FIRST AID, RESCUE AND WATER SURVIVAL MODULE

I. DEFINITION OF FIRST AID

FIRST AID
- is the initial assistance or treatment given to a casualty for any injury or sudden illness before
the arrival of ambulance, doctor, or other qualified personnel.
-An immediate care given to an injured person.

AIMS OF FIRST AID

 Preserve life
 Prevent the casualty's condition from becoming worse
 Promote recovery
ROLE OF FIRST AIDER

 To Alleviate suffering
 To prevent added injury
 To prolong life
RESPONSIBILITIES AS A FIRST AIDER

 Assess the situation quickly and safely and summon appropriate help
 Protect casualties and others at the scene from possible danger
 To identify, as far as possible, the nature of illness or injury affecting casualty.
 To give each casualty early and appropriate treatment, treating the most serious condition first.
 To arrange for the casualty's removal to hospital or into the care of a doctor.
 To remain with a casualty until appropriate care is available.
 To report your observations to those taking care of the casualty, and to give further assistance if
required
PRIORITY OF CASUALTIES

 Save the conscious casualties before the unconscious ones as they have a higher chance of
recovery.
 Save the young before the old.
 Do not jeopardize your own life while rendering First Aid. In the event of immediate danger, get
out of site immediately.
 Remember: One of your aims is to preserve life, and not endanger your own in the process of
rendering First Aid
NOTE:
Casualties should always be treated in the order of priority, usually given by the "3 Bs":
- Breathing
- Bleeding
- Bones
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD FIRST AIDER
Gentle - should not cause pain
Resourceful - should make the best use of things at hand
Observant - should notice all signs
Tactful - should not alarm the victim
Emphatic - should be comforting
Respectable - should maintain a professional & caring attitude

REMINDERS:

 Do obtain consent, if possible

 Do remember to identify yourself
 Do call or send help
 Do care for the most injured first
 Do keep lookers away from the injured person
 Do loosen all tight clothing
 Be calm and direct as possible
 Do handle care to a minimum

6 PHASES OF PATIENT ASSESSMENT PLAN

1. Scene size up
2. Initial assessment
3. Physical assessment
4. Patient History
5. On-going Assessment
6. Hand off Report
SCENE SIZE UP
1. BSI-Body Substance Isolation Precaution (PPE)
2. Scene safety
3. MOI/NOI -Mechanism of injury (cause)
Nature of Illness
4. No. of patient
5. Do I need additional resources -(PNP, BFP, APEC,DRRMO)

INITIAL ASSESSMENT
1. General Impression - (location, position, gender, age)
2. Level of Consciousness (Assess mental status)
A -ALERT
 V - Responsive to verbal stimuli
P - Responsive to pain
U - Unresponsive

3. Check the:
A -Airway (Completely open or partial obstruction)
B -Breathing (normal, shallow, deep, noisy)
C -Circulation (pulse, skin color, temp. & obvious bleed)
4. Transport priority (emergency/ non-emergency)
5. Identify any life-threatening condition

PATIENT HISTORY
S -Signs & symptoms
A -Allergies
M -Medications
P -Past Medical History
L -Last Oral intake
E -Event prior to the injury/illness
PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT
1. Check vital signs.
- Pulse Rate
- Respiratory Rate
- Temperature
- Blood Pressure
-Skin Appearance
- Pupil Reaction

2. Perform head-to-toe examination

Examine for the following:
D - Deformity-a deformed part, especially of the body; a malformation.
C - Contusion-injured tissue or skin/ type of hematoma
A - Abrasion-an area damaged by scraping or wearing away.
P - Penetration
B - Burn
T - Tenderness-pain is felt on the release of pressure over a part
L - Laceration-tearing of the skin that results in an irregular wound
 Normal Range for Vital Signs

Blood
Age Pulse Respiration Body Temp.
Pressure
12-20 cycle 90/60- 130/90
Adult 60-90 beat/min 36.5-37.0 °C
/min mmHg
80-100 beat 15-30 cycle
Child /min /min

100-120 25 50 cycle
Infant beat /min /min

Common Pulses of Our Body

1. Temporal pulse
2. Carotid pulse
3. Apical pulse
4. Brachial pulse
5. Radial pulse
6. Femoral pulse
7. Popliteal
8. Dorsalis pedis