BASIC STEPS
TO TAKE WHEN SECONDS COUNT
>- Emergencies Can’t Wait
Boom! It happened. An accident. Maybe it happened on vacation. Maybe it
was at the family picnic. Maybe it
was on a quiet night during the
week. Whatever the case, accidents
do happen, and knowing at least the
rudimentary rules of first aid can
make a difference. You can help when
seconds-not minutes-count.
Here you'll find the important basic
principles you need to know to
improve your reaction time, your
efficiency, and your ability to
handle emergency situations. With
these basics under your belt, you
can be confident that your instincts
are right. In later chapters, you'll
find step-by-step instructions for
actually beginning emergency
procedures in those first few
crucial moments. The combination of
these basic principles and those
instructions will help you take
charge fast-and possibly save a
life.
Principle 1:
Use the Tools You Have
The words "first aid" probably
conjure up visions of Band-Aids, ice
compresses, and Ace bandages. In
actuality, the most immediate and
necessary tools for dealing with
health emergencies aren't found in a
kit or a cabinet. They are found on
your person. They are your
person-more specifically, your
hands, your ears, your eyes, and
your instincts.
Instincts are one thing, but don't
underestimate the power of
observation. When an experienced
physician uses his or her gut
reaction to make a diagnosis, it
isn't just an instinctive feeling.
To make a good, quick diagnosis, he
also uses his eyes, ears, nose, and
sense of touch. The clue is to know
what to be watching for, and a good
physician goes "right to the punch.
Is the victim breathing? What does
the breathing sound like? Are the
eyes focused? Are there bruises and
bumps on the body? What's the
victim's reaction time when touched
or spoken to? Combine your instincts
with your powers of observation, and
you'll have an unbeatable
combination to help save a life!
Principle 2:
Don't Panic!
It's easy to say "Don't panic," but
if someone you love is injured,
that's often difficult to do. If
someone is unconscious, bleeding,
crying, or hysterical, even the most
calm "first aider" can panic.
Just remember: You'll be able to
help the person much more if you
remain calm and think through a
situation. First, take a deep breath
and count to three. Disassociate
yourself from the situation. The
important thing is to remain calm.
You can panic later when trained
help finally arrives. .
Principle 3:
Determine Whether to Treat-or Wait
It's often easy to see the injuries
that need immediate attention. You
can usually identify and begin to
treat profuse bleeding, respiratory
distress, sprained arms and legs,
and cardiac arrest using only your
eyes and ears. (See Chapters 3 and 4
for such key first aid treatments as
making splints, making bandages, and
performing mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation.) But some conditions
are not so obvious...
Unconsciousness, for example, can be
a sign of shock or head injury-both
of which can be very serious.
Unfortunately, these can't be
treated with direct pressure or
mouth-to-mouth. In fact, the best
thing to do is cover the person with
a blanket and get help fast. (See
Part 2 for. treating specific
injuries ranging from choking to
head injury, animal bites to
splinters-all arranged
alphabetically.)
Principle 4:
Keep a List of Emergency Phone
Numbers
It's a good feeling to be prepared.
Whether you simply reach for your
cellular, run a half a block to the
nearest phone, or pick up the
extension in the kitchen, it's nice
to know you'll know exactly who to
call. In addition to 911, every home
should have an easily accessible
list of emergency phone numbers that
includes police, fire and ambulance,
and poison control. If possible,
program them into your phones for
speed-dialing in an emergency.
Principle 5:
Remember Your ABCs
Checking for vital signs of life is
obviously a priority in first aid
care. That's why you'll notice we
talk a lot about checking pulses,
listening for breathing, and
recognizing signs of shock.
(Chapters 3 and 4 cover first aid
treatment in the event of weak vital
signs or no vital signs.)
To help you remember which vital
signs to check, remember your ABCs.
These ABCs have nothing to do with
reading and writing, but if you can
think of them in the correct order,
you might save a life.
>- Airways Open. Look: Be sure to
see if a person is breathing. Watch
for steady intakes of breath and
exhalations. Listen: Can you hear
breathing? Is the breathing ragged
or uneven? Help keep airways clear
and accessible by placing one hand
under an
injured person's neck and gently
tilting his or _
head back to keep the mouth and nose
unobstructed.
>- Breathing Restored. An
unconscious person will breath
better if he or she is on her back
in a prone position. A conscious
person will do better either sitting
up or semi-reclining. Keep clothing
around the neck and shoulders loose.
Reassure the injured person, calming
him or her in an attempt to prevent
emotional breath¬ing problems such
as anxiety-induced hyperventilation.
If an injured person is awake, try
to find out if he or she has any
history of heart disease. Shortness
of breath can be a symptom of
cardiac distress (which is covered
in detail in Paragraph 17).
Emergencies Can It Wait
If you detect shallow breathing or
no breathing, make sure nothing is
clogging passageways by hooking your
fingers and checking a person's
throat. Perform mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation (see Vital
Emergencies) if the person doesn't
appear to be breathing. Get help as
fast as you can!
