First Aid is defined as the immediate & temporary care
given to the victim of an accident or sudden illness.
CHECK, CALL, CARE:
1. CHECK
a. Is the scene safe
b. If the scene is safe, check the victim
c. Use your senses (hearing, sight, smell) – something may
catch your attention.
d. What happened?
e. How many victims are there?
2. CALL
 When to call 9-1-1:
A. Victim is or becomes unconscious
B. Has trouble breathing or is breathing in a strange way
C. Has chest pain or pressure
D. Is bleeding severely
E. Has seizures, a severe headache or slurred speech
F. Appears to have been poisoned
G. Has injuries to head, neck, or back
H. Has possible broken bones
 How to call 9-1-1:
1. Call 9-1-1 (or “0” for operator)
2. Give dispatcher necessary information (answer
questions to the best of your ability)
3. Do not hang up until you are told to do so
4. Return and continue to care for the victim
3. CARE Always care for life-threatening emergencies first:










Respiratory distress or cessation of breathing
Severe chest pains
Shock
Uncontrolled bleeding
Choking
Poisoning
Prolonged unconsciousness
Overdose
Severe Burns
Any complaint or observation which indicates head or spinal cord injury
The Good Samaritan Laws give legal protection to people who provide emergence care to ill or injured
persons. It protects you, as a rescuer from being sued and found financially responsible for victim’s injury.
They require the “Good Samaritan” to use common sense and a reasonable level of skill, not to exceed the
scope of the individual’s training in emergency situations. You must get permission from victim by telling
victim who you are, how much training you have, and how you plan to help. Do NOT give care to a conscious
victim who refuses it. Permission is implied if a victim is unconscious or unable to respond.
WOUNDS:
WOUND: an injury to the soft tissue.
SOFT TISSUE: Soft tissue refers to the layers of skin, fat, & muscle beneath the skin. Any
time it is torn or damaged, the body is threatened. Severe bleeding can occur at skin’s surface
or under it, where it’s harder to detect. Germs can get into the body through a scrape, cut, or
puncture & cause an infection.
 Open Wound: A break in the skin (blood leaves the body).
 Closed Wound: Causes bleeding under the skin (bruise or internal bleeding).
Types of Wounds:
1. ABRASION: outer layer of skin is damaged (scrape)
 Most common type of wound
 Caused by skin that’s been rubbed or scraped
away
 Exposes nerve endings Painful!
2. AVULSION: often damages deeper tissues; bleeding is
significant
 Skin may hang like a flap
 Example: Dog bites your ear off
3. INCISION: clean cut with a sharp object (knife)
 Also known as a laceration
 Jagged or smooth edges
 Knives, scissors, or broken glass
 Blow from a blunt object splits skin
4. PUNCTURE: object pierces layers of skin
 Bleeding can be severe if major blood vessel or
internal organs are penetrated by object that
remains embedded in (stuck in) the wound
 Example:Gun-shot wound could be an example
BURNS:
Definition- an injury to the soft tissue caused by exposure to heat or flame.
3 Levels of Burn:
1. Superficial (1st degree)
a. Top layer of skin
b. Skin red and dry with possible swelling
c. Heals within a week without scarring
2. Partial Thickness (2nd degree)
a. Top layers of skin
b. Skin red and painful with blisters/clear fluid and swelling
c. Heals within 3-4 weeks and may scar
3. Full Thickness (3rd degree)
a. May destroy all layers of skin and possible structures underneath
b. Skin has a charred look and can be extremely painful or not (if nerve endings are
destroyed)
c. Medical assistance to heal and scarring is likely
Critical Burns:




Potentially life threatening, disfiguring, and disabling
Require medical attention
Difficult to tell when a burn is critical
Can’t tell how severe a burn is by the pain the person is feeling because the nerve
endings may be destroyed
CALL 911 IF:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Person has trouble breathing
Had burns covering more than one body part or a large surface area
Has suspected burns to the airways (burns to mouth/nose)
Head, neck, hands, feet, or genitals are burned
Full thickness burn and is under 5 or older than 60
Burn is from chemical exposure, explosions, or electricity
Caring for a Burn Victim:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Remove from source of burning
Cool burn with large amount of cold running water (Superficial burns only)
Cover burn loosely with a sterile dressing
DO NOT Remove clothing stuck to burnt area or use burn ointment/clean on severe
burns
POISONINGS:
“About 92% of all poisonings take place in the home”
 A poison is a substance that causes injury, illness or death if it enters the body. A person can
be poisoned by swallowing poison (foods, pills, medications, cleaning products, plants),
breathing it (gases, fumes), absorbing it through the skin (poison ivy, oak, pesticides) and by
having it injected into the body (insects bites, drugs)
CHECKING the Scene:
-
Unusual odors?
Flames/smoke?
Open or spilled containers?
Open medicine cabinet?
Overturned plant?
If you suspect a poison has been taken, try
out the type of poison, quantity taken, when it
taken, how much the person weighs. This
information will help out when care is to be
Signals of poisoning:
-
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Chest of abdominal pain
Trouble Breathing
Sweating
Changes in consciousness
Seizures
Headache
Dizziness
Weakness
Irregular pupil size
Abnormal skin color
and find
was
given.
General Care:
 Remove person from the scene if it is dangerous
 Check levels of consciousness
 Care for life-threatening conditions
 If conscious ask questions (such as those listed)
 Call Nation Poison Control (800-222-1222) or 911 and
follow their directions
Insect Bite:





