Introduction to First Aid

Objectives
-After completing this course, you will be able to:

▪ Define first aid

▪ Recognize the aims of first aid

▪ Identify general directions for giving first aid

▪ Demonstrate how to assess the collapsed victim

▪ Explain basic life support sequences of actions.

▪ Demonstrate how to perform chest compression and rescue breathing

▪ Demonstrate how to remove foreign body in chocked victim

▪ Identify respiratory emergencies and provide first aid.

2
Definition
• First aid is the provision of immediate care to someone who is injured or has suddenly
become ill until appropriate medical care is provided

• It is an ABCD assessment and provision of basic lifesaving management to a sick or

injured patient

• The preservation of life by the initial establishment of and/or maintenance of airway

breathing, circulation and related emergency care
 When and Where?
➢It can take place at anywhere and
any time the accident can occur

➢by any one who has the training,

immediately, with no equipment's
or with some basic equipments
until ALS can be accessed

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A first aider
• is a person who takes action while taking
care to keep everyone involved safe and
to cause no further harm while doing so.

• Follow the actions that

most benefit the casualty,

taking into account your

own skills, knowledge,

and experience
Aims of First Aid

• The 4 main aims of first aid (4 Ps) are to:

• Preserve life

• Prevent further injury

• Promote recovery

• Protect yourself/victim
Prevent further injury

• Dress wounds to prevent infection

• provide comfort to casualty

• proper handling of c-spine or spinal cord injury patients

• place the casualty in a comfortable position

• Remove any soaked clothes and dry his/her body by dry clothes to prevent
hypothermia
Promote recovery
• Relief casualty from anxiety

• Encourage confidence and trust

• Attempt to relieve pain and discomfort

• Handle casualty gently

The key activities of an effective first aider are:
• Be calm in your approach

• Be aware of risks (to yourself and others)

• Obtain permission (consent) from a conscious causality or a

family member and build and maintain trust

• Give early treatment, treating the most serious (life-threatening)

conditions first

• Move a victim only if there is an immediate danger to their life

• Give first aid care until more advanced care is obtained and

• Call appropriate help

Principles of First aid
• The basic principles of any emergency care can
be summarized as the 3 C’s
• Check
• Call
• Care
Check principle
• The safety of the scene,

• The patient’s consciousness,

• The need for additional help.

• In any emergency situation what should be checked is

represented by the acronym DRS-ABCD

First aiders approach for emergency victims
D= Check for Danger
• Danger assessment is all about securing safety:

- Safety for yourself, the patient bystanders.

• look and think about the safety of the area, assess the situation and identify the
causes of the injury.

• Eliminate/Minimize the dangers before you approach the victim and ensure the
safety of yourself, any bystanders and the casualty.
• Potential sources of danger at the scene while you are trying
.
to save someone can be: -
• - Traffic hazards /Fire risks/Electrical hazards

• - Dangerous chemicals or substances

• - Toxic gases, smoke or fumes

• - Risks posed by witnesses or bystanders

• - Animals e.g. snakes or other poisonous animals

• - Infection risks

• - Collapsed buildings, unstable structures or vehicles etc.

• - Swift rivers (flooding)

• - Lightning and car accidents etc.

R = Check for RESPONSE
• The best way to see if the casualty responds is to
use the 'COWS' method which involves the touch
and talk approach

• - Can you hear me?

• - Open your eyes?

• - What's your name?

• - Squeeze my hands.
CHECK RESPONSE

Shake shoulders gently

Ask “Are you all right?”
If he responds
• Leave as you find him.
• Find out what is wrong.
• Reassess regularly.
S = Shout for help
.

