First Aid Lecture Notes PDF

FIRST AID PROF. DR. YOSREAH MOHAMED INTRODUCTION TO FIRST AID Introduction If an accident happens in the workplace, you cannot be a helpless witness, since simply standing by can potentially worsens the situation. This is why it’s important to have at least a basic knowledge of first aid. A...

FIRST AID PROF. DR. YOSREAH MOHAMED INTRODUCTION TO FIRST AID Introduction If an accident happens in the workplace, you cannot be a helpless witness, since simply standing by can potentially worsens the situation. This is why it’s important to have at least a basic knowledge of first aid. At its most basic, first aid is the initial assistance given to a victim of injury or illness. Comprised of relatively simple techniques that can be performed with rudimentary equipment, first aid is usually carried out by a layperson until professional medical assistance arrives. Definitions FIRST AID : The initial assistance given by a layperson to a person who is injured or suddenly becomes ill until availability of specialized medical care. MEDICAL AID: Treatment by a prepared medical team.  First aider first aiders are individuals who respond to emergencies and help people at harm. The person who provides this help may be a first aider, a first responder, a policeman or fireman, or a paramedic or emergency medical team (EMT)  Aims of First Aid: ❑To save life ❑ Provide reassurance and comfort to the ill or injured person ❑ To prevent further injury or worseness ❑ To minimize or prevent infection and promote rapid recovery. FIRST AID PRIORITIES Assess Assess a situation quickly and calmly. Protect Protect yourself and any casualties from danger —never put yourself at risk. Prevent Prevent cross-contamination as Possible. Comfort Comfort and reassure casualties. Assess Assess the casualty: identify, as best as you can, the injury or nature of illness affecting a casualty. FIRST AID PRIORITIES Give early treatment and treat the casualties with the most serious (life-threatening) conditions first. Arrange for appropriate help: call for 123 emergency help if you suspect serious injury or illness Take or send the casualty to the hospital, or to a higher level of available medical care. Stay with a casualty until emergency personnel arrive. FIRST- AID KIT ❑ It must be in every place as home, car, workplace,… ❑ It must be in easily accessible, well known and dry place. ❑ It must be regularly checked ❑ Should include the items that used on regular basis.  Equipment and Supplies in first aid kit 1. Dressing (sterile, applied directly to the wound)  Sterile eye pads  Sterile gauze pads  Sterile non-adherent pads (A non-stick dressing)  Equipment and Supplies in first aid kit Bandages (for securing dressings, not necessarily sterile) ❑Gauze roller bandages - absorbent, breathable Elastic bandages - used for sprains, and pressure bandages ❑Triangular bandages used as slings, tourniquets, to tie splints, and many other uses ❑Tubular bandages  Equipment and Supplies in first aid kit 3. Useful additional items Disposable gloves, Hand sanitizer, Face mask Thermometer, Emergency blanket Tourniquet Instant cold pack Gauze pads, Cotton pads Adhesive tape (band-aids, sticking plasters) Splints in different sizes Scissors & tweezers Safety pins, Flashlight Equipment and Supplies in first aid kit Medications ❑Analgesic ❑ Antihistaminic ❑ Local antiseptics, antibiotics, antiallergic ❑ NOTE the expiry date &read instructions Safety regulations at the scene of emergency ❑ If inside, watch for dangers such as construction debris, unsecured weapons, violent individuals, electrical hazards. ❑ If outside, watch out for downed electrical wires, leaking fuel from car accidents, building collapse, or natural disaster/dangerous weather conditions. (Drowning persons should be removed from the water and dried off; they should also be removed from standing water, such as puddles, pools, gutters, etc.). ❑ Be sure you do not become injured yourself.  Safety regulations at the scene of emergency Examples: 1. In water emergency: Don’ t tr y to rescue drowning victim s by swimming unless you are well trained in life saving. 2. In electric emergency: Don’ t touch victim before the current is of f.  Prevention of cross infection 1 2 3 4 Wash hands Cover Use Don’t Before & abrasions disposable breathe after gloves, over the mask as wound needed Prevention of cross infection Use face mask to give breath Don’t prick your hands with needles. Immunization against hepatitis Dispose the wastes safely Thank You