FIRST AID

First aid is the provision of initial care on illness or injury. It is usually performed by a lay
person to a sick or injured casualty until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain
self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care past the first aid
intervention. It generally consists of a series of simple and, in some cases, potentially life-saving
techniques that an individual can be trained to perform with minimal equipment.

Aims
Preserve life- the overriding aim of all medical care, including first aid, is to save lives.
Prevent further harm also sometimes called prevent the condition from worsening this
covers both external factors, such as moving a patient away from any cause of harm, and
applying first aid techniques to prevent worsening of the condition, such as applying pressure
to stop a bleed becoming dangerous.
Promote recovery first aid also involves trying to start the recovery process from the
illness or injury, and in some cases might involve completing a treatment, such as in the case of
applying a plaster to a small wound.
Conditions that often require first aid
Shock occurs when the circulation system fails to send blood to all parts of the body.
With shock, blood flow or blood volume is too low to meet the body’s needs.
Bone fracture, a break in a bone initially treated by stabilizing the fracture with a splint.
Burns, which can result in damage to tissues and loss of body fluids through the burn
site.
Wounds and bleeding, including lacerations, incisions and abrasions, Gastrointestinal
bleeding, avulsion and sucking chest wounds, treated with an occlusive dressing to let air out
but not in.
Heart attack, or inadequate blood flow to the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle.

A. Shock
 Shock occurs when the circulation system fails to send blood to all parts of the body.
With shock, blood flow volume is too low to meet the body’s needs.

Signs and Symptoms

● Weakness, Trembling. Confusion

● Pale or blue-colored lips, skin and/or fingernails. Cool and moist skin

● Rapid, shallow breathing. Weak, but fast pulse

● Nausea and Vomiting. Extreme thirst

● Enlarged pupils

● A heart attack

● Severe or sudden blood loss from an injury or serious illness.

Bleeding can occur inside or outside the body
● A large drop in body fluids, such as following a severe burn

First Aid for Shock before Emergency

● Check for a response. (See Step 2 in first Aid Precaution)

● Raise the person’s feet about 12 inches. Use a box, etc. do not raise the feet or move
the legs if hip or leg bones are broken
● If the person vomits or has trouble breathing, raise him or her to a half-sitting position
(if no head, back, or neck injury).
● Loosen tight clothing. Keep the person warm. Repeat as needed

If the person wants water, moisten the lips.

B. BONE FRACTURE
Sign and Symptoms
 Symptoms of broken bones are pain, swelling, bruising and loss of function or feeling. Below
the injured site, numbness and tingling can occur. The skin can be pale, blue, purple, or gray. It
feels colder than the skin on the uninjured limb.
Self-Care/ First Aid for Broken Bones

● Monitor for signs of shock

● Control bleeding with direct pressure. Do not reset the bone

● Immobilize the wound with a splint. Secure the splint above and below the injury or tie
the injured part to an uninjured part. Use shoe laces, belts, etc. to hold the splint in
place. Check the area below the splint to make sure that the skin is warm and pink in
color.
If not, loosen the ties.

C. BURNS
Signs and Symptoms
First-degree burns affect only the outer
skin layer. The skin area appears dry, red, and
mildly swollen. First-degree burns are painful
and sensitive to touch. They should feel better
in 1 to 2 days. They heal in about a week.

Second-degree burns affect the skin’s outer

and lower layers. The skin is painful, swollen,
red and has blisters. The skin also has a weepy, watery surface.

Third-degree burns affect the outer and deeper skin layers and organs below the skin.
The skin appears black-and-white and charred. It swells. Tissue under the skin is often
exposed. Third-degree burns may have less pain than first-degree or second-degree burns.
Why? No pain is felt where nerve endings are destroyed. Pain may be felt around the
margin of the burn, though.

Self-Care/First Aid for Severe Burns Before Emergency Care

 ● Remove the person from the source of heat. For electrical burns, see electric shock. Call
9-1-1! Keep the person’s airway open. Treat for shock.
● Remove hot or burned clothes that come off easily, not if they are stuck to the skin.

