This document provides information on first aid, including objectives, definitions, common emergencies, transportation of casualties, bandaging, qualities of first aiders, and first aid skills. It aims to describe the principles and practice of first aid, and to enable students to promote safety, prevent accidents, and manage common trauma and emergencies. The document outlines how to assess emergency situations, provide initial care including restoring breathing and circulation, and calling for additional assistance.

1. FIRST AID

2. OBJECTIVES
Broad Objective
• The learner will be able to promote safety, prevent accidents,
diagnose and manage clients suffering from common trauma
and emergencies.
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3. Specific Objectives
• By the end of the course, the student will be able to:-
– Describe the principles and practice of first Aid
– Describe common emergencies and their First Aid
– Describe Basic life support(BLS) skills
– Explain the transportation of casualty to a health
institution
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4. Introduction
Definition
First aid is the immediate temporary treatment carried out in cases of
emergency, sudden illness or accident with the available resources prior
to the arrival of a doctor or the transportation of the patient to hospital
The aims of first aid
1. Preserve life
2. Prevent the casualties condition from becoming worse
3. Promote recovery.

5. Trauma and common emergencies
• Asphyxia.
• Near drowning
• Haemorrhages
• Unconsciousness
• Shock
• Convulsions
• Injured ligaments and muscles
• Poisoning
• Bites and Stings
• Burns and Scalds
• Foreign bodies
• Fractures
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6. Transportation of casualty
• Lifting techniques
• Transportation.
• Fire
• Types of fire.
• Methods of extinguishing.
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7. Bandaging
• Types of bandages.
• Methods of bandaging.
• Immobilization of injured limbs
• Methods to include:
– Use of splints.
– Arm sling.
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8. First aider
Is a common person who has been trained to
reach patient , to identify the problem , to
provide emergency care and when possible
move patients without causing further injury.
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9. Qualities of a first aider
• Have the necessary knowledge
• Have sympathy and understanding
• Have common sense
• Have initiative and a sense of leadership
• Have the ability to act quickly, make decisions and improvise
• Appreciate that the less interference the better

