Principles of first aid

1. P R I N C I P L E S O F
B A S I C S K I L L S I N
F I R S T A I D
A N D E M E R G E N C Y
N U R S I N G

2. O U T L I N E S
• Who provides first aid
• :Responsibilities of a first aider
• Basic principles of first aid
• Management of airway obstruction
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• Complications of cpr

3. W H O P R O V I D E S F I R S T A I D ?
In most cases, first aid is performed by passers-
by—usually members of the public—who witness an
accident or emergency. When trained, people can
provide basic medical care to treat minor injuries
and preserve life until professional medical help
arrives.

4. W H O P R O V I D E S F I R S T A I D ?
Police, Bombay/firefighters
Ambulance members,
Red Crescent members
Bystanders,
public members
Relatives, family members, friends
Workmates, teachers
Medical students, anyone

5. R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S O F A F I R S T
A I D E R :
The role of the first aider
First aid is the help given to someone who is injured
or ill to keep them safe and to cause no further
harm. The role of a first aider is to give someone
this help. Learn what to do.

6. 1-Assess the situation quickly and calmly.
Safety: check whether you or the casualty are in any
danger. Is it safe to approach them? (Are you wearing
protective equipment?)
Scene: find out what caused the accident or situation
and how many casualties there are.
Situation: find out what’s happened, how many people
are involved and how old they are. Are there any
children or elderly?

7. 2-Protect yourself and them from any danger.
Always protect yourself first – never put yourself at
risk.
Only move them if leaving them would cause them
more harm.
If you can’t make an area safe, call 999 or 112 for
emergency help.

8. 3-Prevent infection between you and them.
Wash your hands with soap and water or rub your hands
with alcohol gel.
Wear disposable, latex free gloves. Do not touch an open
wound without gloves on. If you do not have any gloves,
you could use clean plastic bags or ask the casualty to
dress the wound if they are able.
Do not breathe, cough or sneeze over a wound or casualty.

9. 4-Comfort and reassure.
• Stay calm and take charge of the situation.
• Introduce yourself to them to help gain their trust.
• Explain the situation and anything you’re going to
do before you do it.
• Treat the casualty with dignity and respect at all
times.

10. 5-Assess the casualty and give first aid treatment.
If there’s more than one casualty make sure you help those
with life-threatening conditions first.
Use the primary survey to deal with any life-threatening
conditions. When these have been dealt with successfully
move on to the secondary survey.

11. 6-Arrange for help if needed.
Call 999 or 112 for an ambulance if you think
it’s serious.

12. P R I N C I P L E S O F F I R S T A I D :
TEN PRINCIPLES OF FIRST AID YOU NEED TO KNOW
1-Don’t panic. Panic clouds thinking and causes mistakes.
When I was an intern and learning what to do when
confronted with an unresponsive patient, a wise resident
advised me when entering a “code blue” situation to always
“take my own pulse first.” In other words, I needed to calm
myself before attempting to intervene.

13. 2-First, do no harm. This doesn’t mean do nothing. It means
make sure that if you’re going to do something you’re
confident it won’t make matters worse. If you’re not sure
about the risk of harm of a particular intervention, don’t do
it. So don’t move a trauma victim, especially an
unconscious one, unless not moving them puts them at
great risk (and by the way, cars rarely explode).

14. Don’t remove an embedded object (like a knife or
nail) as you may precipitate more harm (e.g.,
increased bleeding). And if there’s nothing you can
think to do yourself, you can always call for help. In
fact, if you’re alone and your only means to do that
is to leave the victim, then leave the victim.

15. 3-CPR can be life-sustaining. But most people do it
wrong. First, studies suggest no survival advantage
when bystanders deliver breaths to victims
compared to when they only do chest
compressions. Second, most people don’t
compress deeply enough or perform compressions
quickly enough. You really need to indent the chest
and should aim for 100 compressions per minute.
That’s

16. more than 1 compression per second. If you’re doing it
right, CPR should wear you out. Also, know that CPR
doesn’t reverse ventricular fibrillation, the most common
cause of unconsciousness in a patient suffering from a
heart attack. Either electricity (meaning defibrillation) or
medication is required for that. But CPR is a bridge that
keeps vital organs oxygenated until paramedics arrive.
Which is why…

17. 4-Time counts. The technology we now have to treat two of the most
common and devastating medical problems in America, heart attacks
and strokes, has evolved to an amazing degree, but patients often do
poorly because they don’t gain access to that technology in time. The
risk of dying from a heart attack, for example, is greatest in the first
30 minutes after symptoms begin. By the time most people even
admit to themselves the chest pain they’re feeling could be related to
their heart, they’ve usually passed that critical juncture. If you or
someone you know has risk factors for heart disease and starts
experiencing chest pain, resist the urge to write it off.

