Basic First Aid
FIRST AID
help given to a sick or injured
person until full medical treatment
is available.
Roles and Responsibilities of
the First Aider
Assess the situation quickly and calmly.
Protect yourself and them from any danger.
Prevent infection between you and them
Comfort and reassure
Assess the casualty
Give first aid treatment
Arrange for the right kind of help
CHARACTERISTICS OF A
GOOD FIRST AID PROVIDED
[Link] – should not cause pain.
[Link] – should make the best use of
things at hand.
[Link] – should notice all signs.
[Link] – should not alarm the victim.
[Link] – should be comforting.
[Link] – should maintain a
professional & caring attitude.
HINDRANCES IN GIVING
FIRST AID
Surroundings
Crowds
Pressure from the victim
GETTING STARTED
1. Plan of Action
2. Gathering of Needed Materials
3. Initial Response:
• Ask for HELP.
• Get involved
• Do no further harm.
4. Instruction to Helper/s
EMERGENCY ACTION PRINCIPLES
1. Survey the Scene
Once you recognized that an emergency has occurred and
decide to act, you must make sure the scene of the
emergency is safe for you, the victim/s, and
any bystander/s.
Elements of the Survey the Scene
• Scene safety.
• What happened.
• Determine the number of patients and
additional resources.
EMERGENCY ACTION PRINCIPLES cont…
2. Activate Medical Assistance and Transport Facility
In some emergency, you will have enough
time to call for specific medical advice before
administering first aid. But in some
situations, you will need to attend to the
victim first.
EMERGENCY ACTION PRINCIPLES cont…
3. Do a Primary Survey
1. Check for Consciousness
2. Check for Airway
3. Check for Breathing
4. Check for Circulation
4. Do a Secondary Survey
1. Interview the victim.
2. Check vital signs.
3. Perform head-to-toe examination.
GOLDEN RULES IN GIVING
EMERGENCY CARE
What to do:
•do obtain consent, when possible
•do think the worst
•do provide comfort and emotional
support
•do be as calm and as directed as
possible
What not to do:
•do not let the victim see his own
injury
Seizures/Convulsions
Seizures: mild to severe
briefblackouts, involuntary movements, sudden falls
periods of confused behavior
involuntary muscle contractions.
Grand Mal seizures
uncontrollable muscle movements (jerking or spasms)
Rigidity
loss of consciousness
loss of bladder and/or bowel control
breathing that stops temporarily.
Seizures/Convulsions
Stay with the person – consider calling 911
Protect the person from injury
Move all furniture or equipment that is nearby
Do not hold or restrain the person
Do not put anything in the person’s mouth
Loosen clothing
After the seizure activity has stopped:
Perform rescue breathing if person is blue or not
breathing (if CPR certified)
If breathing, lay person on side
FAINTING
Pale, sweaty, slow pulse
Lay person on back with head
to the side and legs elevated
DO NOT give anything by
mouth
If person doesn’t wake up right
away, call 911
Choking
Partial
airway obstruction with good
air exchange
Forcefulcough
Gasping in between breaths
*Stay with the person and encourage
them to cough
Choking
Partial
airway obstruction with
poor air exchange
Weak, ineffective cough
High-pitched noises while breathing
* This type of obstruction should be
dealt with as if it were a complete
obstruction
Choking
Complete airway obstruction
Unable to breathe, speak or cough
Clutching at his/her throat (universal distress signal
for choking)
If the person is still conscious, perform Heimlich
maneuver
If the person becomes unconscious, call 911 and
continue helping if familiar with First Aid/CPR
Heimlich Maneuver
Major Bleeding: Direct
Pressure
Use a sterile dressing or clean
cloth
Fold to form pad
Apply pressure directly over
wound
Fasten with bandage; knot
over wound
If bleeding continues, add
second pressure dressing
Bleeding: Pressure Points
Bleeding: Pressure Points
Use pressure point closest to wound,
between wound and heart
Superficial arteries: use flat surface
of several fingers
Femoral artery, use heel of one hand
Tourniquet
Absolute last
resort in
controlling
bleeding:
Life or the
Once a limb
tourniquet is
applied, it is
not to be
removed ,
Cuts
Apply pressure with a clean cloth, elevation
Can be cleaned better when bleeding stops
Large and deep: seek medical attention
Maintain pressure
Minor cuts
Soap and water, peroxide
cover with antibiotic ointment and dressing.
If cut may need sutures, seek medical care as
soon as possible
Consider “Super Glue”
Abrasions
Must get wound clean
Hold pressure with or without
“numbing” medicine till bleeding
stops
Clean wound with soap and water in
1 -2 hours
Wrap in dry bandage
Clean at least twice a day till healed
Puncture Wounds
DO NOT remove large objects
such as knives or sticks, call 911
For minor wounds, wash with soap
and water
Remove splinters?
Antibiotic ointment
Bandage
The person may need a tetanus
booster injection
Stinging Insects
Remove the stinger with the scraping motion of a
fingernail
DO NOT pull the stinger out
Put a cold compress on the bite
Hydrocortisone cream
Benadryl
Check for allergies
If hives, paleness, weakness, nausea, vomiting,
tightness in chest, breathing difficulty, or collapse
occur, call 911.
