AGE1522: SURVIVAL TECHNIQUES

LESSON 1 TO 1.2: Introduction to Survival and First Aid

PRELIMS | 2024 | 2ND SEMESTER
NURS 2-1
SURVIVAL SKILLS ACTION PLAN
• Techniques a person may use in dangerous situation (e.g ✓ Assess the situation
natural disasters) to save themselves or others. ✓ Safety of yourself and the casualty
✓ Assess the casualty
Such techniques include: ✓ Treat the casualty
✓ Arrange the removal of the casualty to hospital or safe
✓ Building shelters from available material, making fire
area
without matches
✓ Write a report/Communicate the status
✓ Locating water
✓ Identifying edible plants ASSESSING THE SKILLS OF A FIRST AIDER
✓ Manufacturing tools ✓ Observer
✓ Hunting ✓ Listen
✓ Trapping animals with primitive devices ✓ Feel
✓ Making protective clothing and blankets from skins and ✓ Talk
fibres. ✓ Touch
✓ Provide the basic necessity for human life. ✓ Provide
✓ Basic ideas and abilities that ancient humans had to use ✓ Build Trust
for thousands of years.
RESPONSIBILITY OF A FIRST AIDER
Survival skills are often basic ideas and abilities that ancients • To assess the situation quickly and safely and call for
invented and used themselves for thousands of years. appropriate help.
• To identify the level of injury or the nature of illness
WHY BASIC SURVIVAL SKILLS ARE IMPORTANT TO KNOW
affecting the casualty/victim.
✓ Techniques that a person may use in order to sustain life
• To give early and appropriate treatment in a sensible
in any type of environment.
order or priority.
✓ These techniques are meant to provide basic necessities
• To make and pass on a report, give a further help if its
for human life which include water, food, and shelter.
required.
✓ The skills also support to proper knowledge and
interactions with animals and plants to promote the DRABC
sustaining of life over a period of time. Danger
✓ Outdoor activities such as hiking, backpacking,
horseback riding, fishing, and hunting all require basic ➢ To yourself
wilderness survival skills, especially in handling ➢ To others
emergency situations. ➢ To casualty

FIRST AID Response

The initial process of assessing and addressing the needs of
someone who is experiencing medical emergencies.
Allows a “non-medical expert” to quickly determine a person’s
physical condition and the course of treatment.
Can make a difference to a person’s recovery and could save
their life.
➢ Gently “Shake and Shout” at the casualty
➢ Is the casualty is conscious?
➢ Is the casualty drowsy or confused?
➢ Is the casualty unconscious, but reacting?
➢ Is the casualty unconscious with no reaction?
➢ If unconscious, place the casualty in the stable side
position.

PURPOSE OF FIRST AID Airway

✓ To sustain the life
✓ To prevent suffering ➢ Is the airway is open and clear?
✓ To prevent secondary complications ➢ Is there noisy in breathing?
✓ To promote speedy recovery ➢ Are there Potential obstruction such as blood etc?
➢ If so, open and clear the airway!
DO’S DON’T’S
Use the following before 1. Prescribe medicine CHECK AIRWAYS
handling the casualty: 2. Declare Death PULSE BREATHING INTERVENTION CYCLES
1. Mask — — CPR 30 compressions
2. Gloves 2 breaths
3. Head Cover (IF 5 cycles
APPLICABLE)1 + + Recovery
Position

PRINCIPLES OF FIRST AID (4C’S)

Call for help

Calmly take charge

+ — Rescue 10 breaths (adult)
Check the scene and the casualty Breathing 20 breaths (child)
6 seconds interval
Carefully apply FIRST AID
(no compression)