18. 5-Don’t use hydrogen peroxide on cuts or open
wounds. It’s more irritating to tissue than
it is helpful. Soap and water and some
kind of bandage are best.

19. 6-When someone passes out but continues
breathing and has a good pulse, the two most
useful pieces of information to help doctors
figure out what happened are: 1) the pulse
rate, and 2) the length of time it takes for
consciousness to return.

20. 7-High blood pressure is rarely acutely dangerous. First, high blood pressure
is a normal and appropriate response to exercise, stress, fear, and
pain. Many patients I follow for high blood pressure begin panicking
when their readings start to come in higher. But the damage high
blood pressure does to the human body takes place over years to
decades. There is such a thing as a hypertensive emergency, when
the blood pressure is higher than around 200/120, but it’s quite rare to
see readings that high, and even then, in the absence of symptoms
(headache, visual disturbances, nausea, confusion) it’s considered a
hypertensive urgency, meaning you have 24 hours to get the pressure
down before you get into trouble.

21. 8-If a person can talk or cough, their airway is open.
Meaning they’re not choking. Don’t Heimlich
someone who says to you, “I’m choking.”

22. 9-Most seizures are not emergencies. The greatest danger
posed to someone having a seizure is injury from
unrestrained forceful muscular contractions. Don’t
attempt to move a seizing person’s tongue. Don’t
worry—they won’t swallow it. Move any objects on
which they may hurt themselves away from the area
(including glasses from their head) and time the
seizure. A true seizure is often followed by a period
of confusion called “post ictal confusion

23. 10-Drowning doesn’t look like what you think it does. For one
thing, drowning people are physiologically
incapable of crying out for help. In fact, someone
actually drowning is usually barely moving at all (I
strongly encourage everyone to click on this link to
learn more about how to recognize what drowning
does look like).

24. M A N A G E M E N T O F A I R W AY O B S T R U C T I O N

25. Airway management includes a set of maneuvers
and medical procedures performed to prevent and
relieve airway obstruction.
This ensures an open pathway for gas exchange between
a patient’s lungs and the atmosphere.
This is accomplished by either clearing a previously
obstructed airway; or by preventing airway obstruction in
cases such as anaphylaxis, the obtunded patient, or
medical sedation.

26. Airway management is a primary
consideration in the fields of cardiopulmonary
resuscitation, anaesthesia, emergency medicine, intensive
care medicine, and first aid.
The “A” in the ABC treatment mnemonic is for airway

27. W H A T H A P P E N S W H E N Y O U
C H O K E ?
Choking is a blockage of the upper airway by food or
other objects, which prevents a person from breathing
effectively. Choking can cause a simple coughing fit,
but complete blockage of the airway may lead to death.
Choking is a true medical emergency that requires fast,
appropriate action by anyone available.

28. W A T C H F O R T H E S E S I G N S O F C H O K I N G :
• One or both hands clutched to the throat.
• A look of panic, shock or confusion.
• Inability to talk.
• Strained or noisy breathing.
• Squeaky sounds when trying to breathe.
• Cough, which may either be weak or forceful.
• Skin, lips and nails that change color turning blue or gray.
• Loss of consciousness.

29. C A U S E S O F A N A I R W AY O B S T R U C T I O N
The Tongue – If a person is unconscious and lying flat on their back, their tongue can fall
back into their throat and block their own airway, preventing air from entering the lungs.
Foreign Object – If a person swallows or inhales a foreign object, this item may block the
airway, resulting in choking, coughing and wheezing.
The tissues of the airway itself,
Bodily fluids such as blood and gastric contents(aspiration).