Can be very painful but remember they are rarely fatal. Some however, have severe
allergic reactions
Remove stinger by scraping it away with a credit card of finger nail (DO NOT use
tweezers)
Was site with soap and water and cover the site to keep it clean
Apply an ice pack to keep the swelling minimal
Watch for signs of an allergic reaction
SPRAINS VS. STRAINS:
Sprain: Tearing of a ligament at a joint
Strain: Stretching and tearing of muscles or tendons
 Hard to tell how bad an injury is to a muscle bone or joint therefore a CAT scan may be
needed. Comparing a hurt ankle to the other ankle is a good way to see how injured it may be.
Signals of serious muscle, bone, or joint injuries:
- Significant deformity
- Bruising and swelling
- Inability to use the affected part normally
- Person heard a pop or snap at time of injury
- Injured area is cold and numb
Caring for a muscle, bone or joint injuries- RICE:
- Rest: Rest is vital to protect the injured muscle, tendon, ligament or other tissue from
further injury. Resting the injured part is important to promote effective healing.
- Ice: When icing an injury, choose a cold pack, crushed ice or a bag of frozen peas
wrapped in a thin towel to provide cold to the injured area.
- Compression: Compression helps limit and reduce swelling, which may delay healing.
Some people also experience pain relief from compression. An easy way to compress the
area of the injury is to wrap an ACE bandage around the swollen part. If you feel
throbbing, or if the wrap just feels too tight, remove the bandage and re-wrap the area so
the bandage is a little looser.
- Elevation: Elevating an injury help control swelling. It's most effective when the injured
area is raised above the level of the heart. For example, if you injure an ankle, try lying on
your bed with your foot propped on one or two pillows.
SPRAINS:
 Mild- Swell a bit, and heal quickly. Might not feel much pain and may become active
too soon. If this happens, joint will not heal properly and will remain week and a
more severe injury may occur
 Severe sprain can also involve a fracture or dislocation of the bones at the joint.
 Most injured joints: ankle, knee, wrist and fingers
STRAINS:


Often causes by lifting something heavy or working a muscle too hard.
Some strains are reoccurring
 Most injured: neck, back, thigh, and back of lower leg
BLEEDING:
 The amount of bleeding depends on the location and severity of the injury
 Severe bleeding can lead to shock
 Sometimes it is difficult to determine when someone is severely bleeding. Blood on a slick
surface or mixed with water makes it appear there is more blood than there actually is
Caring for External Bleeding:
1. Direct pressure- Use sterile bandages and
wear gloves
2. Elevate (above the heart)
3. Indirect pressure (on pressure points)
4. If Bleeding does not stop call 911
INTERNAL BLEEDING SIGNALS:






Tender swollen, bruised or hard areas of the body such as the abdomen
Rapid, weak pulse
Skin that feels cool or moist or looks pale or bluish
Vomiting blood or coughing up blood
Excessive thirst
Becoming confused, faint, drowsy or unconscious
 Internal bleeding damages the body both from the loss of blood and from the pressure the
misplaced blood puts on other organs and tissues. Treatment usually takes place in a hospital's
emergency
department.
SHOCK:






Depressed state of many body functions due to poor circulation
Decrease in breathing & circulation
Organs start to suffer/not function
More likely to die from shock than from any other injury
The greater damage to flesh, bones, & blood loss, the greater the shock
Treat ALL serious injuries for SHOCK!
Signs of Shock:

Weakness (possible fainting)

Nausea, vomiting

Pale, cool, clammy skin

Weak or rapid pulse
Caring for Shock:
1. Call 911
2. Have victim lay down on back
3. Elevate legs about 12 inches unless you suspect head, neck, or back injuries or possible
broken bones (if unsure of victims conditions, leave him/her lying flat)
4. Help maintain normal body temperature
5. Do not give victim food/drink
6. Calm victim
7. Monitor breathing,
airway, circulation