Basic First Aid
Universal Considerations
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If required, call Emergency Services (9-1-1).
Call for help or direct someone else to call for help as soon as possible.
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Personal Protection
- wear protective equipment if possible. Use common sense and stay cautious.
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Safety is an ongoing concern
- stay aware of your surroundings and potential hazards.
First Aid for Injuries - RICE:
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R
est the injured area immediately.
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I
ce the injured area immediately to limit swelling. Never apply ice directly to the skin; always put it in a bag first.
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C
ompress the ice pack firmly and evenly on the injured area, but not too tight.
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E
levate the injured area to further reduce swelling.
Treat for Shock - WARTS:
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W
armth - keep the body warm with blankets, clothes, etc.
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A
BC's - Monitor airway, breathing and circulation.
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R
est and reassure the victim.
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T
reat the cause of the shock (ie. injury).
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S
emi-prone or sitting position - make the victim comfortable.
How to Stop Bleeding:
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Apply direct pressure
to the wound by pressing with a piece of sterile gauze. If you don't have a gauze, use a piece of folded fabric such as a bandana.
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Maintain steady pressure
on the wound,
elevating
above the heart if possible.
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If the gauze soaks through with blood,
add another layer
on top.
Never remove the gauze that's already in place
, as this may disrupt clotting.
How to handle sprains/fractures/breaks:
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Do not straighten
the extremity if it is deformed - keep it in the position found.
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Stabilize
the extremity - use padding to keep it immobile.
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Ice
the injury. Never apply ice directly to the skin; always put it in a bag first.
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Elevate
the extremity to reduce swelling.
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Seek medical assistance
for additional pain relief and/or further evaluation of injury.
Basic ABCs:
If you come across an unconscious or semi-conscious victim:
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Assess the
environment
- is it safe to proceed?
-
Assess the victim's
responsiveness.
If unresponsive or incoherent,
call emergency services immediately.
-
A
irway
- does the victim have an unobstructed airway?
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If the victim is conscious, ask him or her to speak.
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If the victim is unconscious, put your ear close to the victim's mouth and listen for breathing. Look at the chest or abdomen if it rises with each breath.
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B
reathing
- is the person breathing?
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If you do not see, hear, of feel
normal
breathing - start
CPR
immediately.
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If the victim is breathing normally, place him or her in the recovery position.
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C
irculation
- Does the person show a pulse at the major pulse points (wrist, carotid artery (neck), groin)?
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If the victim continues to be unresponsive and you don't think he/she has circulation, start
CPR
immediately.
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While waiting for the ambulance, make it easy for them when they arrive:
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Gather the victim's personal medical information.
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Send someone to meet the emergency crew and guide them to the victim.
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Move obstructions out of the way.
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Illuminate the area (if possible).
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Keep an eye on the victim at all times.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
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Remember the
Universal Considerations.
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Begin rescue breathing
. If there is no breathing:
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Open the victim's airway using the head-tilt, chin-lift method.
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Pinch the victim's nose.
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Make a seal over the victim's mouth with yours. Use a CPR mask if available.
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Give the victim a breath big enough to make the chest rise.
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Let the chest fall, then repeat the rescue breath once more.
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Begin chest compressions
.
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Place the heel of your hand in the middle of the victim's chest. Put your other hand on top of the first with your fingers interlaced.
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Compress the chest about 1-1/2 to 2 inches (4-5 cm). Allow the chest to completely recoil before the next compression.
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Compress the chest at a rate equal to 100/minute. Perform 30 compressions at this rate.
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Repeat rescue breaths
.
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Open the airway with head-tilt, chin-lift again. This time, go directly to rescue breaths without checking for breathing again.
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Give one breath, making sure the chest rises and falls, then give another.
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Perform 30 more chest compressions
. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for about two minutes.
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Stop compressions and recheck victim for breathing.
If the victim is not breathing, continue chest compressions and rescue breaths.
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Keep going until help arrives.
Tips:
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If you have acces to an automated external defibrillator, attach it to the victim after approximately one minute of CPR (chest compressions and rescue breaths).
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Chest compressions are extremely important. If you are not comfortable giving rescue breaths, still perform chest compressions!
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It's normal to feel pops and snaps when you first begin chest compressions - DON'T STOP! You aren't going to make the victim any worse. Cardiac arrest is as bad as it gets.
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When performing chest compressions, do not let your hands bounce. Let the chest fully recoil, but keep the heel of your hand in contact with the sternum at all times.
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For more information on these steps go to the Emergency Cardiac Care (ECC) Guidelines from the American Heart Association.
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