HAVING FIRST AID
SKILLS
PART 1:
MISCELLANEOUS
&
1ST AID LAW
FIRST AID:
*Immediate and temporary care
given to a person who has been
injured or suddenly becomes ill.
-What to do when
someone needs help
-You will not panic!
-Care until the pros
get there…
EMERGENCY:
*A serious situation that occurs
without warning and calls for quick
action.
Ex.- Car accident, heart attack, accidents
at home, etc.
When do you call 9-1-1?:
**You would call for a) ____ b) ___ & c) ____
**You drive to hospital for a) __ b) __ & c) ___
FIRST AID KIT:
*Keep them where they will likely be needed
(_______&________)
*Carry w/ you if going camping, hiking, etc.
*Can purchase it from drug store or American
Red Cross or put it together yourself
*Special medicines for a family member?
*Check expiration dates & batteries!
(See Pg. 465)
UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS:
*Steps taken to prevent the spread of
disease by treating all human blood
& certain body fluids as if they are
contaminated
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HIV- found in blood, urine, & certain
other body fluids (Causes AIDS)
HBV- found in blood (Causes
Hepatitis B)
UNIVERSAL
PRECAUTIONS:
*BY FOLLOWING THESE
YOU CAN STILL SAFELY GIVE
FIRST AID TO AN INJURED PERSON
WITHOUT CAUSING HARM TO
YOURSELF!
UNIVERSAL
PRECAUTIONS:
1- Wear latex gloves
UNIVERSAL
PRECAUTIONS:
2- Wash hands w/ antiseptic soap
after removing gloves
UNIVERSAL
PRECAUTIONS:
3- Use 1-way face mask when
performing C.P.R. &
Rescue Breathing
UNIVERSAL
PRECAUTIONS:
4- Avoid contact w/ the victim’s
blood
-Cover Scrapes & cuts
-Don’t touch things w/
the victim’s blood on it.
UNIVERSAL
PRECAUTIONS:
5- Do not eat or drink anything
while giving first aid
-Does anybody actually
do this?
UNIVERSAL
PRECAUTIONS:
6- Do not touch your eyes, nose, or
mouth while giving care
You must have-
CONSENT (permission)
to give first aid:
•2 types:
•1- ACTUAL CONSENT- Written
or oral permission from a
mentally competent adult
ACTUAL CONSENT (Cont’d)-
1- I.D. yourself to victim
2- Tell victim what you plan
to do & your first aid
training
3- IF they give you permission,
this is actual consent
4- DO NOT GIVE FIRST AID TO
A CONCIOUS ADULT WHO
REFUSES IT!
IMPLIED CONSENT =
Permission to give first
aid to:
-Unconcious mentally competent
adult
-An adult victim who is not
mentally competent if no
adult is present
-An infant or child when no adult
can give consent
GOOD SAMARITAN LAWS:
-Laws that protect people who
give first aid in good faith and
without negligence or misconduct
-Lawsuits usually do not occur
when the person giving first aid
has the proper training
-They DO occur when a minor
injury is made worse because of
the first aid given
Perform only the first aid
skills you have been
trained in!
Do not
perform skills
beyond your
knowledge such
as things you may
see on T.V.!
PART 2:
VICTIM
ASSESSMENTS
Victim Assessment
*A check of the injured or medically
ill person to answer these
questions:
-Is their airway open?
-Are they breathing?
-Is their heart beating?
-Are they severely bleeding?
-Do they have other injuries?
Victim Assessment Steps
(Age 12 & over)
1- Check the scene;
Check person
2- Tap shoulder-
“Are you OK?” Call 9-1-1 if no response
3- Get consent (If possible)
4- If breathing w/ pulse ask what
happened
5- If not breathing, open airway &
check for breathing (for no more
than 10 seconds)
6- Give 2 rescue breaths (Facemask)
7- 10 second recheck for breathing.
Use index & ring
finger on Carotid
artery
8- If breathing, place in RECOVERY
POSITION &
monitor ABC’s;
if not----Repeat
rescue breathing
This is
another view
of the
carotid
artery (the
artery where
you feel
your pulse in
your neck…
You should not
use your
thumb when
looking for a
pulse because
__________!
IMPORTANT!
