Basic Elementary First Aid

First Aid
- is an immediate care given to a person who has been injured or suddenly taken ill
(Self – help or Home care when medical assistance is delayed)

Priorities of First Aid

A. Look to your own safety: do not become the next victim or casualty
B. Remove the casualty from danger or remove danger from casualty
C. Start giving appropriate treatment to the worst casualty in the following order: severe bleeding,
stopped breathing or heartbeat and unconsciousness.

Note: Always be careful with the neck part when rescuing someone because the neck is connected to
almost all vital organs.

Objectives of First Aid

- To alleviate (lessen) suffering
- To prevent added or further injury or danger
- To prolong life

Roles and Responsibilities of the First Aider

- Bridge the gap between the victim and the physician (can act as a crowd controller)
- It is not intended to compete with or take the place of the services of the physician.
- It ends when the services of the physician begins.
- Ensure personal safety and that of the patient or bystander
- Gain access to the victim
- Determine any threats to the patient’s life
- Summon more advanced medical care when needed
- Provide needed care for the patient
- Assist Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Medical Personnel
- Record all assessments and care given to the patient

Characteristics of a Good First Aider

- Observant - notice all signs
- Resourceful - make best use of all things
- Gentle - shouldn’t cause pain
- Tactful - shouldn’t be alarming
- Sympathetic - should be comforting

Basic Precautions and Practices

- Personal hygiene
- Protective equipment (masks, gloves, PPE….because even blood is a potential carrier of disease)
- Equipment cleaning and disinfecting

Transmission of Disease and the First Aider

A. Direct Contact Transmission - occurs when a person touches an infected person’s body fluid
B. Indirect Contact Transmission - occurs when a person touches objects that have been
contaminated by the blood or another body fluid of an infected
person
C. Airborne Transmission - occurs when a person inhales infected droplets that have
become airborne as an infected person coughs or sneezes
D. Vector Transmission - occurs when an animal such as a dog or an insect, such as tick,
transmits a pathogen into the body through a bite

First Aid Equipment and Supplies

- Basic Equipment
- Spine board
- Sets of splints
- Short board / Kendrick’s poles
- Extrication device
- Blankets
- First Aid Kit
- Rubbing Alcohol - Penlight
- Povidone Iodine - Safety pins
- Hydrogen Peroxide - Forceps
- Cotton - Scissors
- Cotton Swab - Tweezers
- Band Aid - Medical Tape
 - Gauze pads - Splints
- Gloves - Tongue depressor
- Bandage (triangular) Elastic Roller Bandage

Dressing
- Any sterile cloth materials used to cover the wound (can be applied to wounds directly)

Other Uses of the Dressing

1. Control bleeding
2. Protect the wound from infection
3. Absorbs liquid from the wound such as blood plasma, water and puss

Bandages
- Any clean cloth materials sterile or not use to hold the dressing in place (used to support the
dressing and could not be applied directly to wound since it is not sterilized)

Other Uses of Bandages

1. Control bleeding
2. Tie splints in place
3. Immobilize body part
4. For arm support – use as a sling

How Should a First Aider Respond?

1. Survey the Scene
- Is the scene safe?
- What happened?
- How many are injured?
- Are there bystanders who can help?
- Identify yourself as a trained first aider (Ma’am / Sir, I’m _________, a trained first
aider. May I help you?)
- Get consent to give care
2. Do a Primary Survey of the Victim
- Check consciousness or responsiveness
- Activate Medical Assistance (AMA) or transfer facility
- Check for airway (done when the patient is not suspected with neck injury)
- head tilt – chin lift maneuver
- jaw – thrust maneuver
- Check for breathing (done when the patient is suspected with neck injury) (10 sec)
- Look Listen Feel Method
- Check for circulation
- Look Listen Feel Method, check for 10 sec

Note: If the patient is not swallowing, do not give him or her water or anything.
If the victim has no pulse and no respiration, do a CPR.

