E
A R I R V I
T S F A D E
F I R S T A I D
APPLYING
BASIC FIRST
AID
TECHNOLOGY AND LIVELIHOOD EDUCATION
FIRST AID
First aid is the initial care to an illness or injury ,
mostly rendered by a non – expert to a sick or
injured person until definitive medical treatment
can be performed by a medical team or until the
chance to recovery without medical care is
ensured . First aid does not take the place of
proper medical treatment
It is giving temporary assistance until competent
medical care is obtained.
What composes a first aid kit
Physical Hazards to self and Casualty ‘s Health and Safety
• When approaching a victim, check the
area for immediate danger to yourself or
the victim.
• When giving first aid to a person with
(HBV) and (HIV ) protective equipment
whenever possible.
Before giving first aid to indoor electrocution
• Switch off the sources of the electricity, whether it is the
circuit breaker, fuse box, or others
• Wait toll the current is off before touching the victim. Even
the use of dry wood to separate the victim from the source
will not protect you from being affected.
• Feeling a tingling sensation when approaching the victim
should give you an idea that you shouldn’t continue with
helping the victim. Instead, raise one foot off the ground and
jump toward a safe place.
Checking the Victim’s Vital Signs and Evaluating his/ her
Physical Condition
When panic exists during emergencies, knowing what to do
There are two parts in checking a victim
1. Primary survey for Life threatening Conditions -In primary survey
you discover problems such as no breathing or an massive bleeding,
you must attend to them immediately before proceeding with the
rest of the assessment.
2. Secondary survey for Non- emergency Conditions – this is done
after completing the primary survey and attending any life
threatening problems . This would help in discovering underlying
injuries that may not immediately cause a threat to the victim’s life
but may turn into something serious in the future.
Primary Assessment in an Emergency Situation
1. Identify the life threatening condition. Make sure the
area is safe for you for others and the victim.
2. Check if the victim is conscious by shaking the shoulder
and as , Are you okay?
3. If the victim has no response, it must be assumed that
the victim needs an immediate attention and care.
4. Shout, “Help! “ and immediately ask a person to call the
emergency hotline.
5. Assess the condition of the victim using ABC , the
primary assessment tools for an emergency situation.
Applying ABC Techniques
• Airway- In the primary survey, check if the airway is open . If
the victim is conscious and talking, then the airway is open .
Open the airway with a head tilt/chin lift method.
• Breathing – Conscious victims are breathing. Note if the
victim has breathing difficulties or unusual breathing
sounds . If he /she is unconscious, keep the airway open and
look for the chest to rise and fall, listen for breathing, and
feel for air coming out of the victim’s nose and mouth.
• Circulation - Using your fingers, check the pulse at the side
of the neck where the carotid artery is found . If there is no
pulse , CPR is required
First aid management to the casualty
When a person is injured, circulatory is affected to
some degree. The injured victim should be
automatically treated for shock. Shocks refers to
circulatory failure. This happens when the oxygenated
blood is not sufficiently provided in every part of the
body . Its is one of the common causes of death in an
injured victim.
Signs of shock
1. Restlessness, anxiety and weakness
2. Rapid breathing and pulse
3. Pale or blush skin, nail beds , and lips
4. Moist and clammy skin
5. Thirst
6. Nausea and vomiting.
7. Unconscious ( when the shock is severe)
First aid to be Applied to shock
1. Check if the victim is talking or conscious .Check if
the airway is open.
2. Check if the victim is breathing or having breathing
difficulties or producing unusual breathing sounds.
3. Check circulation by feeling for a heartbeat (pulse) at
the side of the neck.
4. Check for severe bleeding ( haemorrhage ) by
looking over the entire body.
First aid to be Applied to shock
5. Lay the victim down his /her back . Victims
with head injuries or stroke victims should not
lay flat on their backs. Slightly raise their
heads if no spinal cord injury is suspected.
6. Victims with breathing difficulties, chest
injuries , or those suffering from heart attack
should be placed in a half sitting position to
help him/her in breathing.
First aid to be Applied to shock
7. Do not place unconscious or vomiting victims on their backs.
Place them in a “recovery position “.
• Roll victim on his or her side ( if no head or neck injury).
• Place his/ her hand under / his/her chin to support the head
• Flex leg to prevent rolling
8. Raise the victims legs 8 to 12 inches . It will allow the blood to
drain from the legs back you the heart. Do not raise the legs
more than 12 inches , as it will affect the breathing of the victim
by having the diaphragm. If the victim has chest injuries , legs
should not be raised. Place them in A proper position.
First aid to be Applied to shock
9. Prevent body heat loss by wrapping blankets or coat
around the victim. Do not warm the victim unless he/
she is hypothermic ( when the body fails to maintain
normal body temperature.
10.Prevent yourself from giving anything to eat or drink to
prevent vomiting , which may result in complications in
the near future.
11.Contact medical personnel immediately.
External bleeding
It is referred to as blood coming out from open wound.
Types of External bleeding
1. Arterial bleeding – the most serious type of bleeding where
blood gushes rapidly to the wound , which may cause
faster blood loss. This makes it less likely to clot due to
speed of the blood flow.
2. Venous bleeding – Quite easier to manage than arterial
bleeding. The blood flows an lower pressure.
3. Capillary bleeding – the most common type of bleeding.
This usually results in blood clotting off by itself.
The body responds to bleeding through
the following:
• Blood vessel spasm- muscle tissues in the
arteries control the contraction and dilation of
the blood vessel.
• Clotting – platelets produce different
substances to seal the hole , causing the
bleeding to stop in 5 to 10 minutes.