PART 3:
CHOKING
EMERGENCIES
Choking
*A emergency where the airway
is blocked.
*A concious person will try to
cough to dislodge it!
*If they can talk, they are getting
enough air—encourage
coughing
*Call 9-1-1 if they cannot cough it
up
Choking
*If airway is completely blocked the
cough will be weak or they will give
the UNIVERSAL DISTRESS SIGNAL
*Must open the airway fast!
Steps for Choking
1- Call 9-1-1
2- Ask victim if they are choking.
3- If they cannot speak, breathe, or
cough:
*Lean victim fwd. & provide 5
back blows between the shoulder
blades
Steps for Choking
4- Stand behind victim 5 abdominal
thrusts.
Repeat until help arrives or the
object is dislodged.
5- Rescue breathing may be
necessary after object comes
out.
If you are alone &
choking:
Give
yourself
abdominal
thrusts or
use the
back of a
chair to
press your
abdomen
against
Steps for Choking:
You Are Alone
If the Choker is pregnant
or too big to reach
around:
Use Chest
Thrusts:
Place fist
against
center of
breastbone
& cover w/
other hand.
Steps for Choking:
Unconscious Victim
1- Call 9-1-1
2- Roll victim on back
3- Tilt head back
4- Try 2 rescue breaths (probably
won’t go in…)
5- 30 chest compressions in 18 sec.
6- Look for object / Sweep
7- 2 rescue breaths
8- If they go in- Assess victim
If they don’t go in- Repeat 5-7
Steps for Choking: Young
Child (Part 1)
If the child cannot cough,
cry, or breathe:
1- Call 9-1-1
2- Obtain consent from
parent / guardian
3- Place victim facedown
over forearm & upper leg
4- Support lower jaw & chest
5- W/ other hand give 5
quick blows to back between
shoulder blades
Steps for Choking:
Young Child (Part 2)
Place victim face up on
your leg w/ head lower
than trunk:
6- Use 2-3 fingers in center
of breastbone- give 5 quick
thrusts (just below
imaginary line between
nipples)
7- Repeat until object is
dislodged
8- Be prepared to give
rescue breathing
CAUSES FOR CHOKING
***ADULT***
***CHILD & BABY***
1- Swallowing large pieces
of poorly chewed food -Swallowing objects such
as pebbles, coins, beads
2- Drinking alcohol during
meals (it dulls the nerves
that aid swallowing)
-Foods such as grapes, hot
3- Dentures (Make it hard dogs, & popcorn)
to sense when food is
ready to be swallowed)
-#1, #4, & #5 under adult
4- Eating while talking
excitedly, too fast, or
laughing
5- Walking or running w/
objects in mouth
PART 4:
RESCUE
BREATHING
RESCUE BREATHING
• Without oxygen, a victim will become
unconscious after a period of time
• The heart will stop beating & blood will
stop circulating to body organs
• PURPOSE: Rescue breathing is a
way to get air into a victim who is
unconscious but has a pulse
RESCUE BREATHING
• Call 9-1-1
1-
• Roll victim on back
2-
• Tilt head/Open airway
3-
• Pinch nostrils & give 2 slow
4-
breaths (Did chest rise?)
• 5- Check pulse
• 6- Yes? Give 1 breath every 5 sec.
(Remove mouth after each breath)
• 7- Recheck pulse & breathing every
minute- Continue until E.M.S. arrives
…is done when
the person has a
pulse but is not
breathing!
RESCUE BREATHING
(Infant)
• Call 9-1-1
1-
• Roll victim on back
2-
• Tilt head/Open airway
3-
• Pinch nostrils & give 2 slow
4-
breaths (Did chest rise?)
• 5- Check pulse on brachial artery
• 6- Yes? Give 1 breath every 3 sec.
(Remove mouth after each breath)
• 7- Recheck pulse & breathing every
minute- Continue until E.M.S. arrives
PART 5:
C.P.R.
CARDIOPULMONARY
RESUSCITATION
Purpose: To restore heartbeat &
breathing
-Used only when they are ‘absent’
CARDIOPULMONARY
RESUSCITATION
THE ABC’S OF CPR :
>>>>>>>Help you determine the need for
CPR
A- AIRWAY- Open victim’s airway
B- Breathing- Perform rescue
breathing if breathing has
stopped
C- Circulation- Perform CPR if no
pulse
C.P.R. (Adult / Child)
• 1- Make a victim assessment
• 2- Call 9-1-1
• 3- Find Sternum/Breastbone
• 4- Measure up 2 widths of
Your finger- Interlock
• 5- Position shoulders over hands
• 6- 30 chest compressions (1.5”-2”)
• 7- Speed = 30 comp. in about 18 sec.
• 8- 2 slow breaths
• 9- Continue until you find a sign of life,
scene becomes unsafe, pros arrive, or
A.E.D. arrives
• trained to use it
Infant C.P.R.
• 1- Make a victim assessment
• 2- Call 9-1-1
• 3- Find spot 1 finger width below
nipple line
• 4- Use only 2-3 fingers
• 5- 30 chest compressions (.5”-1”)
• 7- Speed = 30 comp. in 18 seconds.
• 8- 2 slow breaths
• 9- Repeat until help arrives or you see
signs of lifeto use it
PART 6:
HEART ATTACKS
&
STROKES
HEART ATTACK
*Death of part of the heart muscle
caused by a lack of blood flow to
the heart.
*A blocked blood vessel prevents
blood flow to the heart depriving it
of oxygen
Warning signs of heart
attack
*Chest Pain
*Pain to jaw, shoulder, neck, arm
*Dizziness
*Sweating
*Fainting
*Difficulty Breathing
*Shortness of Breath
*Irregular Pulse
STROKE
*Caused by a broken or blocked
blood vessel in the brain
*Can occur when a blood clot
travels through the bloodstream
and lodges in the brain
*Blood cannot get to all parts of
the brain causing some tissue to
die
Warning Signs for
Strokes
*Slurred Speech
*Paralysis on 1 side of body
*Blurred Vision
*Severe Headache
*Unequal size of pupils
*Slow rate of breathing
STROKE
Act F.A.S.T.
FACE Ask the person to smile.
Does one side of the face droop?
ARMS Ask the person to raise both arms.
Does one arm drift downward?
SPEECH Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.
Are the words slurred? Can he/she repeat the sentence correctly?
TIME If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is important.
Call 911 or get to the hospital fast. Brain cells are dying.
PART 7:
BLEEDING
&
SHOCK
EMERGENCIES
FIRST AID FOR BLEEDING
Wound: Injury to the body’s soft
tissues
Closed Wound: Injury to the soft
tissues under the skin
Open Wound: Injury in which the
skin’s surface is broken
SHOCK-Life-threatening
condition that occurs when the
body is not getting enough
blood flow.
-Can damage multiple organs
-Shock requires IMMEDIATE medical
treatment and can get worse
very rapidly.
-Caused by any condition that reduces blood
flow:
•Heart Attack & Heart Failure
•Low blood volume from heavy bleeding or
other serious injury
Symptoms of Shock
•Pale, cool, clammy skin
•Dizziness
•Low Blood Pressure
•Shallow Breathing
•Unconsciousness
1st Aid Steps for Shock:
•Call 911 for immediate medical help.
•Victim Assessment. If necessary, begin rescue breathing and CPR
•Even if the person is able to breathe on his or her own, continue
to Check rate of breathing at least every 5 minutes until help
arrives.
•If the person is conscious and DOES NOT have an injury to the
head, leg, neck, or spine, place the person in the shock position.
Lay the person on the back and elevate the legs about 12 inches.
DO NOT elevate the head. If raising the legs will cause pain or
potential harm, leave the person lying flat.
•Give appropriate first aid for any wounds, injuries, or illnesses.
•Keep the person warm and comfortable. Loosen tight clothing.
PART 8:
BURN
INJURIES
Burns
-Can be caused by heat, electricity,
chemicals, or radiation
-Seriousness of the injury depends on
several factors including
DEPTH
1ST Degree Burns
-Affect only the top layer of skin
-Most common example =
____________
-Usually heals without permanent
scarring within a few days
This is a 1st Degree Burn
2nd Degree Burns
-Affects the top layers of skin
-Red skin, blisters, skin appears wet
-Some scarring may occur
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---
WHAT TO DO FOR 1ST & 2ND DEGREE BURNS!
A) Cover area w/ cool cloth or water
B) Cover area loosely
C) Do not break blisters or remove tissue
Electrical Burns
-Occurs when electricity travels through
the body
-Can be caused by lightning or contact
w/ a power line, or faulty electrical
equipment
-DO NOT GO NEAR THE VICTIM UNTIL
THE SOURCE OF ELECT. IS TURNED
OFF!
-May have 2 wounds on the body…
Chemical Burns
-Occur when certain products or
chemicals get in the eyes or on the
skin
-Burn continues as long as it’s there…
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----
1- Remove source of burn
2- Flush area w/ cool low-pressure water
3- If only one eye is involved- run the water from
nose & away from unaffected eye
PART 9:
SPRAINS
Sprains
• Injury to the ligaments, tendons, and soft
tissue around a joint caused by
‘overstretching’
• Signs: Swelling, pain that gets worse when
weight-bearing, etc.
• Can be worse than a break!
Sprains
Sprains
R.I.C.E. Treatment
• REST- Stay off the injured part
• ICE: Apply 20 min. on / 20 min. off
• COMPRESSION: ‘Ace’ bandage will help
control internal bleeding
• ELEVATION: Getting the injury above
heart helps to drain blood & fluid
PART 10:
HEAT & COLD ILLNESSES
Heat-Related Illnesses
Physical conditions that
occur when a person is
exposed to higher than
normal temperatures
Heat-Related Illnesses
1- Heat Cramps
2- Heat Exhaustion
3- Heat Stroke
Heat Cramps
Painful muscle
spasms (usually in
legs & arms) due to
excessive fluid loss
due to sweating
Heat Exhaustion
*Extreme tiredness due to
body temperature not being
regulated
*Can be life-threatening
*Signs:
-Cool, moist, pale skin
-Nausea, headache
-Dizziness, fast pulse, &
Weakness
Heat Exhaustion
Heat Stroke
Sudden attack of illness
from high temps
Sweating stops so body
cannot cool itself
Heat Stroke Signs
-Rapid pulse &
breathing
-Hot & dry skin
-High temp.
-Weak, dizzy,
headache
Heat Stroke First Aid
1- Get out of the sun
2- Remove heavy clothing
3- Wrap in cool, wet towels or sheets
4- Place icepacks near
neck, armpits, & groin
5- Call 9-1-1
Dangerous & possibly life-
threatening Life-threatening!
Frostbite
***When exposed to very cold
temperatures, skin and underlying
tissues may freeze, resulting in
frostbite.
***The areas most likely to be
affected by frostbite are your hands,
feet, nose and ears.
How do you know if it’s frostbite?:
-Hard, cold, pale skin
-As it thaws, the flesh = red & painful
First Aid For Frostbite
1. Get out of the cold.
2. Warm your hands by tucking them under
your arms. If your nose, ears or face is
frostbitten, warm the area by covering it with
dry, gloved hands.
3. Don't rub the affected area. Never rub
snow on frostbitten skin.
First Aid For Frostbite
4. Get emergency medical help if numbness
remains during warming. If you can't get help
immediately, warm severely frostbitten hands
or feet in warm — not hot — water.
5. If there's any chance of refreezing, don't
thaw out the affected areas. If they're
already thawed out, wrap them up so they
don't refreeze.
Prevention of Frostbite
* Wear sufficient clothing, but avoid wearing clothing
that interferes with circulation. Tight-fitting shoes,
socks, and hand-wear are especially dangerous.
• Keep dry. Avoid becoming wet with perspiration.
• Exercise your face, fingers, and toes to keep them
warm.
• Use the buddy system. Pair off and watch each
other for signs of frostbite and give each other aid if
frostbite occurs.