3. Do a Secondary Survey of the Victim

- Interview the victim
- ask the victim’s name
- ask what happened
- ask a SAMPLE history

S – signs and symptoms of the episode

A – allergies, particularly to medication
M – medications
P – past medical history
L – last oral intake (food, drinks, medicine)
E – events leading to the episode

Check the vital signs

- Pulse (1 min) (connected to the heart)
Adult 60 – 90 /min
Child 80 – 100/min
Infant 100 – 120/min
- Respiration
Adult 12 – 20/min
Child 18 – 25/min
Infant 25 – 35/min
- Skin Appearance
 - Look at the victim’s face and lips
- record skin appearance, temperature, moisture and color

Do the head-to-toe examination

- D – deformity
- C – contusions
- A – abrasions
- P – punctures
- B – burn
- T – tenderness
- L – lacerations
- S – swelling

Human Anatomy (part) and Physiology (function)

1. Skeletal System
- The skeleton is the “framework” of the human body. All organs are directly and
indirectly connected to the skeleton. The skeleton consists of about 206 bones into which the
largest is the thigh bone and the three smallest are the malleus, incus and stapes)
2. Joints
- The bones are connected to each other with different types of joints. The most flexible
ones are the ball joints which we have in our hips and shoulders. All joints have ample joint
bonds that together provide liberal movement and strength.
3. Respiratory System
- To provide oxygen to the blood we ha a respiratory system consisting of lungs, upper
and lower airways and capillaries around the alveoli. Respiration is controlled by autonomic
nervous system, meaning that we do not have full control, as the respiratory system is only in part
controlled by will.

Note: Right lung – 3 lobes Upper Airways – dirty

Left lung – 2 lobes Lower Airways – sanitized

Lower Airways
- The lower airways consists of trachea, bronchial and alveoli in the lungs, (alveoli) this
is where the oxygen is picked up by the blood in exchange of carbon dioxide. One single alveolus
does not need much space. They are formed as small pellets.
Higher concentration – Lower concentration (Diffusion) (oxygen in, carbon dioxide out)

4. Circulatory System
- In order to supply the body with energy, we have a circulation system with blood and a
pump – the heart.

Blood
- The main purpose of the blood is to carry the oxygen from the lungs and nourished
(glucose) from the intestinal canals to the body’s circular system. The blood carries the body
waste (carbon dioxide and urine) away from the cells. The blood consists of plasma, red and
white blood cells, platelets and proteins. The red blood cells transport the oxygen and carbon
dioxide.
Heart
- The heart pumps and circulates approximately 9,000 liters of blood through the body
each day, uninterrupted throughout a lifetime. The approximate size of an adult person’s heart is
like a closed fist. The heart muscle contacts, forcing blood into the blood vessels; when muscle
relaxes replacement blood pours into its collecting chambers. The frequency of the heart beats are
controlled in part by the brain, the brain has the power to increase or decrease the frequency of
the heartbeat. The heart has also its own pacemaker cells and electrical conducting cells.

Note: kidney, liver and brain – blood demanding

Oxygen adds color to the blood (red)
Left atrium – receiving blood
Left ventricle – pumping of the heart
Right atrium – receiving blood without oxygen

Blood Vessel (Arteries) (red – with oxygen)

- Artery carries the blood away from the heart. They are the strongest of the blood vessels
and their walls contain elastic and muscular tissue. The blood in the arteries is light red in color
and rich with oxygen.
Blood Vessel (Veins) (blue – without oxygen)
 - Veins carry the blood back to the heart. This blood is much darker than the blood in the
arteries. Approximately 65% of the blood is in the veins at all times. The veins have a one -way
valve which helps to control the flow of blood back to the heart.

5. Nervous System
A. Central Nervous System (CNS)
B. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
Central Nervous System
- CNS consists of the brain and the spinal cord which controls all the functions in the
body. CNS is a type of an “information super highway”, where all the nerve impulses pass and
are registered. Therefore, injuries to the CNS can be life threatening and must be taken seriously.