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Breathing
➢ Look for chest movements
➢ Listen for sounds for breathing
➢ Feel for breathes on your cheek
➢ If not breathing give 2 rescue breathes
Circulation
➢ Is there a carotid pulse?
➢ Is it strong?
➢ Is it regular”
➢ Is there a major blood loss?
➢ IF NO PULSE PRESENT THEN START CPR (CIRCULATION
PULSE RESPIRATION)
COMMON INJURIES/SITUATION THAT NEEDS IMMEDIATE
MEDICAL CARE
NOSEBLEED
DON’TS DO’S
Do not lean back Sit in a comfortable upright
position and lean forward
slightly.
Leaning back can be harmful Then pinch your nose just
as the blood could block the below the bony nose bridge
windpipe, blocking the and above the fleshy lobes of
airway. the nostrils until the bleeding is
stemmed.
AFTERCARE: Once
bleeding is controlled, do not
blow your nose as this might
dislodge the clot and make
you bleed again.
HEART ATTACK
DON’TS DO’S
Even if you are not sure about If the person is conscious, give
the symptoms, if you suspect a them a 300mg tablet of aspirin
heart attack at all, do not to chew.
wait.
ALERT! The main risk is that the
heart will stop beating. Be
prepared to resuscitate if
necessary.
EARLY WARNING SIGNS:
1. Pressure in center of
chest.
2. Pain in shoulders,
neck or arms.
3. Chest discomfort
with fainting,
sweating, or nausea.
4. Call ambulance
immediately.
BURNS
DON’TS DO’S
Never put ice on the burn, as 1ST DEGREE BURN
it dela healing or cause extra 1. Put the burn part in
damage (think frostbite). Also cold water.
leave the butter in the 2ND DEGREE BURN
kitchen, unless you want to 1. Put cold, wet
make it worse. dressing on burn.
Cover the burned
part with a loose
bandage (or clean
washed cotton
sheet for a larger
area) and go to the
doctor).
Do not break blisters and
attempt to remove the skin, as
it can cause infection.
Immediately help victim who
suffered from electrical burn
without looking out if the
victim be in contact with it.
the
CHOKING
DON’TS
Slap the victim back’s hard.
Using your finger to force out
the item out of the victim’s
mouth.
3RD DEGREE BURN
1. Leave burned
clothes on the skin. If
the face is burned,
keep victim sitting
up. Keep airway
open, tilt head back.
Evaluate burned
arms, legs, hands.
Keep burn higher
than heart. Call
ambulance.
CHEMICAL BURN
• Remove chemical causing
burn by washing the skin
under cool running water for
at least 20 minutes. Remove
all clothing or jewelry that may
be contaminated by the
chemical. After washing,
apply cool, wet cloth on the
burn to relieve the pain.
ELECTRICAL BURN
• Call the ambulance
immediately.
• Look out if there is any
contact with the electric
source.
• Turn off the electrical source
or try move it by non
– conducting object.
• Prevent shock by lying the
child down and raising the
legs with an object. e.g. Pillow
DO’S
Remain calm and encourage
the victim to keep coughing
to try and clear the blockage.
Stand slightly behind the
person to one side.
Support their chest with one
hand. Lean the person
forward so that the object
blocking the airway will come
out of their mouth, rather than
going further down.
Give at least 5 sharp blows
between the person’s
shoulder blades with the heel
on your hand.
Stop after each blows to
check if the blockage has
cleared. If not, give up to five
abdominal thrusts.
STEPS IN ABDOMINAL THRUSTS
1. Stand behind the
person who is
choking.
2. Place your arms
around the waist
and bend them well
forward.
3. Clench your first and
place it right and
place it right above
the person’s navel
(belly button)
4. Place your other
hand on top, thrust
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 both hands ➢ Scrape
backwards into their ➢ Laceration - A cut skin with jagged, irregular edges and
stomach with a caused by a forceful tearing away of skin tissue.
hard, upward ➢ Incisions - Smooth edges and resemble a surgical or
movement. paper cut.
Do it five times (1 cycle), stop ➢ Punctures - Deep, narrow wounds such as a stab wound
each cycle to check if the from a nail or a knife in the skin and underlying organs.
blockage has been cleared.
➢ Avulsion - Flap of skin is torn loose and is either
ALERT!
hanging from the body or completely removed.
Do not thrusts on pregnant
and on a very large sized ➢ Amputation - Cutting or tearing off of a body part
adult. such as a finger, toe, hand, foot, arm, or leg.

