The Complete First Aid Pocket Guide

Step-by-Step Treatment for All of Your Medical Emergencies Including • Heart Attack • Stroke • Food Poisoning • Choking • Head Injuries • Shock • Anaphylaxis • Minor Wounds • Burns

John Furst

• Publisher: Adams Media
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781507208892
• Topic: Medicina
• Subtopic: Primeros auxilios y seguridad

From minor cuts and burns, to heart attacks and strokes, this handy, take-anywhere guide gives you the knowledge and advice you need to recognize and respond to any medical emergency. Be prepared for any medical emergency and handle it safely and efficiently with The Complete First Aid Pocket Guide. Quickly identify signs and symptoms of a wide range of medical conditions andlearn how to recognize the difference between a minor injury or illness, and those that are more serious with this essential handbook.Each section of The Complete First Aid Pocket Guide includes a quick list of signs and symptoms to look for and step-by-step first aid instructions for dealing with each situation, all in user-friendly, simple language that's easy to understand. Medical issues covered include: —First aid basics, including roles and responsibilities of a first aider, managing an incident, activating emergency services, and infection control—Lifesaving skills including the recovery position, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED)—Minor injuries and conditions, including soft tissue injuries, splinters, blisters, eye injuries, nosebleed, diarrhea, and vomiting—Traumatic injuries including severe bleeding, amputation, shock, fractures, crush injuries, burns, and head and neck injuries—Medical emergencies including heart attack, stroke, asthma, anaphylaxis, hypoglycemia, meningitis, seizures, poisoning, and emergency childbirth—Environmental conditions including hypothermia, frostbite, heat stroke, sunburn, and lightning strike—Pediatric emergencies and illnesses, including assessing an unresponsive child or baby, pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), choking, croup, and febrile seizures—First aid kit lists for home, vehicles, and outdoor useWith an appendix featuring an A-to-Z list of every condition covered, it's easy for you to quickly find the exact information you need in any situation you may face. With its small trim and portable size, The Complete First Aid Pocket Guide is the perfect addition to a home first aid kit, car first aid kit, disaster-survival bag, as well as a pocket companion for EMTs and other first responders in the field.

Chapter One

WHAT FIRST AID IS AND ISN’T

FIRST AID is all about providing initial lifesaving care before the arrival of professional help. In first aid, your main aim is to preserve the life of the victim until she can be treated by EMS or another medical professional. A first-aider is someone who has undertaken formal first aid training but is not a professionally trained emergency worker such as a paramedic, firefighter, or first responder. Reading this book is a good way to learn about basic first aid techniques but does not replace attending an authorized and accredited first aid class. In a first aid situation, you are not expected to act as a paramedic or doctor and perform advanced medical procedures. Don’t believe everything you watch in films; you won’t be performing any open-heart surgery at the roadside or diagnosing complex medical problems! Instead, you should focus on basic lifesaving interventions to keep the victim alive and stable until EMS arrives to take over.

Examples of things you can do in first aid to save the life of your victim include:

◾ Opening an unconscious victim’s airway and placing him in the recovery position (Chapter 3)

◾ Performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and using an automated external defibrillator (Chapter 3)

◾ Stopping life-threatening bleeding and recognizing when a victim is going into shock (Chapter 6)

◾ Recognizing the signs of a life-threatening medical condition, such as meningitis or a heart attack, and calling for EMS early (Chapter 7)

◾ Cooling a victim who has gone into life-threatening heatstroke (Chapter 9)

After preserving life, your next aim is to prevent the worsening of the victim’s condition. You may not be able to fix the underlying problem affecting the victim. For example, you cannot stop a seizure, but you can prevent worsening of the situation by ensuring the victim’s airway is open and protected after the seizure has resolved. In the case of a suspected neck or back injury, you cannot fix the underlying damage to the spine, but you can prevent the injury from worsening by keeping the victim as still as possible until EMS arrives to take over care.

Finally, your last aim is to promote recovery from the injury or illness. The action you take in the first few minutes of an emergency situation can have a significant impact on the victim’s long-term recovery. For example, quickly cooling a major burn will slow down the burning process and reduce the risk of permanent scarring. Another example is performing early effective CPR on a victim of sudden cardiac arrest when the heart has stopped beating properly. Studies have shown that early CPR is associated with a much better chance of the victim making a full recovery from cardiac arrest.

The Overall Aims of First Aid

You can remember your overall aims in first aid by using the three Ps. They are:

◾ Preserve the life of the victim

◾ Prevent worsening of the situation

◾ Promote recovery from the injury or illness

You may recognize the signs of a life-threatening medical condition such as a stroke (brain attack) or meningitis. These victims require early advanced medical care to have the best chance of recovery. Although you won’t be expected to perform this advanced medical care, you can really make a difference by being confident in recognizing the warning signs of these serious conditions and calling for help early.

Your Role in a First Aid Situation

In an emergency, the most obvious role you have is to provide the appropriate first aid for the victim’s injury or medical condition. However, you have other roles to carry out in order to manage the situation effectively and provide the best care possible to the victim. Let’s take a closer look at some of these responsibilities of a first-aider.

When an incident occurs, you may be expected to take charge of the situation before the arrival of professional help. The following section, Managing an Incident, will walk you through this process. You may have to delegate tasks (for example, calling for help) to other bystanders. You’ll need to assume this leadership role during an emergency and take control of the situation prior to emergency responders arriving. People will look to you for guidance, and you may be the only person around with an understanding of first aid. Try to keep calm and provide clear instructions to bystanders. If there are multiple victims, you can instruct bystanders to perform basic first aid tasks such as applying pressure to a bleeding wound.

