First Aid is the initial assistance or treatment given to a casualty for any injury or sudden illness before the arrival of professional aid such as a doctor or ambulance.
There are three aims of First Aid:
Is there any danger to you or the casualty?
Are there any major injuries? [Always treat in order of priority]
Give treatment according to your abilities and training.
Get a trained medic to the casualty. Remember not to leave the casualty until medical assistance has arrived.
Signs - things that are observed or examined-
Symptoms-
Where there are many casualties, treat those with bad or multiple injuries, bleeding, breathing and heart problems first. Assess injuries and handle in these sequences:
Before approaching a casualty, check for danger from falling debris, gas, traffic, etc. Switch electric current off before touching a casualty that has been electrocuted.
If possible, examine patient before moving, but if there is danger move patient to saftey. Those with spinal injuries are at risk when moved.
Check whether they are breathing and begin artificial respiration immediately if necessary. Check for external bleeding and injury. Establish cause of unconsciousness.
Check there is no spinal injury, clear obstructions in the mouth, deal with and serious bleeding and place them in the recovery position. When turning patient grasp clothing at the hip. Also loosen any tight clothing.
Stop the patient lying flat by moving one arm and one leg to one side. Bend elbow and knee. Turn head in the same direction. Lay other arm along side of the patient. Allow the other leg to bend slightly to produce a stable position. [Do not place a casualty with a spinal injury in the recovery position. Use an artificial airway if available to maintain respiration.]
With any form of resuscitation the first five minutes are the most critical, but if breathing does not start, keep AR for at least one hour. Don't give up!!!
Begin this procedure as soon as the patient's airways are clear.
Begin by lying the patient on his or her back, and then tilt the head back. Hold the jaw well open and keep nostrils closed. Check that the mouth and throat are clear of obstruction. Loosen any tight clothing. Take a deep breath; place your mouth over the patient's mouth and blow.
Wait and watch to see if the patient's chest rise's. [If it odes not, check again to see if the airways are blocked.] Now remove your mouth and watch the chest fall. Repeat this procedure six times, then continue at a rate of 12 - 16 inflation's a minute until breathing is restored.
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