• If victim is unresponsive, shout for nearby help/

activate emergency medical response system(call 939)

With automated external defibrillator (AED)

• Determine if the victim is breathing or only gasping

while simultaneously checking for a pulse within 10

seconds
 A = Airway
• An obstructed airway may be the primary problem, and correction
of the obstruction can result in recovery without further intervention
• If a victim/patient is awake and responsive, his/her airway is open.
• If the patient doesn’t maintain an airway, it is important to inspect
for tongue, blood, broken teeth, vomitus, or other foreign materials
in the airway that may cause an obstruction.
• Is the airway obstructed?
• Tongue flopping back
• Foreign body
• Secretion
• If the airway is obstructed, proceed immediately to clear it.
• If the patient is not responding

• Open the airway with manual maneuvers- Head tilt chin lift, jaw thrust
(for trauma or suspected trauma victim)

• Or using airway equipment- oral airway, nasal airway

• Clear any secretions- suction

.

Head tilt, chin lift + jaw thrust

Head tilt and chin lift
- healthcare professionals
Oropharyngeal Airway (OPA)
Nasopharyngeal airway(NPA)
 Insertion of an oropharyngeal (Guedel) Airway
• Can be used in unconscious patient to improve airway opening

• Not tolerated in patients who are awake (gag reflex)

• Size–from centre of teeth to angle of jaw (convex side up)

• Insert concave side up (upside down) then 1800

• Check airway opening before and after insertion

• Give Oxygen
Assessment of Breathing & Pulse
• Rescuer should determine if the victim is breathing or only gasping
while simultaneously checking for a pulse within 10 seconds.

• Is the patient breathing?

• LOOK

• Active, talking, crying = breathing

• Chest moving?

• LISTEN

• Listen for breath sounds

• Are they normal or is breathing noisy/ obstructed?

• FEEL

• Can you feel breath at the nose/ mouth of the pt and pulse
 ➢Look

➢Listen

➢Feel

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• If the patient is unconscious but breathing

• place in recovery position

-This has the effect of clearing the tongue from the pharynx

-Avoids a common cause of death in unconscious patients,

which is choking/aspiration

• Administer o2

• Secondary assessment to identify the cause –history/P/E

Recovery position
Management of Breathing Problems

• mouth-to-mouth, mouth-to-mask

• Ventilate with Bag and Mask

• Consider oro-pharyngeal (Guedel) airway

• Give oxygen
If the victim is not breathing, give 2 breaths (1 second or longer)
• Pinch the nose
• Seal the mouth with yours.
If the first 2 don’t go in, re-tilt & give 2 more breaths
MOUTH TO MASK VENTILATION
Ventilate with Bag and Mask
• Essential treatment in patient who is not breathing or is
gasping

• Check bags in good working order regularly and before use

• Choose correct mask size

• Ensure good seal around mouth/nose and open airway (may

need two people)

• Squeeze bag slowly and evenly

• Watch chest rise and allow to fall before giving next breath

• Provide 1 breath every 5-6 seconds or 10-12 breath/min

Bag-Valve Mask (BVM)
Select Correct Mask Size
Bag mask ventilation(BMV)
IF VICTIM STARTS TO BREATHE NORMALLY
PLACE IN RECOVERY POSITION
 ➢Carotid

➢Femoral

➢Brachial

➢Radial

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 Carotid pulse Brachial pulse < 1yr

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Assessment
• Look, listen, and feel for signs of poor perfusion
• Cool, moist extremities
• Delayed capillary refill
• Diaphoresis
• Low blood pressure
• Tachypnoea
• Tachycardia
• Absent pulses
Circulation Management
• For cardiopulmonary arrest follow CPR PROTOCOLS
• If poor perfusion: position, call
• If external bleeding: APPLY DIRECT PRESSURE
Disability
• Assess level of consciousness
• AVPU or GCS in trauma
• Check for low blood glucose (hypoglycaemia)
• Check pupils (size, reactivity to light, and if equal)
• Check movement and sensation in all four limbs
• Look for abnormal repetitive movements or shaking
• Seizures/convulsions
Disability Management
• If altered mental status, no trauma, ABCD normal
• place in RECOVERY POSITION
• If altered mental status, low glucose (<3.5mmol/L) or if unable to check
glucose
• Give GLUCOSE
• If actively seizing
• protect the patient

if the patient is responsive but has an altered mental status

• Place them in a comfortable position
• Monitor the airway and breathing