You also need to ensure that the appropriate professional help has been summoned. Normally, this will involve dialing 911 and speaking to an emergency operator (see Calling Emergency Services later in this chapter). However, if you are in a remote location and unable to telephone for help, you may need to delegate someone to go and seek assistance. It is vital that you ensure emergency services are called early so the victim receives timely medical treatment.

When providing first aid to a victim or victims, recording your actions and any important information is important to enable an effective handover to EMS when they arrive. You may be expected to fill out specific first aid paperwork depending on the location and severity of the incident. You should take this aspect seriously, although it can seem unimportant when in the middle of a stressful emergency situation. The accurate handover of information to EMS is critical to ensure the victim receives safe ongoing medical care.

You also have a responsibility to your health and well-being. Your safety is paramount when dealing with an emergency situation. Don’t put yourself in danger; you will be unable to help the victim if you are also injured. It can seem unnatural, but you are always the most important person in any situation!

Roles and Responsibilities in First Aid

◾ Ensure your safety and the safety of bystanders.

◾ Manage an incident properly and control the situation.

◾ Call for appropriate emergency services.

◾ Delegate tasks to bystanders as required.

◾ Provide appropriate first aid to victims.

◾ Document your findings and actions.

◾ Provide an accurate handover to EMS.

Managing an Incident

When an emergency situation occurs, there is often panic among bystanders and victims. In this section, we will look at how to manage an incident and take control of an emergency situation before the arrival of professional help.

The priority in managing any incident is to ensure the scene is safe for you and others to approach. You should conduct a quick assessment of any hazards that might be present. A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm (see sidebar, Potential Hazards in a First Aid Situation). Make sure you conduct this assessment before rushing in to provide aid to a victim. Otherwise, you run the risk of becoming an additional victim, making you unable to render any aid.

If you identify a hazard, then you should take steps to reduce the risk of harm to yourself, bystanders, and the victim. For example, move the victim away from the hazard if possible. If you decide the scene is too dangerous to approach, then stay clear and immediately contact emergency services.

Potential Hazards in a First Aid Situation

◾ Fast-moving traffic

◾ Slip and trip hazards

◾ Extremes of temperature

◾ Deep or fast-moving water

◾ Electrical appliances or exposed wires

◾ The victim, if she or he is under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs

◾ Other people (for example, during an altercation)

◾ Poisons (for example, carbon monoxide gas)

◾ Exposure to blood or other bodily fluids

Managing a Motor Vehicle Collision Incident

A common scenario you may encounter is a motor vehicle collision with injured victims. Motor vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of accidental death worldwide, especially among younger people. Although your first thought may be to help the victim(s), you must take steps to ensure the safety of yourself and other bystanders before rushing into the situation. If you witness a collision, do not perform any sudden dangerous maneuvers in your vehicle. Ensure that you park in a safe location without blocking access for emergency vehicles and switch on your hazard lights. If possible, wear high-visibility clothing and place an emergency warning triangle before the incident to warn other vehicles. All these steps will reduce the risk to yourself and other road users.

As well as moving vehicles, you should be aware of the other hazards in a motor vehicle collision. Vehicle fires are common, especially in a serious accident. There is a risk of explosion due to ignition of the fuel tanks. If the victim is in immediate danger from a fire, try to remove her from the scene if it is safe to do so. Otherwise, the victim should be kept as still as possible to reduce the risk of worsening potential neck and back injuries (see Neck and Back Injuries in Chapter 6). There may be broken glass or spilled fuel or oil around the damaged vehicles, so be careful before kneeling down to give first aid to a victim.

Finally, you should be aware of the risks of nondeployed airbags, especially in older vehicles. Airbags are lifesaving devices that can significantly reduce the chance of a fatal injury in a motor vehicle collision, especially if the collision is head on. If an airbag doesn’t inflate during an accident, there is a risk it could deploy afterward. This could cause further injuries to the victim or to rescuers attempting to provide first aid to the occupants of the car. Always be aware of nondeployed airbags and try to avoid placing yourself in the path of the airbag.

Managing an Incident Near Open Water

Open water can be very dangerous, even if you’re a strong and seasoned swimmer. The majority of accidental drownings occur in open-water scenarios. If a victim is in distress in the water, you should immediately summon help from emergency services or lifeguards. If possible, throw the victim an object such as an emergency life preserver to help him float. If the victim is near the shore, lie down and try to reach out to him with a stick or other long object. Never place yourself in harm’s way; strong hidden currents can overcome even the most capable swimmer in a matter of seconds.

Managing an Incident Involving Fire and Smoke

Smoke and toxic fumes from a fire are as deadly as the hot flames. Do not enter a burning building; your safety is paramount. If you are in a building with an injured victim, attempt to evacuate her and yourself as quickly as possible. Do not stop to fight the fire or use fire extinguishers unless you are confident in using the extinguisher and the fire is small. Smoke will rise due to the heat; therefore, stay low and try to cover your nose and mouth to reduce the amount of toxic fumes you breathe in. If you become trapped, close all doors and place wet towels or clothing underneath the doors to minimize the amount of smoke that enters the room. Signal or call for help and await the arrival of rescue services. Anyone who has inhaled toxic smoke from a fire will require a medical checkup. The majority of deaths from fires are due to toxic smoke and burns to the airway and lungs. The dangerous effects of smoke inhalation can be delayed, and the victim may require a period of monitoring in the hospital.

Calling Emergency Services

As we discussed earlier in this chapter, your role is to provide initial care until the arrival of professional medical help. It is important when dealing with a first aid emergency to call for help early. The universal emergency number across North America (the United States and Canada) is 911. When you dial 911, you will be connected with an emergency operator who will ask a series of questions, including:

◾ The exact location of the incident

◾ The type of situation

◾ The telephone number you are calling from

◾ Specific details about the victim(s), the incident, and any potential hazards

When yo...