30. First Aid treatment
There are three steps that you should follow for
adults and children over 1:
1 . Encourage the victim to cough
Always ask the person if he/she can cough and if so encourage it
2. Back slaps
Deliver 5 hard backslaps with the heel of the hand between the shoulder blades
After each slap check if the object has been dislodged
3. Abdominal thrusts or better known as Heimlich Manoeuvre

31. H E I M L I C H M A N U V E R
The anatomy associated with the Heimlich
maneuver mainly focuses on expelling a foreign
body by standing on the rear of the patient, placing
arms around, and delivering a sharp inward and
upward thrust to the abdomen below the rib cage.

32. H E I M L I C H M A N U V E R
Place the thumb side of your fist just below their
ribcage and about two inches above their belly
button (navel). Sharply and quickly thrust your
hands inward and upward five times. Repeat this
process until you free (dislodge) the object stuck in
their windpipe, or the person becomes unconscious

34. If They Become Unconscious:
Tilt the victims head and lift their chin.
Apply pressure to the forehead to tilt th
Attempt 2 Full Breaths
Keep head tilted back and pinch the victim’s nose
shut. Seal your lips tightly around their mouth and give 2
full breaths for 1 to 1 ½ seconds each. Allow chest to
fully deflate between breathse head back and lift the
chin.

35. Infants (children under the age of 1) :
1. Lay the baby face down along your forearm, with theirhead
low.
2. Give up to 5 back blows between the shoulder blades with the
heel of your hand. Check their mouth quickly after each one and
remove any obvious obstruction.
3. If the obstruction is still present turn the baby onto their back
and give up to 5 chest thrusts, with 2 fingers in the middle of the
chest pushing inwards and upwards. Check the mouth quickly
after each one.

36. C A R D I O P U L M O N A R Y R E S U S C I T A T I O N
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an
emergency procedure that combines chest compressions
often with artificial ventilation in an effort to manually
preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken
to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a
person who is in cardiac arrest. It is recommended in those
who are unresponsive with no breathing

38. C P R S T E P - B Y - S T E P
Step 1. Call 911
First, check the scene for factors that could put you in
danger, such as traffic, fire, or falling masonry. Next, check
the person. Do they need help? Tap their shoulder and
shout, “Are you OK?”
If they are not responding, call 911 or ask a bystander to
call 911 before performing CPR. If possible, ask a bystander
to go and search for an AED machine. People can find these
in offices and many other public buildings.

39. Step 2. Place the person on their back and open their airway
Place the person carefully on their back and kneel beside
their chest. Tilt their head back slightly by lifting their chin.
Open their mouth and check for any obstruction, such as
food or vomit. Remove any obstruction if it is loose. If it is
not loose, trying to grasp it may push it farther into the
airway.

40. Step 3. Check for breathing
Place your ear next the person’s mouth and listen for no
more than 10 seconds. If you do not hear breathing, or you
only hear occasional gasps, begin CPR.
If someone is unconscious but still breathing, do not
perform CPR. Instead, if they do not seem to have a spinal
injury, place them in the recovery position. Keep monitoring
their breathing and perform CPR if they stop breathing.

41. Step 4. Perform 30 chest compressions
Place one of your hands on top of the other and clasp them
together. With the heel of the hands and straight elbows,
push hard and fast in the center of the chest, slightly below
the nipples.
Push at least 2 inches deep. Compress their chest at a rate
of least 100 times per minute. Let the chest rise fully
between compressions.

43. Step 5. Perform two rescue breaths
Making sure their mouth is clear, tilt their head back slightly
and lift their chin. Pinch their nose shut, place your mouth
fully over theirs, and blow to make their chest rise.
If their chest does not rise with the first breath, retilt their
head. If their chest still does not rise with a second breath,
the person might be choking.

45. Step 6. Repeat
Repeat the cycle of 30 chest compressions and two rescue
breaths until the person starts breathing or help arrives. If
an AED arrives, carry on performing CPR until the machine
is set up and ready to use.

46. A P E R S O N M I G H T N E E D C P R I F T H E Y S T O P
B R E A T H I N G I N A N Y O F T H E F O L L O W I N G
C I R C U M S T A N C E S :
• A cardiac arrest or heart attack
• choking
• a road traffic accident
• near-drowning ,suffocation
• poisoning,a drug or alcohol overdose
• smoke inhalation, electrocution
• suspected sudden infant death syndrome

47. C O M P L I C A T I O N O F C P R
rib fracture
lung injuries such as pneumothorax and lung
contusion
abdominal organ injuries such as hepatic, splenic
and gastric injuries.
chest and/or abdominal pain requiring analgesics.