Resuscitation
Basic Life Support
- An emergency procedure recognizing respiratory arrest or cardiac arrest or both in the
proper application of Artificial Resuscitation (AR) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to
maintain life until recovery.
Basic ABC Steps
- Airway maintained open
- Breathing restored
- Circulation restored
Methods of Artificial Respiration
- Mouth to Mouth
- Mouth to Nose
- Mouth to Mouth and Nose
- Mouth to Stoma
- Mouth to barrier (example: mask / gauze)
Objective of Artificial Respiration
- Open Airways
- Ventilate the lungs

Cardiac Arrest
- Indicate that the heart had stopped beating, but now it has a much broader meaning
- Any of the three conditions
- Cardiovascular collapse
- Ventricular Fibrillation
- Ventricular Tachycardia
1. Manner of Ventilation
- Full slow breath from the diaphragm
2. Ratio
- 30 compressions: 2 ventilations
- Rate: 120 – 150 compressions (4 – 5 cycles)

When to STOP Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation?

S – spontaneous breathing and circulation restored
T – turn over to the medical services or properly trained and authorized personnel
O – Operator (rescuer) is already exhausted and can’t continue CPR
P – physician assumes responsibility (declares death, take over, etc.)

Foreign Body Airway Obstruction

- Causes of obstruction
- Improper chewing
- Excessive intake of alcohol
- Presence of upper or lower eating
- Application of Heimlich maneuver
- 5 abdominal thrust in the method of dislodging obstruction by either way the victim is
conscious or unconscious

Emergency Situation
- Triage
- is a process used in sorting patients into category priority of care and transport
- Tagging of patients
- Red - life threatening (priority)
- Yellow - fine
- Green - very fine
- Black - dead patient
Shock
- Depressed condition of many body function
 - Failure of enough blood circulation
Dangers of Shock
- Lead to death
- Predisposes body to infection
- Lead to loss of body part
Causes of Shock
- Severe bleeding - Perforation - starvation and disease
- Cushing injury - Shell bomb and bullet wound
- Infection - Ruptures
- Heart attack - Anaphylaxis tubal pregnancies
Signs and Symptoms of Shock
- Early Stage
- Face – pale or cyanotic in color
- Skin – cold and clammy
- Breathing – irregular
- Pulse – rapid and weak
- Nausea and vomiting
- Weakness
- Thirsty
- Late Stage
- apathetic or relatively unresponsive
- Eyes will be sunken with vacant expression
- Pupils are dilated
- Blood vessels may be congested producing mottled appearances
- Blood pressure has very low level
- Unconsciousness may occur, body temperature falls
Objectives in first aiding shock
- Improve circulation of the blood
- Ensure adequate supply of oxygen
- Maintain normal body temperature

Wound
- Break in the continuity of a tissue of the body either external or internal

Closed Wound
- Contusions “bruises”
- caused by a blunt force
- Strained muscles “cold muscles”
- over – stretching of muscles that have not been sufficiently warmed - up
- Sprained ligaments
- sudden force causing joint to move beyond its natural range of movement
Signs and Symptoms of Closed Wounds
- Pain and tenderness - Thirst
- Swelling - Symptoms of shock
- Discoloration - Vomiting or coughing – up blood
- Hematoma - Passage of blood in the urine or feces
- Uncontrolled restlessness
First Aid for Closed Wounds
R – rest the affected area
I – ice application or cold compression
C – compression over the affected area
E – elevate the affected area above the heart