_ Circulation Maintained. Checking
for a pulse is as crucial as making
sure the victim can breathe. The
heart, after all, must send blood
oxygen to the lungs for breath (and
to the brain for this basic
instruction). Take the injured
person's pulse (as you'll learn in
Chapter Vital Emergencies). If you
can't find a pulse, begin CPR if you
are trained and certified to do so.
If not, do mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation (see Chapter Vital
Emergencies) and scream for help.
It might sound obvious, but the best
way to determine if a person is
unconscious or awake is to shout in
his or her ear. If you get no
response, you know he or she is
out-and you don't have to count to
ten.
Principle 6:
Avoiding Infection for Yourself and
the Injured Person
¬In today's world, where HIV (the
virus that causes AIDS) and other
infections abound, universal safety
guidelines are imperative in any
situation. This principal pinpoints
the necessary (and simple)
precautions you'll need to know to
protect yourself against any
infection or disease an injured
person might have. Because most
deadly viruses, such as HIV, are
spread through contact of bodily
fluids (blood, saliva, and
substances that have been vomited
up), these universal guidelines are
crucial for both you and the victim.
The following illustration shows a
number of items that can protect you
from infection and disease. As
you'll learn in the following
sections, you should keep an airway
bag, disposable gloves, and heavy
duty protective bags (for disposal
of infectious or hazardous waste) in
your first aid kit.
Wash Your Hands
There's a reason why doctors "scrub
up" before an operation. You won't
have the luxury of a germ-free
environment if you find yourself
administering first aid in an
emergency, but there are a few
things you can do to protect
yourself.
Wash your hands with hot water and
soap if possible. However, in case
you're nowhere near a sink (or even
a river bed), keep a few "wet naps"
in your first aid kid. Cleanse your
hands with them. If worse comes to
worse, you can even use the alcohol
or antibacterial lotion you'll be
using to clean a wound.
Universal safety devices prevent the
spread of germs and infection.
Before You Put Band-Aid On
Here's a natural germ fighter: the
ocean. The salt in the water helps
wash away germs and keep infections
at: bay; You might not be able to
take a sip if you're thirsty, but if
you need to wash your hands, you
might not have to look further than
the horizon!
Wear Gloves
It's a good idea to keep a couple
pair of disposable latex gloves in
your first aid kit. When you're
treating an open wound, gloves can
protect you from most contagions.
You can purchase latex gloves from a
hardware store or medical supply
store. If you can't seem to locate
any in your neighborhood, simply ask
your dentist or physician where they
purchase their gloves the next time
you're in the office! You might also
want to ask them about prices, too.
Wear a Gown. Apron or Cover-Up
Obviously, if you're in the midst of
a life-or-death situation, you're
not going to have those "George
Clooney-ER-greens" at hand. But use
common sense-especially if a person
is bleeding. If you've been in the
water, cover up over your swimsuit
and bare skin. If
you're wearing an open jacket, zip
it up. You're better to be safe and
cover up unless seconds literally
count.
And, while you're tying on your
gown, don't forget the dental dam. A
cross between a football player's
mouth gear and a molar mold, this
device protects your mouth from any
fluids that can accidentally squirt
up and in.
Use Disposable Airway Bags
Airway bags let you perform
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation without
making contact between with the
other person's mouth. These handy
gadgets can be found in many
prepackaged first aid kits today.
Basically, an airway bag places a
barrier between your mouth and the
injured person's mouth to prevent
the spread of disease.
Use Protective Glasses
Glasses or any type of goggles help
protect your eyes from possible
splashing from an open wound. If
sunglasses are all you have
available, you might be safer if you
have them on-even if it's dark
outside.
Be Aware of Sharp Objects
If you have to treat a puncture
wound caused by an arrow, knife,
fishing hook, or rusty nail, apply
antibacterial ointments and
antiseptics around the wound. Never
try to remove a large object;
sometimes the only thing preventing
profuse bleeding is the object in
the hole (See Chapter Simple,
Step-by-Step First Aid) for specific
instructions on when to remove a
foreign object and when to leave it
alone. And don't forget to wear your
protective gear, just in case a
puncture wound opens up further or
the sharp object accidentally
slashes you.
Get help as fast as you can. Clean
the wound, and then make the injured
person as comfortable as you can
while you wait for help to arrive.
And one final precaution: Don' take
off your gloves or your other
protective gear until you're near a
hot shower and soap far from the
scene.
Use a Mask
Handkerchiefs make great masks. Just
ask any cowboy with a bandanna
around his neck who's ever been
caught in a dust storm.) To avoid
possible airborne contagions,
especial if you are helping a
stranger whose medical history you
do not know, simply tie a
handkerchief or scarf around your
mouth and nose. (Of course, if you
have to do mouth ¬to-mouth
resuscitation, you'll have to remove
the mask!)
Before You Put the Band-Aid on
Fourteen States have passed a “Good
Samaritan Law”, which provides legal
protection for persons who
administer emergency first aid. In
other words, if you try to help
someone to the best of you ability,
you can not be found guilty of
negligence. Let the good works
begin.
