First Aid Resuscitation (CPR) Overview

First Aid (Syllabus)

• General Medicine is the subject
• Teodor Bachleda, MD, PhD., MBA, DESA is the instructor.

Resuscitation (CPR)

• Unresponsive: When someone looks like they're asleep but doesn't respond to noise or touch.
• Breathing Differently: Unresponsive person breathing unusually.
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): Combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths to maintain a person's heart and circulation.
• Recovery Position: Position for the person after CPR to preserve their airway.

Unresponsive and Breathing Adult

• Open the airway: Gently tilt the head back and lift the chin to open the airway.
• Check breathing: Look, listen and feel for breathing for no more than 10 seconds.
• Recovery position: Kneel beside then roll onto their side, placing their arm nearest you at a right angle to their body, with palm up, and their other arm across their chest. Lift the far knee and pull up until the foot is flat. Carefully roll the person to their side.

Unresponsive and Breathing Child

• Open the airway: Place one hand on the child's forehead, gently tilt their head back, and lift the chin, using the fingertips of the other hand.
• Check breathing: Look, listen, and feel for normal breathing for no more than ten seconds
• Recovery position: Put the person in a recovery position, like an adult.

Unresponsive and Not Breathing Adult

• Open the airway: Place one hand on the casualty's forehead and two fingers under their chin; gently tilt the head back and lift the chin.
• Check breathing: Maintain the head tilt and chin lift, look for chest movement. Listen for the sounds of normal breathing and feel for breaths on your cheek for no more than 10 seconds
• Call for help and start CPR: Call 155 or 112 and start CPR
• Giving chest compressions: Kneel beside the casualty on the floor, level with their chest. Place the heel of one hand towards the end of their breastbone, in the center of their chest. Press down vertically on the breastbone, and press the chest down by 5–6 cm, release pressing without removing your hands
• Giving rescue breaths: Ensure the casualty's airway is open. Pinch their nose firmly closed; take a deep breath and seal your lips around their mouth and blow into the mouth until the chest rises.

Unresponsive and Not Breathing Child

• Open airway: Place one hand on the child's forehead and gently tilt their head back. Place the fingertips of the other hand on the point of their chin and lift it.
• Check breathing: Look for chest movement, listen for sounds, and feel for breaths on your cheek. Do this for no longer than ten seconds.
• Recovery Position: Same as the adult recovery position.
• CPR on a child: First aid that involves chest compressions and rescue breaths until help arrives.

Unresponsive and Not Breathing Baby

• Open airway: Place one hand on the baby's forehead and gently tilt the head back and place one fingertip of the other hand on the point of the baby’s chin.
• Check breathing: Look, listen and feel for normal breathing for no more than ten seconds
• Recovery Position: Lay the baby on their back, keeping airway open.
• CPR on a baby; Same as the adult recovery position

Using a Defibrillator (AED)

• Use visual and voice prompts to guide you through each step.

Heart Disorders

• Angina: Chest pain due to reduced blood supply to the heart.
• Cardiac arrest: The heart suddenly stops beating effectively, causing loss of responsiveness and breathing.
• Heart attack: Obstruction of blood supply to the heart, leading to pain or potential cardiac arrest.
• Shock: Disruption of blood flow to the brain leading to changes in function and potential loss of responsiveness.

Fainting

• Fainting is a brief loss of responsiveness, caused by a decreased blood flow to the brain. Usually followed by normal recovery. First aid: Have them lie down, raise their legs, and ensure plenty of fresh air.

Angina Attack

• Chest pain, typically radiating to jaw, neck, or arm.
• May ease when resting or taking medication.
• Symptoms: Pain, shortness of breath, and sudden tiredness. First aid: Have the patient sit down; reassure them; if they have any angina medication, help them take it. If the pain continues or returns after five minutes after medication, call for an ambulance immediately.

Cardiac Arrest

• Sudden loss of responsiveness, no breathing, and no pulse or movement.
• Immediate CPR and defibrillator (AED) use are critical. First aid: Call 155 or 112, start CPR (using the AED if available).

Drowning

• If someone is rescued from drowning, check for breathing or pulse. If breathing is not normal or absent, perform CPR immediately
• First aid: Rescue then check breathing/pulse, call for help, cover casualty in warm clothes, replace wet clothes with dry clothes, keep checking breathing/pulse.

Hyperventilation

• Excessive breathing, often triggered by anxiety and panic. First aid: Tell the person to lie down, assure them and stay with them. If they’re losing responsiveness or have no improvement after some time, then call for help.

Bleeding

• Various types, depending on severity.
• Elevated wound and applying pressure are primary treatments.

Nose Bleeds

• Result from ruptured blood vessels inside the nostrils.
• Control bleeding by elevating the head, pinching the nostrils, and letting the blood drain out.

Severe Bleeding

• Severe bleeding requiring first aid.
• Apply direct pressure, elevate, and bandaging are treatments.
• Monitor breathing, pulse, and level of responsiveness.

Allergic Reactions

• Body's immune response to a substance.
• Symptoms: Swelling, itchy skin, difficulty breathing, anxiety.
• First Aid: Get emergency help, and assess if the person is breathing.

