FIRST AID
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Using basic first aid, you may be able to stop a minor mishap from getting worse. In case of a serious
medical emergencies, you may even save a life
What is First Aid?
- When you provide basic medical care to someone experiencing a sudden injury or illness, it’s
known as AID.
- gFirst Aid consists of the initial support provided to someone in the middle of a medical
emergency. This support might help them survive until professional help arrives.
- First Aid consist or the care provided to someone with a minor injury. For example, first aid is
often all that’s needed to treat minor burns, cuts and insect stings.
Who is First Aider?
- First Aider is someone who had undertaken training appropriate to the circumstances. They
must hold a valid certificate of competence in either: first aid at work. Emergency first aid at
work. Any other level of training or qualification that is appropriate to the circumstances.
Characteristics of a good first aider
- Gentle
- Resourceful
- Observant
- Tactful
- Sympathetic
- Consoling, and
- Respectful
- Should maximize the use of materials at hand
- Know how to improvise
- Know how to assess the situations and the victim properly
- Exhibit professionalism and must not cause further harm by making the victim panic.
The Roles and Responsibility of a first aider:
- Since the first aider does not perform the functions of a doctor or compete with the latter,
he/she immediately transfers the medical tasks and care of the victim to a qualified physician
who comes to the rescue
- ensures the safety of bystanders
- assesses the condition of the victim
- identifies the risks or threats to the victim’s life
- calls for medical assistance as needed
- provides the immediate and necessary care
- assist the medical personnel
- records the situation, care given, etc.
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Basic Life Support
- Life support is a series of emergency life-saving procedure that are carried out to prolong life of
a victim. It is classified under three types
1. Basic life support is an emergency procedure that consists of recognizing respiratory cardiac
arrest or both and the proper application of CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR) to
maintain life until a victim recovers or advances cardiac life support can be administered
2. Advanced cardiac life support is the use of special equipment to maintain the breathing and
blood circulation of the victim.
3. Prolonged life support is the post-resuscitation and long-term resuscitation
Chain of Survival
1. The first link or early access is initiated immediately after the patient collapses. It entails calling
the local emergency number as quickly as possible and giving the hotline as much vital
information as you can about the emergency.
2. The second link or early CPR is initiated while waiting for the arrival of EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICES (EMS) personnel who are trained to provide care. The probability of survival
approximately doubles when it is done before the arrival of EMS
3. The third link or early DEFIBRILLATION is most likely to improve survival. It is the key
intervention to increase the chance of survival of the patient outside without hospital care.
4. The fourth link or early advance care is provided by highly trained EMS personnel and
paramedics who monitor the patient closely on the way to the hospital.
- Note that the immediate aims of the first aider are to ease the pain, prevent further harm or
danger and extend the life of the victim. Furthermore, the first aider must eradicate the
hindrances in giving the initial intervention such as surroundings, curious and unruly crowd, the
victim’s relatives, panic, pressure, etc. It must be remembered that the safety percentage for
the first aider is 80% and that for victim is 20%.
What is an emergency?
- Emergency is the sudden onset of medical or surgical severity that, in the absence of immediate
medical attention, could reasonably and expectedly result in serious danger to health or
impairment of bodily functions.
Emergency Action Principles
- The scene must be surveyed entirely. Is the scene safe? What happened? How many were
injured? Are there bystanders who can help? The first aider must get the consent to give care;
check for responsiveness such as alertness, verbal response, pain stimuli, and unresponsiveness;
and protect the spine, if necessary.
- To activate medical assistance, the first aider can do care first or call first, especially in cardiorelated problem- adult and care first, and in respiratory problem- child and infant. A
BYSTANDER can be requested to call a physician.
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Things to consider in activating medical assistance:
1. Situation of the person injured
2. Location
3. Number of persons injured
4. Extent of injury and first aid given
5. Telephone number from where you are calling
6. The identity of the person who activated the medical assistance
- For primary survey, check the airway for breathing for five seconds and blood circulation for ten
seconds. Secondary survey includes interviewing the victim; knowing his/her name, background
intervention about the accident; assessing sample medical history of the victim such as signs,
symptoms, allergies, medication taken, past/present medical illness, last oral intake and even
prior to the incident.
- To check the victim’s face, lips, skin appearance, temperature, moisture, and color. Head to toe
examination must be conducted. This will enable the first aider to see if there is deformity,
contusion, abrasion, puncture, burn/bleeding, tenderness, laceration, or swelling (DCAP-BTLS)
Basic Steps for Emergency Situation
1. Check the scene for danger
- look for anything that might be dangerous, like signs of fire, falling debris, or violent people. If your
safety is at risk, remove yourself from the area and call for help.
- If the scene is safe, assess the condition of the sick or injured person. Don’t move them unless you
must do so to protect them from danger.
2. Call for medical help, if needed
- If you suspect the sick or injured person needs emergency medical care, tell a nearby person to call
for emergency medical services. If you’re alone, make the call yourself.
3. Provide Care
- If you can do so safely, remain with the sick or injured person until professional help arrives. Cover
them with a warm blanket, comfort them, and try to keep them calm. If you have basic first aid
skills, try to treat any potentially life-threatening injuries they have.
Emergency Situations
- Remove yourself from the danger if at any point in the situation you think your safety might be
at risk.
- Emergency rescue is the quick transfer of a patient from an unsafe place to a safe place.
