Practical

• First aid


  The initial care or treatment given to a person who becomes ill or injured
• Aims of first aid

  • Preserve life
  • Alleviate suffering
  • Prevent the situation getting worse
  • Promote casualty recovery
• Cardiac arrest

  The heart has stopped pumping blood around the body, either because it has stopped beating altogether (asystole) or is beating in a completely irregular and ineffective way (ventricular fibrillation)
• Turning a casualty onto their back


  1. Kneel by the casualty's side and turn their head to face away from you

  2. Place the arm nearest to you above their head

  3. With one hand grasp the casualty's far shoulder, and with your other hand clamp their wrist to their hip

  4. With a steady pull, roll the casualty over against your thighs

  5. Lower the casualty gently to the ground on their back, supporting their head and shoulders as you do so

  6. Place the casualty's extended arm by their side
• Chain of survival


  The key stages in the life support sequence: Early recognition and call for help, Early CPR, Early defibrillation, Post-resuscitation care
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) will buy time until more advanced medical assistance arrives
• Immediately following cardiac arrest, blood flow to the brain is reduced to virtually nothing
• A short period of seizure-like movements can occur at the start of a cardiac arrest
• You should be suspicious of cardiac arrest in any casualty presenting as unresponsive and with absent or abnormal breathing, and you must start CPR
• Defibrillators are carried by all emergency ambulances in the UK and, increasingly, are being provided in more public areas
• Shock


  Failure of the circulation, which leads to an inadequate supply of blood to vital organs
• Shock means there is not enough blood being pumped round the body and vital organs
• Medical definition of shock

  A serious condition that needs urgent qualified medical attention
• How the circulatory system can fail


  Reasons include:
• When circulation fails


  Essential parts of the body don't get enough oxygen and cannot function properly
• How the body compensates for lack of circulating blood

  1. Drawing blood away from skin and directing it to more important areas

  2. Increasing breathing rate to get more oxygen

  3. Speeding up the heart to circulate blood more rapidly
• Symptoms of shock


  • Dizziness
  • Confusion
  • Disorientation
  • Nausea
  • Low blood volume
  • Loss of bodily fluids
  • Low cardiac output
  • Thirst
• Signs of shock


  • Pale, cold clammy skin
  • Blueness of lips and extremities
  • Weak rapid pulse
  • Rapid, shallow breathing
  • Unconsciousness
• Treatment for shock


  1. Assist casualty to lie down, raise legs

  2. Loosen tight clothing

  3. Treat cause of shock

  4. Reassure casualty

  5. Keep them warm

  6. Monitor casualty

  7. Do not give food or drink

  8. Call emergency services
• Dressing

  Used to control bleeding, prevent infection and absorb discharge. Should be sterile, absorbent and large enough to cover the wound
• Bandages


  Come in a range of sizes, used to hold dressings in place, provide support and immobilise injured limbs
• Triangular bandages

  Used to make a sling, hold other bandages in place, provide support and restrict movement of an injured limb
• Sticking plasters


  Small self-adhesive dressings that should be individually wrapped and sealed
• Applying dressings


  1. Place dressings straight onto wound

  2. If bleeding controlled, clean wound first

  3. Check circulation after applying dressing

  4. Do not apply directly on top of foreign body
• Types of bleeding


  • Capillaries (trickle)
  • Veins (ooze)
  • Arteries (spurt)
• Severe bleeding


  Can cause shock and death
• Causes of burns


  • Dry heat (hot surface, fire, friction)
  • Wet heat (steam, hot liquid)
  • Chemical
  • Electrical
  • Sunburn
• Symptoms of burns


  • Pain
  • Lack of pain (if nerves destroyed)
  • Shock
  • Breathing difficulties
• Signs of burns


  • Blistering
  • Swelling
  • Redness
  • Clear fluid
  • Signs of shock
• Treatment for burns


  1. Flood affected area with cool/cold water for 20 mins

  2. Do not remove stuck clothing

  3. Remove rings, watches, jewellery

  4. Cover with non-adhesive sterile dressing

  5. Treat for shock

  6. Call emergency services if severe
• Do not use creams, oils or lotions on burns, and do not burst blisters