Principle 7:
Know What to Do (II Top 10 List)
Obviously, you need to know what to
do before you can start anything,
especially when it comes to a life
or death emergency. The best advice?
Browse through this web side
¬especially all of Basic Steps.
You'll give your instincts and your
powers of observation an important
exercise in emergency first aid. To
avoid forgetting everything you've
learned, here are the rules of first
aid emergency care in nutshell. If
time's a wasting, don't worry. Just
look over this Top 10 checklist, and
you'll be prepared to begin your
first aid care for real!
1. Shout for help! Don't be afraid
to use your lungs and shout for help
as soon as you begin first aid
measures. Keep shouting for help
until you know you've been heard and
action has been taken. Professional
help can't come soon enough-if it's
needed!
2. Assess the situation and scout
the territory. If possible, ask the
injured person what happened. Can
she speak? Can she tell you how
serious the accident is? Also, look
around and make sure that performing
first aid isn't going to be
hazardous to your health. Are there
any exposed wires near the injured
person? Are there toxic fumes or
flames? Is the ice hard enough for
you to walk on or the water calm
enough to jump in? In short, make
sure you aren't in any danger before
you start first aid. You won't be
much help if you get injured, too.
3. Determine if the accident
warrants a visit to a hospital-or
simply a cleansing and a Band-Aid.
If the injured person can talk,
great. If the person simply needs
stitches, don't call for an
ambulance, just make a trip to the
emergency room. But if he or she is
unconscious, you need to make that
911 call. Check those important
ABCs: Are the airways clear? Is he
or she breathing? What about
circulation? Is there a pulse? And,
most importantly, it's up to you to
decide whether or not to move the
injured person. Sometimes this can't
be helped. Once you've decided that
you can safely walk on the ice or
run past the flames, you might have
to save the person in jeopardy by
pulling or carrying them to safety,
away from flames, thin ice, or toxic
fumes. Here's a good rule to
remember: don't move a person if
there isn't a life-or ¬death reason
to do so. You might cause more harm
than good.
4. If you are trained and certified
in CPR and a person is choking or
cannot breathe, begin CPR right
away. If you are not trained in CPR,
do not attempt to resuscitate. You
can break the ribs or puncture the
lungs, for example, and if the
person is choking, you can actually
force the object further down his or
her throat! If you don't know CPR,
use mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
techniques (see Vital Emergencies:
The First Top Five “How TO’s”) or
for choking, use the Heimlich
Maneuver (see Choking). Also, take
the injured person's pulse and
loosen his or her clothes to make
breathing easier.
Ouch!
Don't move an injured person if you
don't have to. As long, as you're
not in burning building or drawing
at the see, it is the best to let a
person lie where he or she is.; If
the victim has back, head or neck
injuries worse or even cause
permanent damage or death
First Aid
CPR is short for Cardiopulmonary
Resuscitation When administered
immediately to a patient suffering
cardiac or respiratory distress, CPR
can safe a life. However, it's best
to take a course to learn CPR. It's
not safe to rely solely on the
knowledge you gain from' reading a
web side. You need to be certified
in order to perform CPR correctly
and save lives. "
5. Stop the bleeding. If the injured
person is bleeding, apply direct,
even pressure with a cloth and your
hands to slow the flow. (To protect
yourself against HIV and other
infections while in direct contact
with blood, don't forget to practice
the universal guidelines for
preventing infection, covered in
detail at the end of this chapter.)
Lift up a bleeding limb if it
doesn't cause substantial additional
pain. Make and apply a tourniquet
only as a last resort. (See "How to
Stop Bleeding" in Chapter 3 for
details on using a tourniquet.)
6. Treat any symptoms of shock. If
the victim is chilled, breathing
harshly, nauseous, clammy, and pale,
it is possible he or she is in shock
and might become unconscious at any
time. (See Chapter 3 for treating
shock.) Vomiting can also be a sign
of shock, and you want to keep
airways clear. If no back or neck
injury is suspected, gently roll
your the victim's whole body to the
side to keep airways open and
prevent vomit from pooling in the
back of the throat (which can cause
choking). Cover the victim with a
blanket if you see any signs of
shock. Use the universal guidelines
to prevent transmittal of HIV or any
other infection (covered later in
this chapter) if you come in contact
with bodily fluids.
The Least You
need to Know
_ Don't panic! Take a deep breath
and check for vital signs (breathing
and pulse) while you call for help.
_ Loosen the injured person's
clothing, and drape a warm blanket
around him or her to treat symptoms
of shock.
_ Do not move an injured person
unless it is unavoidable. Doing so
could cause or worsen head, neck, or
back injuries.
_ Staunch any bleeding by applying
pressure (see Chapter Vital
Emergencies for more information).
_ Be prepared. If you're away from
home, pull out your cellular phone
if you have one and dial 911.
Otherwise, run to the closest public
phone, shouting for help all the
way. And keep a list of emergency
phone numbers by your telephone at
home
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