DIGOS CITY NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Rizal Avenue, Digos City

THIRD QUARTER– HEALTH 9

FIRST AID – is an immediate and temporary care given to a person who suddenly gets ill or injured. It includes self- help
and home care if medical assistance is not available or delayed. It can mean the difference between life and death in
extreme cases. However, we must know the limits of the first aid we can give because improper first aid can actually do
more harm than good in some instances. Anyone who gives first aid is a first aider.
ROLES OF FIRST AID
1. It is the bridge that fills the gap between the victim and the physician.
2. It is not intended to compete with or to take the place of the services of the physician.
3. It ends when the services of the physician begins.
OBJECTIVES OF FIRST AID
1. To save lives 3. To alleviate suffering
2. To prolong life 4. To prevent further injury
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD FIRST AIDER
1. GENTLE – does not cause pain and panic
2. OBSERVANT – notices all signs
3. RESOURCEFUL – makes best use of things at hand
4. TACTFUL – does not frighten the victim
5. SYMPATHIC – comfort and reassures the victim
PRINCIPLES OF FIRST AID
(DO’s in giving First Aid) (DON’Ts in giving First Aid)
1. DO stay calm 1. DON’T give food and drink to an unconscious person
2. DO reassure and comfort the victim 2. DON’T move an injured person unless you need to place
him/her
3. DO check for a medical brace-let indicating in the recovery position
The condition, such as epilepsy/diabetes
4. DO loosen any tight clothing
5. DO keep the victim covered to reduce shock
DRESSING – is a piece of sterile cloth that covers a wound to prevent infection and/or to stop bleeding.
TECHNIQUES IN APPLYING A DRESSING
 Wash hands and wear gloves, if possible
 Unwrap the dressing as close to the wound as possible. Be sure not to touch the wound
 Skin is not sterile. If the dressing slips over victim’s skin while you are trying to position it, discard and
use a fresh one.
 Place the dressing over the wound
 Use a dressing that is large enough to extend at least 1 inch beyond the edges of the wound
 If body tissue or organs are exposed, cover the wound with a dressing that will stick
 Then secure the dressing with a bandage or adhesive tape
COLD COMPRESS – is used to reduce swelling and relieve pain, especially used for sprains and strains. Cold packs
can be used as cold compress.
HOT COMPRESS – is also used to allow normal blood circulation.
*COLD AND HOT COMPRESS CAN BE APPLIED ALTERNATELY FOR CLOSED WOUDS AND CONTUSIONS

BANDAGES – are used to apply pressure to bleeding; for covering wounds and burns; and providing support for
immobilization for broken bones, sprains, and strains. There are three (3) types of bandages namely:
TRIANGULAR, ACE AND TUBULAR.
TRIANGULAR – is made from cloth and can be use as cold compress, padding, support for pressure or support
sling
ACE – secure dressings in place
TUBULAR – is used to support joints or hold dressings in place. Small tubular bandages are used for finger
injuries.
WOUND – is a break in the continuity of a tissue in the body. It may be closed in which there is no break or
damage in the skin. It is also called HEMATOMA OR CONTUSIONS. A wound may also be an open wound in which
there is a break in the skin.
KINDS OF WOUND
1. PUNCTURE – is a piercing wound caused by nails, needles and other pointed objects.
2. ABRASION – is caused by rubbing or scrapping the skin against a rough surface.
3. INCISION – is a cut caused by knife, broken glass or any sharp objects.
4. LACERATION – is a blunt breaking or tearing of soft tissues usually resulting from mishandling tools and other accidents.
5. AVULSION – is a forcible tearing or partial tearing away of tissues

HOW TO MANAGE WOUNDS:

A. For management of HEMATOMA, we use the MNEMONIC RICE
1. Resting the injured part
2. Ice application
3. Compression
4. Elevation

B. First Aid for OPEN wounds with severe bleeding

1. Wear gloves and remove or cut clothing as necessary to expose wound
2. Control bleeding by applying direct pressure
3. Elevate the injured part of the above the heart except for eye injury and wound with embedded object
4. Care for shock
5. Consult a physician immediately

CARRYING AND TRANSPORTING AN INJURED PERSON

DIFFERENT KINDS OF TRANSPORT:

A. ONE-MAN CARRY

Fireman’s Carry Pack Strap Carry Piggy Back Carry

Fireman’s Drag Carry Blanket Drag Carry Shoulder Drag Carry

B. TWO-MAN CARRY C. THREE OR MORE CARRY

 Chair Carry Hammock Carry Bearer Alongside Carry

FIRST AID FOR COMMON UNINTENTIONAL INJURIES:

