HEALTH

• First aid is the care given to an injured or sick person in the absence of immediate medical attention until it arrives at the scene for more long-term assistance.
• An infection occurs when pathogens get into an injured area, like a wound
• A pathogen is an agent that can cause disease, and common examples are bacteria and viruses.
• The first aider must make sure that no infections happen.
• Some steps must be taken to assess the status of the victim accurately. These are known as the primary and secondary surveys.'
• The primary survey is a way of knowing any urgent medical concerns for the victim. There is a series of steps in the primary survey that will allow the aider to assess any conditions that are immediately life threatening to the victim.
• The steps to assess the victim can be abbreviated into the mnemonic DRSABCD.
• D for danger. The first step involves checking for any immediate danger to the victim, to the aider, or anyone in the vicinity.
• R for response. This involves checking if the victim is conscious and responding
• S for send for help. Sending and calling for help is crucial since the aim of first aid is to provide immediate support, and more long-term medical care should be called.
• A for airway. This involves checking if the victim’s airways are blocked. Blocked airways can lead to labored breathing
• B for breathing. Checking for the victim’s breathing comes after. Common ways of checking involve looking for chest movements, checking a person’s mouth and nostrils for any air exiting them, and monitoring regular breathing.
• C for CPR. CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a method to restore responses in a victim. It involves pressing on the victim’s chest and compressing and restoring air to the victim.
• D for defibrillator.
• A defibrillator is a device that uses electricity to restore the heart’s beating. This is used in situations where a victim’s heartbeat becomes dangerously irregular or when it completely stops
• After the primary survey, the secondary survey is conducted to get an idea of the victims’ other health conditions. Any conditions that are related to the emergency, as well as any past circumstances, are taken into account and surveyed.
• S for signs and symptoms. Self explanatory, this step involves checking for relevant signs or symptoms related to the emergency.
• A for allergies. This involves checking for the victim’s allergic reactions and allergy history.
• M for medications. The victim’s regular regimen of medicines should also be checked since this can give an insight into the conditions of the victim.
• P for past medical history. This is a survey of any existing or previous medical conditions that the victim has had.
• L for last intake. This involves checking for the victim’s last meal, as it may have triggered any negative reactions.
• E for events leading to the situation. This checks for the series of events that may have led to the emergency.
• Unintentional injuries are some of the leading causes of adverse health effects, and sometimes even death.
• Assess Your Capabilities The first aider must first assess his or her capabilities before coming to someone else’s aid. Some considerations to note are the following: ● Am I physically prepared to help? ● Do I know enough to be able to help? ● Am I mentally prepared to perform first aid
• Assess the Environment The safety of the environment must also be noted before first aid is performed. The first aider must put his or her safety before the victims’, as the aider can potentially become a victim that may get in the way of a medical operation.
• Assess the Situation The events that led to the situation, as well as any possible consequences that the event may have should also be properly assessed. What was the cause of the emergency? How did it come about? How did the victims get injured? Is there a chance that more people could get hurt? These are some questions that the first aider needs to assess
• Assess the Victim Most importantly, the first aider must be able to assess the status of the victims, any threats to their lives, and be able to prioritize giving aid to those whose help is needed more. After an assessment, the first aider must then be able to follow the proper steps to reduce injuries to the victims.