Professional Documents
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First Aid Basics
First Aid Basics
First Aid Basics
1. Recognize injuries
2. Control bleeding
3. Know how to care for burns
4. Care for muscle, bone and joint
injuries
5. Care for sudden illnesses
EMERGENCY ACTION STEPS
CHECK
CALL
CARE
CHECK THE SCENE
– Motor-vehicle accidents,
– Falls, Poisonings,
– Drowning,
– Choking.
BLOODY NOSE
BLOODY NOSE
Bloody noses are not usually painful.
They can be caused from:
– an injury
– high blood pressure
– altitude changes
First Aid Treatment
Encourage them to breathe through their mouth.
Have victim sit dawn and lean forward with chin
toward chest.
Pinch the nostrils together firmly for a full 15
minutes.
If bleeding continues, apply ice pack to bridge of
nose.
Put pressure in the upper lip just below the nose.
If the bleeding continues after another 15
minutes, repeat steps one more time.
If there is still bleeding after 45 minutes, seek
medical help.
How to Make a Cold Compress
Put ice in a zip-lock plastic bag
Soak clean hand towel in cool water
Electricity
Radiation
Critical Burns
Trouble breathing
Covers more than one body part
Covers the eyes
On genitals
Victim is elderly
For
a minor mouth burn, victim can
suck on ice.
For Severe Burns
Do not remove pieces of cloth that
stick to the burn.
Do not try to clean the burn.
Remove jewelry distal to the wound
(tell the victim where you put the
jewelry!).
Cover the burn with dry, sterile, non-
adhesive dressing (separate toes and
fingers).
Take Steps to Prevent Shock
Lay the victim flat
Elevate feet 12 inches
BLEEDING
First Aid Treatment
Always try to use a protective barrier.
Locate the source of bleeding.
Using a sterile dressing or clean cloth,
apply direct pressure to the wound.
Raise the bleeding part above the level of
the victim's heart if it does not cause more
pain.
If bleeding doesn't stop or if you need to
free your hands, apply a pressure
bandage.
Wounds Requiring Medical Attention
Bleeding that cannot be controlled
Deep injuries
Injury caused by dirty objects
Large or deeply embedded objects
Human or animal bites
Wounds that may cause a noticeable scar
Injury to the eye, eyelid or lip
Any injury where healing is in doubt
Any wound where infection may be or is
present
EYE INJURIES
EYE INJURIES
Foreign body in eye:
Gently flush eye with water.
Chemical in eye:
Wash eye with water, flushing from
nose outward.
Continue flushing until EMS arrives.
Injury to eyeball:
Never put direct pressure on eyeball.
Numbness
Glassy stare
Call 911
Call 911
Call 911
Monitor ABCs
– Airway
– Breathing
– Circulation
ABC’s
Position the victim on their back.
A. Open the airway.
B. Look, listen, and feel for breathing.
– If not breathing, give 2 breaths
C. Check carotid pulse
– If no pulse, give 15 chest compressions and
two breaths.
– After 4 cycles of this, check for breathing and
circulation again.
– If no circulation, continue CPR until help
arrives.
HEAT STROKE
HEAT STROKE
Especially susceptible:
– The very young
– Very old
– Chronically ill
– Overweight
– Work in hot places
– Athletes
Heat stroke is life-threatening
Brain damage and death may result if the
body is not cooled quickly.
Symptoms:
Hot, dry, red skin (no sweat)
Fast, weak pulse
Fast, shallow breathing
Progressive loss of consciousness
First Aid Treatment
Get the person out of the heat.
Call 911
Cool the victim fast.
Immerse victim in cool bath or wrap
in wet sheets and fan them.
If victim is conscious, offer cool
water to drink.
– Give one-half glass (4 oz.) every 15
minutes.
INSECT STINGS AND BITES
First Aid Treatment
Fever
Headache
Weakness
Flu symptoms
For Ticks
Coat the tick with Vaseline, wait for 10 minutes
Grasp it with tweezers close to the skin.
Pull gently and wait for it to release.
DO NOT try to burn it with a match or prick it
with a pin.
If parts of the tick stay in the skin, obtain medical
care.
Once tick is removed, wash area with soap and
water.
Apply Triple Antibiotic ointment.
Observe the site periodically.
If rash develops, seek medical help.
BLACK WIDOW SPIDER BITES
1-800-222-1222
POISONING
Swallowed
Absorbed
Inhaled
Swallowed Poison
Overdosing on medication
Taking drugs with alcohol
Agriculturalchemicals
Plants such as poison ivy, oak or
sumac
Venom from certain marine life
Signs of Absorbed Poisons
Headache
First Aid for Absorbed Poisons
Wash poison from skin
Monitor ABC's
Inhaled Poison
Carbon monoxide (from car exhaust,
defective cooking equipment, fire and
charcoal grills)
Carbon dioxide (from wells and
sewers)
Smoke
Refrigeration gases
Fumes from spray chemicals
Industrial and home chemicals
Signs and Symptoms
Dizziness
Headache
Breathing difficulty
Unconsciousness
Mild blackouts