BITES AND STINGS

HOW TO MANAGE MINOR WOUNDS
WOUNDS
➢ Insect stings and bites
What to Do:
What to Look For:
o Wear gloves (if possible) and expose wound
o Check the sting site to see if a stinger and venom sac are o Control bleeding
embedded in the skin. o Clean wounds
o Bees are the only stinging insects that leave their o To prevent infection
stingers and venom sacs behind. o Wash shallow wound gently with soap and water
o Scrape the stinger and venom sac away with a hard o Wash from the center out / Irrigate with water
object such as a long fingernail, credit card, scissor edge, o Severe wound?
or knife blade. o Clean only after bleeding has stopped
o Reactions generally localized pain, itching, and swelling.
Wounds Care:
o Allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) occurs will be a
life threatening. o Remove small objects that do not flush out by irrigation
with sterile tweezers.
What to Do:
o If bleeding restarts, apply direct pressure.
o Ask the victim if he/she has had a reaction before. o Use roller bandages (or tape dressing to the body)
o Wash the sting site with soap and water to o Keep dressings dry and clean.
prevent infection. o Change the dressing daily, or more often if it gets wet
o Apply an ice pack over the sting site to slow absorption or dirty.
of the venom and relieve pain.
Signs of Wound Infection:
o Because bee venom is acidic, a paste made of
baking soda and water can help. o Swelling, and redness around the wound
o Seek medical attention if necessary. o A sensation of warmth
o Throbbing pain
TICK BITES
o Fever / chills
➢ Tick can remain embedded for days without the victim’s o Swollen lymph nodes
realizing it. o Red streaks
➢ Most tick bites are harmless, although ticks can carry o Tetanus (lock jaw), should receive injection in first
serious diseases. 72 hours.
➢ Symptoms usually begin 3 to 12 days after a tick bites.
DRESSINGS AND BANDAGES
What to Do:
The purpose of a dressing is to:
o The best way to remove a tick is with fine-pointed
➢ Control bleeding
tweezers. Grab as closely to the skin as possible and pull
➢ Prevent infection and contamination
straight back, using steady but gentle force.
➢ Absorb blood and fluid drainage
o Wash the bite site with soap and water.
➢ Protect the wound from further injury
o Apply rubbing alcohol to further disinfect the area.
o Apply an ice pack to reduce pain.
o Calamine lotion may provide relief from itching. What to Do:
o Keep the area clean.
o Continue to watch the bite site for about one month for o Always wear gloves (if possible)
a rash. o Use a dressing large enough to extend beyond the
o If rash appears, see a physician. wound’s edges.
o Also watch for other signs such as fever, muscle aches, o Cover the dressing with bandages.
sensitivity to bright light, and paralysis that begins with leg
weakness. Bandage can be used to:

WOUNDS o Hold a dressing in place over an open wound.

o Apply direct pressure over a dressing to control
OPEN WOUNDS bleeding.
o Prevent or reduce swelling.
➢ A break in the skin’s surface that results in external o Provide support and stability for an extremity or
bleeding and may allow bacteria to enter the body that joint.
can cause infection. o Bandage should be clean but need not be sterile.
➢ Abrasion - The top layer of skin is removed with little or no
blood loss.

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AMPUTATION ✓ Nail Scissors
✓ Antibiotic Cream
What to Do: ✓ Matches
✓ Ziploc Bags
➢ Control the bleeding
✓ First Aid Manual
➢ Treat the victim for shock
➢ Recover the amputated part and whenever possible
take it with the victim

To care for the amputated body part:

o The amputated part does not need to be cleaned.

o Wrap the amputated part with a dry sterile gauze or
other clean cloth.
o Put the wrapped amputated part in a plastic bag or
other waterproof container.
o Keep the amputated part cool, but do not freeze.
o Place the bag or container with the wrapped part on a
bed of ice.
o Seek medical attention immediately.

Checking for Spinal Injuries:

➢ Head injuries may indicate that there are possible spinal

injuries
➢ It may have been moved suddenly in one or more
directions, damaging the spine.

o Responsive Victim
o Upper Extremity Checks:
• Victim wiggles fingers.
• Victim feels rescuer squeeze fingers
• Victim squeeze rescuer’s hand.
o Lower Extremity Checks:
• Victim wiggles toes.
• Victim feels rescuer squeezes toes.
• Victim pushes foot against rescuer’s hand.

What to Look For:

o General signs & symptoms

o Painful movement of the arms or legs
o Numbness, tingling, weakness, or burning sensation in the
arms or legs.
o Loss of bowel or bladder control
o Paralysis of the arms or legs
o Deformity (odd-looking angle of the victim’s head &
neck

What to Do:

o Stabilize the victim against any movement.

o Check ABCs. (Airway Breathing Circulation)

Unresponsive Victim:

o Look for cuts, bruise, and deformities.

o Test response by pinching the victim’s hand, and
bare foot.
o If no reaction, assume the victim may have spinal
damage.

FIRST AID KIT

✓ Bandages
✓ Adhesive Bandages
✓ Gauze Pads
✓ Surgical Tape
✓ Small Mirror
✓ Over the counter drugs
✓ Alcohol
✓ Alcohol wipes
✓ Hand sanitizer
✓ Thermometer
✓ Scissors
✓ Tweezers

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