Emergency Situations
- The indications for emergency rescue are:
1. Danger of fire or explosion
2. Risk of toxic gases or asphyxia due to lack of oxygen
3. Serious traffic hazards
4. Risk of drowning
5. Danger of electrocution
6. Danger of collapsing walls
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Methods of Rescue
1. For immediate rescue without any assistance, drag or pull the victim
2. Most of the drags, carries/ lifts and other transfer methods can be used as methods of rescue.
- Transfer is moving a patient from one place to another after giving first aid
- The factors to consider in choosing the transfer method are as follows:
1. Nature and severity of the injury
2. Size of the victim
3. Physical capabilities of the first aider
4. Number of personnel and equipment available
5. Nature of evacuation route
6. Distance to be covered
7. Gender of the victim
- The following guidelines must be followed during transfer:
1. Victims’ airway must be maintained open
2. Haemorrhage is controlled
3. Victim is safely maintained in the correct position
4. The victim’s condition is regularly checked
5. Supporting bandages and dressing remain effectively applied
6. The method of transfer is safe, comfortable, and as speedy as circumstances permit.
7. The patient’s body is moved as one unit.
8. The taller first aiders stay at the head side of the victim
9. First aiders/bearers must observe ergonomics in lifting and moving the patient
Methods of transfer
1. One-man assists/carries/drags such as to walk, carry in arms, carry in pack-strap method, carry
in fireman’s way, blanket drag, armpit/shoulder drag, cloth drag, feet drag, and inclined drag
(head first in passing stairways)
2. Two-man assists such as assist to walk, four-hand seat, hands as a litter, carry by extremities,
and fireman’s carry with assistance.
3. Three-man assists such as bearers alongside (for narrow alleys) and hammock carry.
Bandages and Bandaging techniques
- Bandages and dressing are both used in wound or fracture management. A bandage is a piece of
cloth or other material used to bind or wrap a diseased, injured, or fractured part of the body.
Usually, shaped as a strip or pad, bandages are either placed directly against the wound or used
to bind a fracture of the body.
Bandaging upper and lower extremities
- Shoulder bandage
To apply bandages attached to the shoulder
1. Take one bandage across the chest and the other across the back and under arm opposite
the injured shoulder.
2. Tie the ends with no-slip know
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Extended cravat bandage applied to a shoulder (or armpit)
To apply a cravat bandage to the shoulder or armpit
1. Make an extended cravat bandage by using two triangular bandages (F 2A). The, place the
end of the first triangular bandage along the base (F 2B)
2. Fold the two bandages into a single extended bandage (F 2C)
3. Fold the extended bandage into a single cravat bandage (F 2D). After folding, secure the
thicker part (overlap) with two or more safety pins (F 2E)
4. Place the middle of the cravat bandage under the armpit so that the front end is longer than
the back end and safety pins are on the outside (F 2F)
5. Cross the ends on top of the shoulder (F 2G)
6. Take one end across the back and under the arm on the opposite side and the other end
across the chest. Tie the ends (F 2H)
Be sure to place sufficient wadding in the armpit. DO NOT tie the cravat bandage too tightly.
Avoid compressing the major blood vessels in the armpit.
Elbow Bandage
To apply a cravat bandage to the elbow
1. Bend the arm at the elbow and place the middle of the cravat at the point of the elbow
bringing the ends upward (F 3A)
2. Bringing the ends across, extending both downward (F 3B)
3. Take both ends around the arm and tie them with non-slip knot at the front of the elbow (F
3C)
If an elbow fracture is suspected, DO NOT bend the elbow; bandage it in an extended position.
Hand Bandage
To apply a triangular bandage to the hand
1. Place the hand in the middle of the triangular bandage with the wrist at the base of the
bandage (F 4A). Ensure that the fingers do not come in contact with the absorbent material
to prevent chafing and irritation of the skin.
2. Place the apex over the fingers and tuck any excess material into the pleats on each side of
the hand (F 4B)
3. Cross the ends on top of the hand, take them around the wrist, and tie them (F 4C, 4D, 4E)
with a non-slip know.
To apply a cravat bandage to the palm of the hand
1. Lay the middle of the cravat over the palm of the hand wit the ends hanging down on each
side (F 5A)
2. Take the end of the cravat at the little finger across the back of then hand, extending it
upward over the base of the thumbs. Then, bring it downward across the palm (F 5B)
3. Take the end under the thumb and across the back of the hand, over the palm, and through
the hollow between thumb and the palm (F 5C)
4. Take the ends to the back of the hand across them; then, bring them over the wrist and
across them again (F 5D)
5. Bring both ends down and tie them with a non-slip know on top of the wrist (F 5E & 5F)
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Leg (Upper and lower) Bandage
To apply a cravat bandage to the leg
1. Place the center of the cravat over the dressing (F 6A)
2. Take one end around and up the leg in a spiral motion and the other end around and down
the leg in a spiral motion, overlapping in each preceding turn (F 6B)
3. Bring both ends together and tie them (F 6C) with a non-slip knot.
Knee bandage
To apply a cravat bandage to the leg
In applying a cravat bandage to the knee as illustrated in F 7, use the same technique in
bandaging the elbow. The same caution for the elbow also applies to the knee.
Foot Bandage
To apply a triangular bandage to the foot
1. Place the foot in the middle of the triangular bandage with the heel well forward of the base
(F 8A). Ensure that the toes do not come in contact with the absorbent materials to prevent
chafing and irritation of the skin.
2. Place the apex over the top of the foot and tuck any excess material into the pleats on each
side of the foot (F 8B)
3. Cross the ends on top of the foot, take them around the ankle, and tie them at the front of
the ankle (F 8C, 8D & 8E)