What to do when external bleeding occurs
1. A caregiver should protect himself or herself against disease
and infection by wearing disposable latex gloves.
2. A caregiver should Expose the wound by removing or cutting
the clothing to see where the blood is coming from.
3. A caregiver should place a sterile gauze pad or clean cloth over
the entire wound and Apply direct pressure with his / her palm
4. A too light pressure or pressing in the wrong location may be
ineffective in stopping the bleeding .
5. In case the bleeding continues, try Applying direct pressure
over the wound while simultaneously applying pressure on a
pressure point .
What to do when external bleeding occurs
6. After the bleeding subsides , apply a pressure bandage on the
wound using gauze that can be dressed tightly above and
below the wound.
7. A caregiver may treat for shock by raising the victims legs 8 to
12 inches and covering the victim with a coat or blanket to
keep the victim warm.
8. A caregiver must check circulation in a victim’s arm or leg by
monitoring the pulse and using the capillary test.
9. In situations involving injuries where direct pressure cannot be
applied, like open fracture ,use a ring shaped pad to stop the
bleeding, which can be formed by using a bandage looped
around the had several times.
Signs of Internal bleeding
1. Bruise or contusions of the skin
2. Painful, tender, rigid or bruised abdomen
3. Fractured ribs or bruises on the chest
4. Weakness, dizziness, and fainting
5. Rapid pulse
6. Cold , moist skin
7. Vomiting or coughing up blood
8. Stools that are black and contain bright red color
What to do for Severe Internal Bleeding
1. Observe the victim’s breathing as well as
his/her pulse.
2. Try to keep lying on his /her left side to
prevent vomiting.
3. Raise victim’s leg 8 to 12 inches up and cover
him/her with a blanket to keep him/her
warm.
4. Call for medical attention immediately
For Bruises
1. Place an icepack wrapped on a wet cloth
on the bruised area for 20 minutes . The
cloth will help in preventing frostbite.
2. If the bruised area is on the appendages,
raise it if not broken.
3. Add an elastic bandage with a pad over the
bruise if it is located on the appendages
Heart Attack
A heart attack happens when blood supply to the part of the
heart muscle itself is severely reduced or stopped. It occurs when
one of the coronary arteries is blocked by an obstruction or
spasm
Possible Signs and Symptoms of a Heart attack
1. Having pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a
few minutes , as well as pressure and squeezing feeling that
may go away and comeback
2. Spreading pain toward the appendages.
3. Feeling lightheaded, accompanied by vomiting , shortness of
breath, and Fainting.
What to do when a heart attack happens
1. Call the emergency service or go to the nearest
hospital.
2. Check if the victims airway is open.
3. Help the victim get to the least painful position,
usually sitting with legs up and bent at the knees.
4. Determine if the victim is known to have
coronary heart disease and is using nitro-
glycerine.
Stroke
Stroke is a form of cardiovascular disease
affecting the arteries of the brain. A stroke
happens when a blood vessel in the brain burst or
is clogged by a blood clot or some other particle.
Warning signs of stroke
1. One side of the body gets paralysed and numb.
2. Blurred or loss of vision
3. Difficulty in speaking and comprehension
4. Apparent loss of balance and coordination
What to do when a stroke happens
1. Check of the victim’s airway is open and check if
his or her breathing and circulation by feeling
his / her heartbeat
2. Call an emergency medical service immediately
of bring the victim to the nearest hospital.
3. Keep the victim lying down un the recover
position.
4. Do not give anything for the victim to eat or
drink.
Making a patient comfortable
Taking care of a patient require accurate and
intelligent decision – making skills for the
caregiver. It is primary responsibility of the
caregiver to make the patient comfortable during
the period of illness or injury. This includes wise
decisions and actions in terms of determining if
the situation is safe for victim.
Communicating details of the incident
Generally, when an emergency happens, the usual
reaction is to determine how many people are injured.
There are may be more than one victim , so you look
around and ask if there are others involved. You can
determine the situation by looking at how the victims
appear and the type of injuries seen . If you think the
injuries are serious and you cannot handle them, then
itis the time you call the emergency medical service.
Advantages in calling an emergency medical service
• Victims will be moved by trained medical personnel
• Care provided by emergency medical technicians at the
scene and on the way to the hospital can affect the
patients chance of survival and rate of recovery.
• Time will be saved in getting the victim to the hospital.
• Give the information of the victim to the emergency
medical service.
Let’s check your understanding. Select the correct answer in each
statement.
1.In the first step of applying basic first aid , if the victim is (conscious, unconscious) and talking ,
then the airway is open
2.(Expose, Press) the wounds by removing or cutting the victims clothing to see where the blood is
coming from.
3.(External bleeding, Internal bleeding) occurs when the skin is not broken and blood is not seen.
4.Apply an ice pack over the bruised area for(10 minutes, 20 minutes)
5.A dorm of cardiovascular disease affecting the arteries of the brain is called (heart attack, stroke).
6.A type of external bleeding wherein the blood spurts from the wound is called (Venous bleeding,
arterial bleeding).
7. (Venous bleeding, Capillary bleeding) is the most common type of bleeding and clots off by itself.
8.(Primary survey, Secondary survey) finds and corrects life – threatening Conditions.
9.In treating a shock victim, do not raise his /her (arm, legs,) more then 12 inches because it will
infect the breathing of the victim.
10. Without (oxygen, carbon dioxide) brain cells in the affected areas cannot function and die
within minutes.
Assignment
1. Get a partner and demonstrate how to apply first
aid on a victim/ patient. You decide what kind of
emergency it is going to be.
2. Write an essay about the importance of applying
first aid to a victim or patient.
