First aid

• Triage


  Deciding order and priority of treatment to multiple patients/casualties
• Triage


  • Allows for a number of casualties to be supported in the most effective way
  • Every situation that requires 1st aid is different and needs to be treated as such
• Priority Assessment Procedures


  • Level of consciousness
  • Danger they are in
  • Extent of their other injuries
• The noisiest casualty may be in the best condition (if they can scream = clear airway)
• The casualty who is silent = possible blocked airway -> immediate attention
• Patient who is not breathing comes 1st over someone who is bleeding
• Chain of survival


  1. Early Access

  2. Early CPR

  3. Early defibrillation

  4. Early ACLS
• Early ACLS


  Advanced cardiac life support
• The earlier professional medical assistance is provided, the better
• Sooner effective CPR is commenced = greater chance of survival
• Earlier an AED (automatic external defibrillator) is used to analyse the heart for shockable rhythm = greater chance of recovery
• All these steps should lead to patient being advanced
• DRSABCD


  • Danger
  • Response
  • Send for help
  • Airway
  • Breathing
  • Circulation
  • Defibrillation
• Danger


  1st priority is to ensure safety of all involved. Priority of rescuer 1st, bystanders next, victim last
• Response


  Level of consciousness in patient can be assessed by using COWS (can you hear me, open your eyes, what's your name, squeeze my hands and let go)
• Send for help


  1. Call for help from bystanders

  2. Telephone call for medical assistance through emergency call centres
• When calling emergency services


  • Location of emergency is detailed + known
  • Nature of injuries
  • Level of consciousness of patient
  • What 1st aid is provided
  • How many people involved
• Airway


  1. Placing an unconscious patient carefully in recovery position

  2. Enable a clear airway

  3. Ensure any obstructions are easily cleared
• Breathing


  1. Review the presence/absence of normal breathing

  2. If absent, check mouth for obstructions using LOOK for rise + fall of chest, LISTEN for breathing from mouth + nose, FEEL for flow of breath from mouth + nose
• CPR


  1. Patient unresponsive + not breathing

  2. Commence CPR

  3. Place victim on hard, flat surface
• Defibrillation


  1. AED administers electric shocks to heart when it detects a shockable rhythm

  2. Remain calm

  3. AED won't operate if it is not a shockable rhythm

  4. AED should only be used on a non-breathing victim

  5. Turn on and follow instructions

  6. Attach pads to a dry clear chest + press down firmly

  7. Follow prompts + don't touch patient when heart rhythm is being analysed or when shocking patient (say clear when shocking)

  8. Give CPR while AED is being attached + afterwards
• Send for help


  1. Call for help from bystanders

  2. Telephone call for medical assistance through emergency call centres
• When calling emergency services


  • Location of emergency is detailed + known
  • Nature of injuries
  • Level of consciousness of patient
  • What 1st aid is provided
  • How many people involved
• Airway


  1. Placing an unconscious patient carefully in recovery position

  2. Enable a clear airway

  3. Ensure any obstructions are easily cleared
• Breathing


  1. Review the presence/absence of normal breathing

  2. If absent, check mouth for obstructions using LOOK for rise + fall of chest, LISTEN for breathing from mouth + nose, FEEL for flow of breath from mouth + nose
• CPR


  1. Patient unresponsive + not breathing

  2. Commence CPR

  3. Place victim on hard, flat surface
• Defibrillation


  1. AED administers electric shocks to heart when it detects a shockable rhythm

  2. Remain calm

  3. AED won't operate if it is not a shockable rhythm

  4. AED should only be used on a non-breathing victim

  5. Turn on and follow instructions

  6. Attach pads to a dry clear chest + press down firmly

  7. Follow prompts + don't touch patient when heart rhythm is being analysed or when shocking patient (say clear when shocking)

  8. Give CPR while AED is being attached + afterwards
• For a victim who is responsive


  1. Stop: Stop victim from moving + attempt to prevent further damage to allow for survey of victim + asses injuries

  2. Talk: Ask victim what happened, where the pain is, how they feel, it it hurts anywhere else, history of injury

  3. Observe: Observe victim & look for anything not normal e.g way patient is holding themself, bleeding, movement of limbs, tenderness, deformities

  4. Prevent further damage/injury
• Non-responsive patient =DRSABCD
• Responsive patient = STOP
• Locate compression joint


  1. Centre of chest

  2. Too low = ineffective on the stomach

  3. Too high = breaking a rib (too much pressure)
• Chest Compressions


  1. Heel of hand at the centre of victims chest (⅓ of the depth of the chest)

  2. Press down to compress the chest (be smooth and rhythmical)

  3. Apply pressure directly over the chest (not at an angle)

  4. Allow the chest to recoil after compression
• Compression techniques


  • Adult: 2 handed compressions
  • Child: 1 handed compressions
  • Baby: 2 finger compressions
• Compression rate


  100 compressions/ per minute with breaks for 2 rescue breaths performed in sets of 30 compressions with two breaths
• Rescue Breathing


  1. Commenced with a face shield/oxygen mask

  2. Adult + child: Tilt head back fully, Provide chin lift, Seal victims nose using fingers, Full rescue breath

  3. Baby: Neutral position, Cover mouth + nose, Rescue breaths small puff rather than full breath
• Regurgitation


  Passive flow of fluids from stomach caused when oxygen enters stomach + no muscular spasm
• Vomiting


  Contents of stomach are ejected with force + accompanied by a muscular spasm, Check for signs of breathing (an indication that oxygen is getting to muscles + victim may begin to breathe for themself)
• Care must be taken to clear mouth + ensure fluids don't enter lungs
• Bleeding - Include


  • Personal protection
  • Gloves
  • Sterile dressings
  • Disposable equipment
• Bruise


  Contusion, hematoma