10. RESPONSIBILITIES OF A FIRST AIDER
1. Asses a situation quickly and safely, and call for appropriate help
2. Protect casualties and bystanders from danger
3. Identify the problem/s with the casualty as far s possible
4. Give each casualty early and appropriate treatment, treating the
most serious conditions first
5. Try to get the casualty to someone with more medical knowledge
than you or to hospital.
6. Prevent cross infection.(using standard precautions).
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11. RESPONSIBILITIES OF A FIRST AIDER
7.Keep a record of the patient and incidence and address of the
patient.
8.Once you start managing a scene or an accident, you should only
leave when a qualified person e.g medical people come.
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12. Principles of First Aid
✔ Restoration of respiration
✔ Control of bleeding
✔ Treatment of shock
✔ Care of the unconscious(airway, breathing)
✔ Assessment of associated injuries
✔ Transportation
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13. FIRST AID SKILLS.
✔ Control of the accident scene
✔ Perform the ABCD of emergency care.
A- Open airway
B- Breathing –artificial ventilation
C- Circulation ; control bleeding.
D- Degree of mental disability/level of consciousness
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14. Emergency scene management
• Asses the situation
• The first thing to do in any incident is to think about the safety
of yourself and others. Do not rush into a situation, take time
to see what has happened.
• Find out-What has happened, is anyone's life in danger, are
there bystanders who can help, Do you need help from medical
doctors.
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15. • Make the area safe
• Depending on the situation you may need to send for
emergency help before going near the scene
• Try to remove or reduce any danger without putting yourself or
anyone else at risk or
• Remove the casualty from the danger.
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16. • Give emergency aid
• Asses the casualties in order to work out who to help first and
what to do first.
• Remember to treat life threatening conditions first.
• Decide on what action to take
• Provide help to any casualties
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17. • Get help from others-Reassure by standers.
• If bystanders can help they can:
• Make the area safe
• Go for help (or phone)
• Fetch first aid equipment
• Control traffic
• Support a limb
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18. • After any incident
• Remove whatever caused the incident to prevent further
accidents but do not get rid of any evidence.
• Tell any relevant authorities e.g. the police
• Restock your first aid kit
• Note(AMEGA)
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19. FIRST AID ASSESSMENT
PRIMARY SURVEY
Definition
• It is a systematic approach to the immediate assessment and
treatment of critically ill or injured patients.
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20. FIRST AID ASSESSMENT
• Danger
• Response
• Airway
• Breathing
• Circulation
• Disability
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21. • Danger
• Check for dangers to yourself and the casualties
• If you can remove any hazards safely do so
• If you cannot remove the danger move the casualty
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22. • Response
• Check to see if your casualty is conscious, by
• Asking a question “Are you okay”
• Give a command like ”open your eyes”
• Give a gentle shake. For a child gently rub the sole of the foot.
• If the casualty is conscious shout for help the begin treatment
• If unconscious shout for help then check Airway and breathing.
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23. Airway
• In an unconscious casualty the tongue may slip back and block
the airway.
• Quickly check for any obvious obstruction.
• Open the airway by lifting the chin while at the same time
carefully tilting the head back. OR
• Use jaw thrust manouvre
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24. Breathing
If the airway was blocked, breathing may have stopped.
Once the airway has been opened the casualty may start
breathing again.
Observe for any signs of life like normal breathing and
response.
❖ Note: Gasping is not a sign of breathing.
If the casualty is unconscious and is breathing, put them in
recovery position
If the casualty is unconscious and is not breathing, start CPR
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25. Circulation
Palpate for the carotid pulse for the presence of a pulse.
If present but weak start CPR.
Perform Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
Stop the bleeding.
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26. Disability
• After establishing A,B,C, move to assess patient
response using AVPU
❖ Alert-Patient is fully conscious
❖ Vocal-patient responds to a voice command
❖ Pain-Patient only responds to pain
❖ Unresponsive-Patient is unconscious
❖ Is there any neurological compromise
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27. EXPOSURE
• Undress the patient bearing the dignity of the patient mind.
• Do a thorough physical examination(secondary survey)
• Check for signs of trauma, bleeding, skin reactions (rashes),
needles marks.
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28. ASSESSMENT OF AN ACCIDENT SITE
• Assessment should be done in a quick and a calm manner
and the first aider should not place himself in danger.
• When approaching a casualty identify yourself and take
charge if there is no health worker.
• All safety measures should be taken by the first aider for
him/herself and the bystanders.
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29. STEPS IN ASSESSING THE SITUATION
❖ Minimize the risk of danger of self and bystanders. In RTA, you
should instruct the bystanders to control traffic.
❖ Watch out for fires especially from petrol spillage.
❖ Switch off the ignition of the vehicle.
❖ If the situation entails a gas or poisonous fumes , you should cut
off the source.
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30. STEPS IN ASSESSING THE SITUATION
❖ If the situation entails electric shock contact, break the contact,
switch off power and remove the casualty from the contact.
NB: NEVER get into contact with a person who is electrocuted
before the current is removed
❖ If fire or collapsing building, remove the casualty from the
scene.
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31. Management Priorities
• 1st
priority
✔ Respiratory arrest
✔ Airway obstruction.
✔ Cardiac arrest.
✔ Severe bleeding.
✔ Open chest wound.
✔ Severe head injuries.
✔ Open abdominal wounds.
✔ Severe shock.
✔ Inhalation burns
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32. Priority ct’ed
2nd
priority
Injuries to the spine.
Severe burns.
Moderate bleeding.
Conscious patients with head injury.
Patient with multiple fractures
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33. Priority ct’ed
• Minor priority.
Minor bleeding.
Minor burns less than 10%.
Obviously mortal wounds-gross wounds.
Obviously dead.
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34. HOW TO CALL FOR ASSISTANCE
• Call emergency services;-Ambulance, Police, Fire brigade
• Pass the following information
-State your telephone number
-State the exact location of the accident.
-State the number, sex, ages of the casualties and their nature of
injuries
-Request for special aid if you suspect a heart attack or child
birth.
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35. AMONG THE ITEMS IN A FIRST AID KIT
1. Triangular bandage
2. Roller bandage
3. Dressing and gauge pads.
4. Adhesive tape/strapping.
5. Gloves (rubber).
6. Eye protector.
7. Tourniquet
8. Blanket
9. Splints
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36. THE RECOVERY POSITION
• The recovery position
is a special position
that you put an
unconscious but
breathing casualty into
to make sure that he
or she is able to breath
at ease
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37. THE RECOVERY POSITION
• A person who is unconscious is at risk of dying because of a
blocked airway either by secretions or the tongue.
• In most cases turning the casualty into the recovery position
can prevent this
• Any unconscious casualty, including a pregnant woman should
be put into the recovery position unless spinal injury is
suspected.
• A casualty with spinal injury can only be turned to recovery
position if it is the only way to maintain the airaway
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38. THANK YOU
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