Open Wound
- Abrasions are superficial wounds in which the topmost layer of the skin is scrapped off
- Lacerations are jagged irregular or blunt breaks or tears in the soft tissues
- Avulsion is forcible separations or tearing of tissue from the victim’s body
- Incised wounds, or cuts in body tissue
- Puncture wounds are commonly caused by sharp objects
Dangers of Open Wound
- Hemorrhage
- Infection
- Shock
The Major Principles of Open Wound Treatment is to:
- Control bleeding
- Direct pressure
- Elevation
- Prevent further contamination of the wound (wound dressing and bandaging)
 - Immobilize the injured part
- Stabilize any impaled object
Burns
- Result from heat, chemicals and etc.
Factors to be Considered from the Seriousness of Burns
- Depth
- First degree burn
- Second degree burn
- Third degree burn
- Extent to the affected body surface area
- The Rule of Nines:
- Neck and neck - 9%
- Posterior trunk – 18%
- Anterior trunk - 18%
- Each upper extremity - 9%
- External genitalia – 1%
- Lower extremities -18%
- Location of the burns
- Victim’s age and medical condition
Types of Burns
- Thermal burns
- Contact with hot objects
- Care for thermal burns
- Care of first degree and second degree burns – use cold water
- Care of third degree burns – cover with a dry , non – sticking sterile dressing or
a clean cloth
- Chemical burns
- Contact with chemicals
- Care for chemical burns
- water – removes the chemical
- remove contaminated clothing while washing with water – 20 min or longer
- wash with a mild soap
- Electrical burns
- Exposure to electrical current
- Care for electrical burns
- turn off the power
- ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation)
- RB (Rescue Breathing) / CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)
- Fell – spine injury check
- Treat the victim for shock
- Seek medical attention – burn center

Bones, Joints and Muscle Injuries

- Muscle Cramps / Spasm
- is the sudden painful tightening of a muscle
- Sprain
- caused by torn fibers in a ligament
- signs and symptoms are: swelling and bruising
- Dislocation
- the displacement of a bone from its normal position
- Broken bone
- break or disruption in bone tissue

Emergency Rescue
- Bring the patient out of danger to a safer place
Indications for Emergency Rescue
- Danger of fire or explosion
- Danger of toxic gases or asphyxia due to lack of oxygen
- Serious traffic hazard
Transfer
- Moving a patient from one place to another after giving first aid
Methods of Transfer
- One – man assist / carries / drags:
- Assist to walk - Inclined drag
- Carry in arms / Cradle - Fireman’s carry
- Pack strap carry - Cloth / Shoulder drag
- Piggy back carry - Blanket drag
- Fireman’s drag
 - Two – man assists / carries:
- Assist to walk - Chair as a lifter
- Four -hand seat - Carry by extremities
- Hands as a lifter - Fireman’s carry with assistance
- Three – man carries:
- Blanket carry – improvised stretcher using blanket and 2 poles
Bandaging
- Three key uses:
- Applying pressure to bleeding wound
- Covering wounds and burns
- Providing support and immobilization for broken bones, sprains and strains
- These includes gauzes, triangular, elastic and tubular bandages
- Chest bandage
- Arm Sling
Artificial Respiration
- 1 blow
- 1, 1T2, 1T3 and 1……..1, 1T2, 1T3 and 12 + blow
- Repeat until breathing has returned
- Stop after 10 cycles
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- 2 blows
- Compress 1 ½” – 2” for 30 times (1 and 2 and 3……and 28 and 29 and 1)
- Repeat 5 times
- Check pulse and breathing for 10 seconds each
Steps in CPR
- Kneel
- Check responsiveness
- Call help – raise arms
- Head tilt, look for obstruction and tell if there is and there isn’t obstruction
- LLF (Look Listen Feel) breathing for 5 – 10 sec
- State if there is an absence of breathing and pulse
- 2 fingers above xyphoid process
- Compress, heel of hands only, fingers locked, arms parallel to shoulders
- 5 cycle – 30 compressions each cycle
- 1 ½” 2”
- After the 5th cycle – 5 seconds – state condition
Bleeding Control Techniques
- Apply direct pressure
- Elevate the injured part
- Apply pressure points
- Apply torniquet
- Assess the pulse of the affected body
Proper Lifting
- Bend knees
- Grasp victim
- Keep close to the body
- Lift using the large muscle and thighs
- Keep back straight
- Load the victim to the stretcher
- Secure crap to the victim
- Transport victim to a safe place