● Cover the burns loosely with clean cloths. Use direct pressure to control bleeding. Don’t
rub.
● Stay with the person until medical care arrives.

● If lye or a dry chemical gets on the skin, brush off the powder. Then flush with clean
water for at least 20 minutes or until EMS arrives. Remove glasses, but not contacts,
before treating the eyes.

CPR is cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Hands-only CPR

uses chest compressions without rescue breaths. Do this in 2 steps:
1. Call 9-1-1 or get someone else to call
2. Push hard and push fast in the center of the chest. Give 100 compressions per minute.
Keep this up, with minimal interruptions, until an automated external defibrillator (AED)
is used or EMS arrives.
Any bystander can use this for adults only who suddenly collapse in places outside-the-hospital
setting. Hands-only CPR should not be used for:

● All infants and children

● Adults who have collapsed due to near-drowning, a drug overdose, or breathing

problems
● Adults who are already unconscious and not breathing normally when found

Conventional CPR for Adults and Children Over 8 Years Old

● Shout for help! If one is nearby

● Until the AED can be used or until medical help arrives, do CPR

● Open the airway. With one hand, tilt the person’s head back.
With 2 fingers of your other hand, lift the person’s chin up.
 If the airway is still blocked, tilt the person’s head gently
and slowly until the airway is open.

● Within 10 seconds, check for breathing.

Look to see if the chest and abdomen rise and fall.
Listen for breath sounds exhale from the person’s
mouth and nose. If the person is breathing,
keep the airway open. Look for other problems.

● If you do not want to or can’t give mouth-to-mouth rescue breaths, do compression-

only-CPR. Go to step 7.

● Begin “Chest Compression”

⮚ Kneel at the person’s side near the chest.

Place the heel of one hand ½ inch above
the “V” where the ribs join the breastbone.
Place the other hand on top of the one already in place.

⮚ Lean over the person and press straight down on the

chest using only the heels of your hands. Keep your
arms straight. Depress the middle of the chest between
the nipples about 1 ½ to 2 inches. Push hard and
push fast! Give about 100 compressions a minute.
Relax Pressure completely after each compression.

● Give cycles of 30 chest compressions and 2 rescue breaths, without a break, until: the
person moves; an AED is used; or medical help takes over.
CPR for Children Ages 1 to 8 years old.
1. Shout for help! If you are alone, do CPR first. (Do 5 cycles of 30 chest compression and 2
breaths. See steps 5 and 6 below). Then call 9-1-1, get an AED, and return to the child. If
the child is small and does not appear to have a serious injury, carry the child to a
telephone and call 9-1-1! If you are not alone, one person should start CPR. Another
person should Call 9-1-1 and get an AED.
2. Put the child on his or her back
3. Open’s the child’s airway, as for an adult. If the airway is still blocked, tilt the child’s
head gently and slowly until the airway is open.
4. Within 10 seconds, check for breathing, as for an adult in step 5 above. If the child is
breathing. Keep the airway open. Look for and give first aid for other problems, as
needed. If the child appears to have no serious injury, put the child in the Recovery
Position.
5. If the child is not breathing, take a normal (not deep) breath and give 1 “Rescue Breath”.
Forming a tight seal, cover an infant’s open mouth and nose with your mouth.

For a small child, pinch the nose closed, as for an adult. Give 1 full breath for 1 second.
Give the 2nd full breath for 1 second. Each rescue breath should make the child’s chest
rise. If it doesn’t do head tilt and chin lift again.
6. Begin “Chest Compressions”
● Lean over the child. Keeping your arms straight, press straight down on the chest
using the heel(s) of 1 or both hands. Don’t press on the child’s ribs or the lower
part of the breastbone.
● Depress the middle of the chest between the nipples about 1/3 to ½ the depth of
the chest.
● Push hard and push fast. Give about 100 compressions a minute. Relax pressure
completely after each compression.
7. Give cycles of 30 chest compressions and 2 rescue breaths, without a break. Do this 5
times. (This should take about 2 minutes). Keep doing 30 chest compressions and 2
rescue breaths until the child starts to move, until an AED is used, or until medical help
takes over. Always open the airway before giving rescue breaths.