For spider bites, call the Poison Control Center or
hospital
EYE Injuries
DON’T RUB!!!
Wash out (chemicals, dirt)
Patch or compress or keep closed
Send the person directly to an
emergency room.
NOSEBLEEDS
With person sitting, squeeze
nostrils together between
thumb and index finger for 10
minutes
Ice on forehead
If bleeding persists, seek
medical attention– but maintain
pressure
Position victim in
a sitting position
Keep head tilted
slightly forward
Pinch both nostrils
Apply ice to bridge of nose
Put pressure on upper lip beneath
nose
Once controlled DO NOT rub,
blow, or pick the nose
TEETH
If knocked out, find the tooth and rinse it
gently without touching the root
Insert and gently hold the tooth in its
socket or transport the tooth in cow’s
milk
If broken, save the pieces. Gently clean
the injured area with warm water. Place
a cold compress to reduce swelling.
Send the person directly to the dentist or
an emergency room. Time is important!
Major Fractures
Otherinjuries – major accident
Broken skin, major deformity
Heavy bleeding
Loss of circulation
Neck, head, hip, pelvis, upper leg
Major Fractures
Stopany bleeding
Immobilize
Splint
Don’t try to re-align
Treat for shock
Head down
Legs up?
Dislocations
Don't delay medical care
Don't move the joint
Nerves, blood vessels and ligaments
Put ice on the injured joint
Fractures and Sprains: PRICE
P-- protect the injured limb from further
injury by not using the joint
R-- rest the injured limb
I-- ice the area
C-- compress the area with an elastic
wrap or bandage
E-- elevate the injured limb whenever
possible to help prevent or limit swelling
Classified according
to depth or
degree of skin
damage.
First Degree Burn
Second Degree Burn
Third Degree Burn
First Degree Burn
Cause: overexposure to sun
Light contact with hot objects
Boiling by hot water or steam
First Aid: First Degree Burns
Cold Water NOT Ice Water
Burn Lotion or Spray
Dark Vinegar
NO BUTTER OR OINTMENTS
Second Degree Burns
Results from a very deep
sunburn
Contact with hot liquids
Flash burns from gasoline etc.
First Aid: Second Degree
Burns
Immerse in cold water NOT ice water
Apply cool conpresses
Blot dry & apply sterile guaze or clean cloth
for protection
DO NOT break blisters or remove tissue
DO NOT use an antiseptic preparation,
ointment, spray or home remedy on a
severe burn.
If arm or legs are affected, keep them
elevated.
Third Degree Burns
Caused by flame, burned
clothing, immersion in hot
water, contact with hot objects,
or electricity.
Signs of Third Degree Burns
White appearance
Deep tissue destruction
Complete loss of all skin layers
Nerve Damage
Pain or No Pain
First Aid: Third Degree Burns
DO NOT remove pieces of adhered
particles of charred clothing.
Cover burn with thick, sterile or freshly
laundered cloth.
If hands or legs involved, elevate.
Face burns to sit up or prop them
up.
DO NOT immerse or apply ice
water to burn area.
Transport ASAP.
DO NOT apply ointment,
commercial preparations, grease,
or other home remedies.
Chemical Burns of the Skin
First Aid:
Remove clothing
Flush with water ASAP for 15 – 20
minutes
Get name / source of Chemical
Seek Medical Attention ASAP
METHODS OF TRANSFER
ANKLE PULL is the fastest method for
moving a victim a short distance over a
smooth surface. This is not a preferred
method of patient movement.
•Grasp the victim by both ankles or
pant cuffs.
•Pull with your legs, not your back.
•Keep your back as straight as possible.
•Try to keep the pull as straight and in-
line as possible.
•Keep aware that the head is
unsupported and may bounce over
The shoulder pull is preferred to the
ankle pull. It supports the head of the
victim. The negative is that it requires
the rescuer to bend over at the waist
while pulling.
•Grasp the victim by the clothing
under the shoulders.
•Keep your arms on both sides of the
head.
•Support the head.
•Try to keep the pull as straight and in-
line as possible.
Blanket Pull This is the preferred method for
dragging a victim.
•Place the victim on the blanket by using the
“logroll” or the three-person lift.
•The victim is placed with the head approx. 2 ft.
from one corner of the blanket.
•Wrap the blanket corners around the victim.
•Keep your back as straight as possible.
•Use your legs, not your back.
•Try to keep the pull as straight and in-line as
possible
ONE-PERSON LIFT
1-Person Lift This only
works with a child or a
very light person.
•Place your arms under
the victim’s knees and
around their back.
FIREFIGHTER CARRY
PACK-STRAP CARRY
HUMAN CRUTCH/TWO-PERSON DRAG
FOUR-HANDED SEAT
TWO-HANDED SEAT
CHAIR CARRY
IMPROVISED STRETCHER
BLANKET STRETCHER
HAMMOCK CARRY
THREE-PERSON CARRY OR STRETCHER
LIFT