INJURIES: FIRST AID:

FRACTURE – is a break or crack in a bone. An  Check vital signs.
open fracture pierces the skin surface while in a  Do not move the injured part.
closed fracture, the skin above is intact.  Stop bleeding if there is any.
 If you have to move the person, immobilize the broken
part by SPLINTING.
 Seek medical help immediately.
DISLOCATION – is a partial or complete  Call for help immediately.
displacement of the bones.  SPLINT the affected part.
 Do NOT try to move a dislocated part or force it back
into place.
 Apply ice on the injured part to reduce swelling.
SPRAIN – is an injury to the LIGAMENTS of a  Rest the injured part.
bone due to accidental tearing or overstretching.  Apply ice.
 Compress the injured part.
STRAIN - is an injury to the MUSCLES which is a  Elevate the injured part.
result of improper use of the muscle.
HEAT EXHAUSTION – is caused by loss of salt  Transport the victim to a cool place.
and water due to excessively high temperature.  Give him/her plenty of water.
This may result to heatstroke and even death.  Check for vital signs.
 Seek medical help.
FOOD POISONING – is caused by consuming  Help the person to lie down and rest.
food or drink that is contaminated with bacteria  Give him/her plenty of flavorless fluids to drink and a
or viruses. bowl to use if he/she vomits.
 Call for medical help if the condition worsens.
CHOKING – results when a foreign object blocks  Ask the person if he is choking.
the throat.  Encourage him/her to cough.
 When the person cannot speak or stops coughing, give
him five back blows.
 If back blows fail, try abdominal thrusts.
 Check his mouth. If obstruction is not cleared, repeat
the back blows and abdominal thrusts.
 If obstruction is still has not cleared, call an ambulance.
Continue until help arrives.
DROWNING – happens when air cannot get into  Lay the person down on her/his back.
the lungs because of water. It can cause  Check breathing and open the airway.
immediate death when taken for granted.  Give rescue breaths and chest compression if
necessary.
 If the person is breathing, place him/her in the
recovery position.
 Treat for hypothermia by removing wet clothing and
covering him/her with a dry blanket.
HEART ATTACK – is caused by sudden  Help the person sit or lie down with head elevated.
obstruction of blood supply to the part of the  Call for medical help.
heart muscles.  If the person is conscious, give him/her a full-dose
aspirin and advise him/her to chew it slowly.
 Constantly monitor the vital signs. Be prepared to give
rescue breaths and chest compression.
CHEMICAL BURNS – may occur when electricity  Make sure that contact with the electrical source is
passes through the body. broken.
 Flood the sites of injury at the entry and exit points of
the current with plenty of cold water.
 Wear disposable gloves and place a sterile dressing or
bandage over the burn to protect it from airborne
infection.
 Call for medical help.
  Reassure the victim and treat for shock.

BURNS – are often due to domestic incidents  For minor burns, flood the injured area with cold water
such as touching a hot iron, friction (rope burn) for at least how long to stop burning and relieve pain.
or spilling boiling water on the skin.  Put on gloves and cover the area with sterile non-
adhesive dressing or bandage.
 For severe burns, help the person to lie down and
prevent the burnt area from coming into contact with
the ground. Douse the burn with plenty of cold liquid.
 Seek for medical assistance. Do not delay medical help.
HEAT STROKE – is caused by a failure of the  Move the person immediately to a cool place.
“thermostat” in the brain to regulate body  Remove as much of his outer clothing as possible.
temperature. When this happens, the body  Call for medical help.
becomes seriously heated.  Wrap the person in a cold, wet sheet and keep the sheet
wet until his temperature drops to 380 C or 37.50 C under
the tongue or armpit respectively.
 If the person has returned to normal temperature,
replace wet sheet with a dry one.
 Monitor vital signs until help arrives.
 If temperature rises, repeat the cooling process.
STROKE – is a condition in which the blood  If the person is conscious, help him lie down with his
supply to a part of the brain is suddenly and head and shoulders slightly raised and supported.
seriously impaired by a blood clot or ruptured  Incline his head to the affected side and place a towel
blood vessel. on his shoulder to absorb any dribbling
 Call for help.
 Loosen any tight clothing.
 Monitor vital signs and reassure the victim.
 If the victim is unconscious, give rescue breathing and
chest compression.
 Call for an ambulance or call for help.