Principles of first aid

Preserve life:
 Airway
 Breathing
 Circulation

Prevent deterioration:
 Stop bleeding

 Treat other injuries

Promote recovery:
 Reassure

Treat shock
Relieve pain


Handle
Protect with care from harm

Action in an emergency

Assess dangers

Make safe

Give emergency aid

Get help

Clear up

Look after yourself

The first person at the scene of an incident should:





Danger
Response
Airway
Breathing
Circulation

Make the area safe

Reassure the casualty and bystanders

Use bystanders to help

Prioritise and respond to the immediate needs of the casualty

Send for help

As soon as possible:

Inform next of kin, if possible

Complete reports to include:

Details of the incident

Location of the incident

Date and time of the incident

Who was involved

What was done

Who was notified

Infection control

If possible, wear disposable gloves, improvise with polythene bags or consider whether the casualty can help, eg apply pressure to bleeding.

Remember:

Wash your hands carefully afterwards.

Clean surfaces with bleach diluted 1:10 with water.

If possible, keep any minor wounds covered with a plaster.

Buy and use a resuscitation face shield.

Dispose of soiled items appropriately.

Recovery position

Levels of consciousness

A – Alert – will talk but may be drowsy.

V – Responds to Voice – responds to simple commands, eg ‘open your eyes’, or may respond to simple questions.

P – Responds to Pain – will react
(eg make a noise) to a pinch on the back of the hand.

U – Unresponsive – there is no response at all.

Causes of unconsciousness:

Fainting

Imbalance of heat

Shock

Heart attack/ angina pectoris

Stroke

Head injuries

Asphyxia/hypoxia/ near drowning

Asthma

Anaphylaxis

Poisoning

Seizures

Diabetic emergencies

Emergency life support for adults and children

Primary survey
Check for danger.
1 Check for response.
Speak loudly and clearly to the casualty.
Ask questions like ‘are you all right?’.
If there is no response, shout for help. Do not leave the casualty.

Emergency life support for adults and children
2 Open the airway.
3 Check for normal breathing. Look, listen and feel.

Emergency life support for adults and children
4 If breathing normally, place in the recovery position.
CALL THE EMERGENCY SERVICES

Emergency life support for adults and children

Basic life support
Carry out a primary survey:

Danger

Response

Airway

Breathing

Circulation
CALL THE
EMERGENCY
SERVICES
For children
It can be more beneficial to give five initial breaths followed by cycles of 30:2 compressions and breaths.
One-handed compressions may be more suitable.

Emergency life support for adults and children
1 If not breathing normally, start CPR with
30 chest compressions.
2 Open the airway.

Emergency life support for adults and children
3 Give two rescue breaths. Continue with
30 compressions and two rescue breaths until:

Qualified help arrives to take over.

The casualty starts to breathe normally.

You become too exhausted to continue.

Chain of survival

Shock: causes

Fluid loss – bleeding, burns, severe diarrhoea or vomiting

Cardiac problems – heart attack, electrocution

Anaphylaxis – severe allergic reaction to stings, types of food, environmental features, poisons

Shock: signs and symptoms

Pale, cold, clammy skin

Weak, dizzy, light-headed

Nausea or vomiting

Thirsty

Yawning

Anxiety or irrational behaviour

Rapid, weak pulse

Rapid, shallow breathing

Dropping level of consciousness

Shock: treatment

Treat the cause and prevent the condition getting worse by:

Correct positioning of the casualty

Reassurance

Keeping the casualty fairly warm

Monitoring breathing if necessary

Do not give anything to eat or drink

Bleeding

Direct pressure

Elevate

Dress

Slings
Elevation sling

Slings
Arm sling

Choking

Heart attack position

Fractures

Nose bleeds

Duty of care for other people’s children
Whilst first aiders would not normally give medication, youth leaders working with other people’s children have a duty of care equivalent to that of a ‘responsible parent’
They are often required to look after or carry medicines for young children and sometimes need to administer them
Leaders should always seek parental permission before doing so

First aid kits
A guide to the contents of a kit:
 1 pair of disposable non-latex protective gloves
 20 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings
 2 sterile eye pads
 4 individually wrapped triangular bandages, preferably sterile
 6 safety pins
 6 medium-sized (approximately 12cm x 12cm) individually wrapped sterile unmedicated wound dressings

First aid kits
 Guidance leaflet (a leaflet supplied with the kit or that you make yourself which includes brief instructions on emergency treatment)
You may like to include:





Resuscitation shield
Scissors
Extra gloves
Adhesive tape
Steripods
 Individually wrapped moist cleaning wipes for the first aider’s hands