(BPH,HND,DEHS,CSCM,CIEDC)

Module competence: This module is designed to

enable the learner provide first aid services at the
community level
Module outcomes:
By the end of this module, the learner should;
 Apply concepts and principles in first aid
 Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to
an unresponsive adult, child, and infant
 Manage casualties & apply first aid skills in
relieving choking
 Identify and use the contents in first aid kit
 Manage persons with major illness
 Apply first aid principles in moving and
handling casualties
 Def: is the first and immediate assistance given to
any person suffering from either a minor or
serious illness or injury using locally available
materials/resources
 It includes initial intervention in a serious
condition prior to professional medical help being
available, such as performing cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) while waiting for an ambulance,
as well as the complete treatment of minor
conditions, such as applying a plaster to a cut.
 Objectives of first aid : to preserve life, prevent the
condition from worsening, or to promote recovery.
 Preserving life is the primary aim, and it
involves making sure that an injury is not
life-threatening. This can involve calling
ambulances as soon as possible and
performing CPR in extreme circumstances.
 Someone trained in first aid should also
check for vital life signs, to see if an injury is
life-threatening. Signs to check for include
evidence of movement, breathing,
responsiveness, heart rate, and identifying
any particularly bad external injuries
 To avoid injuries from getting worse, a first
aider should not move the patient if they are
bleeding or have a fracture. In addition,
cleaning wounds with antiseptics prevents
infection and more problems down the line.
 For fractures, tell them to keep the body part
still and use something soft to pad the area. In
addition, remove any external risk factors.
 Risk factors are anything that can make an
injury worse for the patient. For example, if a
person has broken a leg in the middle of a
huge crowd, get people to move away from the
patient. Try and make space, so that people
don’t accidentally bump into the patient and
cause more pain.
Relieve Pain
 First aid must reduce suffering at all costs, by
making patients as comfortable as possible.
 This may involve giving them pain medication,
ice packs for impacts as well as elevating
wounds. These steps are part of the RICE
procedure, which involves:
 Rest: Do not move the affected area
 Ice: Apply ice to the affected area, especially for
impacts
 Compression: Wrap the area in a bandage
 Elevation: Raise the affected area up to increase
blood flow
Aid/ Promote Recovery
 This is the practice of helping a person heal
their wounds, in the short and long term.
Aiding recovery involves wound bandages and
putting pressure on a bleed.
 Pressure is needed to stem the flow of blood,
so tell the patient to put their hand on the area
of the bleed whilst the helper prepares other
aids. If the patient is unable to do this because
of the injury, the first aider should do it. In
addition, advise the person of what to do when
they go home, like change bandages daily to
avoid infection.
Protect the Unconscious
 Unconscious persons are the most vulnerable,
and they need extra protection.
 Start by identifying and clearing any hazards
away from the person. This is done to avoid
more harm to the unconscious person and
avoid any harm to the first aider.
 Next, check for the important vital signs. If
there isn’t a heartbeat, you may need to kick-
start the heart with CPR.
 If you do not think a person has a spinal injury,
then put the person into the recovery position.
This involves lying the person on their side and
using their arm to support the head. