Primary and Secondry Care- First Aid Course

A

Assessing the Scene

Check for what might have caused the accident

Check for what might be a danger to the patient or yourself

Alerting EMS

If there is a bystander nearby, ask them to do so, or do so yourself unless respiratory problem or the patient is a child

Respiratory problem- 2 minutes of CPR and then alert EMS

Applying Barriers

Wear gloves before touching the patient

CPR- Put ventilation mask on patient's mouth

Serious Bleeding- Put on face shield/ eye shield/ goggles/ glasses

Asking for Permission

"Hello, my name is Michelle, I'm an Emergency Responder, may I help you?"

No answer/ Yes= Go and help me!!!

No= No, I'm fine, don't help me, just talk to me...

Airway

Conscious Patient: Ask him to speak/ cough, go to S.

Unconscious Patient: Tilt chin backwards to open airway

B

Breathing

Check patient for Breathing, periodic gasping is not regular breathing

Unconscious Patient: Put ear to patient's mouth and look towards chest to see see rise and fall, if not, go to C.

C

Circulation & Chest compressions

1. Put patient on his back

2. Remove obstructions from mouth

3. Put ventilation barrier on patients mouth and nose

4. Pinch nose close, tilt head to lift chin

5. Give 2 rescue breaths to make the chest rise

6. Compression site: Between the two nipples, center of chest Give 30 compressions, straight down, straight arms

Adult- two hands

Children- one hand

Infant- 2 fingers

7. Repeat 2 rescue breaths and 30 compressions procedure until there is an AED or EMS comes

D

Defillibration

Administering an electric shock which disrupts the abnormal twitching (fillibration) is called Defillibration.

Use an AED, stick pads on patient and listen to the machine's instructions, remember to ask everyone to move back from the patient. Use a Child AED for children, no AED use on infants.

S

Serious Bleeding Management

Arterial Bleeding

Bright red blood spurts from a wound in rhythm with heartbeat

Most serious type of bleeding, blood loss occurs quickly

Venous Bleeding

Dark red blood steadily flows from the wound

Can be life-threatening and must be controlled quickly

Capillary Bleeding

Blood slowly oozes from the wound

Can stop on its own or stopped easily with direct pressure

How to treat

Put a sterile pad over wound and apply pressure

Place pressure, wrap bandages around

NEVER remove blood soaked bandages- blood clots more easily

Shock Management

Treat anyone who does not need CPR with the shock management procedure

Shocked people a weak pulse, pale moist skin, mental confusion, nausea, thirst, lackluster eyes, labored breathing

Shock occurs when only one or more vital organs get blood, others don't get adequate blood, organs need oxygen from blood

1. Hold the patient's head to keep the neck from moving, do not move patient

2. Maintain patient's body temperature based on climate

3. Elevate the legs 15-30 cm if no spinal injuries or leg fractures

Spinal Injury Management

Never move a patient unless absolutely necessary

Hold neck still even if you are not moving the patient

Don't let the patient move

Move patient as a unit, don't turn spine... use a log roll

Adult

12 and 20 breaths per minute

60-80 beats per minute

Child

18-40 breaths per minute

70-150 beats per minute

Infant

30-60 breaths per minute

100-160 beats per minute

Injury Assessment

Check from head to toe, feel the bones to find any dislocations or fractures

Check ears for body fluid

Ask the patient to use his eyes to follow your finger

Illness Assessment

SAMPLE

Signs and Symptoms

Ask how they feel

Find pulse rate and breathing rate

Check Color of skin

Checking temperature and moisture

Allergies

Ask for what they are allergic to

Medications

What medication they take

Did you take it today

Preexisting Medical Conditions

Heart condtions, diabetes...

Last Meal

Alcohol if taken

When

What

Events

What happened

Before illness

Bandaging

Apply sterile pad on wound, apply bandage over pad

Tuck bandage into place

Triangle Bandages: to hold up arm, tie around neck

Splinting for Dislocations and Fractures

Put padding onto a straight surface bending surface (splint)

Put leg or arm into splint

Use roller bandages to wrap around the splint to hold it in place

Use a donut bandage to wrap around a jutting out bone before wrapping it

Age

Size

Ability to understand what is going on or to communicate effectively

Mental state and willingness to cooperate

Why Time is important?

Chances of a successful resuscitation diminish with time

Irreversible brain damage can occur

Why Help?

You can save or restore a patient's life.

You can help reduce a patient's recovery time.

You can make the difference between a patient having a temporary or lifelong disability.

Why do some people NOT HELP?

Anxiety

Guilt

Fear of imperfect performance

Responsibility

Fear of infection

Good Samaritan Laws

Protect individuals who voluntarily aid those in need, immunity against liability.

1. Only provide care that you have been qualified for as a Emergency Responder.

2. Ask for permission to help.

3. Act in good faith.

4. Do not be reckless or negligent.

5. Act prudently.

6. Don't abandon a patient, unless you are protecting yourself from danger.

Illness

Unhealthy condition: diabetes, allergies...

Injury

Physical Harm: cuts, burns, dislocations...

Sign

The responder sees, hears or feels

Symptom

Something the patient tells you is wrong

1. A person without a heartbeat or who isn't breathing is already in the worst state of health, you can't worsen the condition...

2. CPR only helps support a patient by forcing oxygen-rich blood to the vital body organs from the heart, it does not restart the heart.

3. Relax, avoid caffeine, alcohol, talk to others after providing emergency care, it might be stressful.

Heart Attack

Blood flow to heart stops or is reduced.

Complain of chest pain, dizziness, breathlessness

Calling EMS immediately, transport to medical facility

Cardiac Arrest

Oxygen flow to heart stops or is reduced

No response from patient, no circulation, heart quivers ventricular fibrillation

CPR, defibrillation quickly

Stroke

Blood vessel blocked or bursts in the brain

Numbness, weakness, speechless, facial droop, headaches, blurred vision

Calling EMS immediately, transport to medical facility

Complete Airway Obstruction

Choking on food/ object

Can't speak, clutching throat, leaving area

Deliver Back Blows/ Abdominal Thrusts/Chest Thrusts

1. Early Recognition, Call for Help

2. Early CPR- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

3. Early Defibrillation

4. Early Professional Care and Followup

Bloodborne Pathogens

Hepatitis C virus

Hepatitis B virus

HIV

Barriers

Gloves

Ventilation masks/ Face Shields

Eye/Face Shields- Glasses, goggles, face masks

Scrub and wash after exposure with soap or wipes.

Choking

Conscious

Stop these blows if the person becomes unconscious

Deliver Back blows by striking between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand 5 times

After back blows try abdominal thrusts, put your hands around the waist of a person, make a first and wrap your other hand around it, thrust into 2 finger widths above the navel, thumb side towards you

Or try chest thrusts, put your arms under the persons armpits, similar to abdominal thrust, but this time in the notch on the lower half of the breastbone.

Unconscious

1. Call EMS

2. CPR

3. Look into patient's mouth to remove visible obstructions