Next week we will discuss how to deal with specific injuries, seizures, burns and choking.

First Aid Refresher – Part 1

Posted on by admin_ici

Contractors are required to have at least one person on the worksite who has first aid training, so injured employees can receive immediate help. However, it is a good idea for everyone to have some knowledge of first aid.

Basic first aid refers to the initial process of assessing and addressing the needs of someone who has been injured or is in physical distress due to choking, a heart attack, allergic reactions, drugs or other medical emergencies. You should always seek professional medical help as soon as possible, but following correct first aid procedures can be the difference between life and death.

A simple approach to helping someone who is injured is to remember the three Cs:

Check the surroundings.

Evaluate the situation. Are there things that might put you at risk of harm? Are you or the victim threatened by fire, toxic smoke or gasses, an unstable building, live electrical wires or other dangers? Do not rush into a situation where you could end up as a victim yourself. If approaching the victim will endanger your life, seek professional help immediately. Professionals have higher levels of training and know how to handle these situations. First aid becomes useless if you can’t safely perform it without hurting yourself.

 

Call for help.

Call authorities or emergency services immediately if you believe someone to be seriously injured. If you are the only person on the scene, try to establish breathing in the patient before calling for help. Do not leave the victim alone for an extensive amount of time.

 

Care for the person.

Caring for someone who has just gone through serious trauma includes both physical treatment and emotional support. Remember to stay calm and try to be reassuring; let the person know that help is on the way and that everything will be alright.

 

Determine responsiveness.

If a person is unconscious, try to rouse them by gently tickling their bare hands and feet or by speaking to them. If they do not respond to activity, sound, touch or other stimulation, determine whether they are breathing. Look for a rise in the chest area; listen for the sound of air coming in and out; feel for air using the side of your face. If no signs of breathing are apparent, check for a pulse. If the person remains unresponsive, prep for CPR. Unless you suspect a spinal injury, keep the head and neck aligned and carefully roll them onto their back while holding their head. Open the airway by lifting the chin, and begin CPR. If the person begins to vomit, roll them over on their side to help prevent choking.

 

Keep the person warm as you wait for medical help. Drape a towel or a blanket over them if you have one; if you don’t, remove some of your own clothing (such as your coat or jacket), and use it as a cover until medical help arrives.