Diabetic Emergency

• Hyperglycemia: High blood sugar, symptoms of warm dry skin, rapid pulse and breathing, fruity breath, excessive thirst.
• Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar. Symptoms of weakness, faintness, confusion, sweating, rapid or irregular heart rate.

Meningitis

• Meningitis is an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms: flu-like illness with a temperature, cold hands/feet, joint & limb pain, blotchy or pale skin, as the infection develops; severe headache, neck stiffness, vomiting, eyes sensitive to light, drowsiness, high pitched moaning.
• First aid treatment: Call 155 or 112 for immediate help, and check breathing, pulse, and level of response.

Seizures

• Seizures involve uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain resulting in convulsive movements or loss of consciousness. Key symptoms: Sudden loss of responsiveness, stiff body; noisy breathing; convulsive jerky movements, possible loss of bladder/bowel control, confusion/tiredness after.
• First aid treatment: Don't stop/restrain them; clear away any potential obstacles; loosely loosen their clothing; open airway and check breathing; recover position for breathing; and call 155 or 112 for emergency medical help & record time.

Stroke

• Stroke is when blood flow to part of the brain is cut off, causing brain damage. Key symptoms: use FAST test (Face, Arms, Speech, Time).

Heat and Cold Disorders

• Dehydration: Excessive loss of fluids through sweating, vomiting or diarrhea. Symptoms: headache, lightheadedness, dry mouth, little dark urine. Encourage plenty of fluids and rehydration solution; rest in a cool place, and then elevate the legs, and call for help if needed.
• Heat exhaustion: Severe overexertion in heat. Treat by moving to a cool place, removing clothing, and giving fluids and electrolyte solution.
• Heat rash: Skin rash and irritation. Treat with cool compresses, and loose lightweight clothing.
• Frostbite: Skin tissue freezing due to cold. Symptoms: pins and needles followed by numbness and skin colour change. Treat by warming the area slowly, avoiding friction and rubbing. First aid: move to an enclosed place, warm slowly (if able) with your hands or warm water (not hot water); Cover them with layers of blankets and warm the room carefully; If they become unresponsive; call 155 or 112, open airway, and check breathing.
• Heatstroke: Severe heat illness. Symptoms: headache, dizziness, confusion, hot flushed dry skin, rapid pulse, and possible loss of consciousness. Handle quickly and call 155 or 112; move to cool place, remove clothing, and cool the body.

Burns and Scalds

• Burns are injuries to the skin caused by heat. Severity varies from minor to severe burns.
• First aid treatment: Cool the burn immediately; assess the severity of burn; cover with a clean, non-fluffy material; call 155 or 112 for severe burns.

Sunburn

• Skin damage due to excessive sun exposure. Key symptoms: reddened skin; pain where the burn is located; and blisters. First aid treatment: encourage them to cool down and move away from the intense heat, apply calamine lotion.

Fever

• Fever is a high temperature. Key symptoms: high temperature (above 37°, hot, flushed skin; sweating; headache; general aches and pains. First aid treatment: make the person comfortable, cool them down, and give paracetamol or ibuprofen and keep checking breathing & pulse.

Poisoning

• Alcohol poisoning: Dangerous alcohol consumption. Symptoms: strong smell of alcohol, slurred speech, vomiting, red face and moist skin. Help the person to sit down, reassure them.
• Drug poisoning: Overdose or ingestion of a toxic substance. Symptoms: vary based on the drug. Assess if there is a medicine container/packaging. Call 155 or 112; check breathing and pulse.
• Food poisoning: Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, headache. First aid: have them lie down, rest, give them plenty of water.
• Carbon monoxide poisoning: Exposure to carbon monoxide gas. Symptoms: headaches, confusion, feeling aggressive, nausea and vomiting, grey-blue skin. First Aid: move them to fresh air and call emergency services.

Broken Bones and Fractures

• A break in a bone.
• Key symptoms: swelling, difficulty moving, unnatural movement direction, a limb that looks shorter or twisted, and possibly a grating noise (crepitus).
• First aid: cover the wound with a sterile dressing; apply pressure above and below the wound. Support the injured area to prevent further movement. Apply emergency first aid. Call emergency services (155/112).

Dislocated Joints

• Displacement of a joint from its normal position.
• Key symptoms: strong pain, inability to move, swelling, bruising, shortening or bending of the joint, joint deformity.
• First aid: advise them to stay still, support the injured area/joint, and seek medical attention for help/treatment. Support the joint with a bandage or sling.

Spinal Injury

• Injury to the spinal cord.
• Key symptoms: extreme pain, loss of movement, altered sensation in the affected area, loss of bowel/bladder control, possible permanent damage.
• First aid: don’t move the person unless in danger; support the injured area, and seek medical attention (call 155/112).

Strains and Sprains

• Strains occur when muscles or tendons are stretched or torn, sprains when ligaments are injured/torn.
• Key symptoms: pain, tenderness, swelling, bruising, difficulty moving.
• First aid: rest, ice, compression/support, elevation (RICE).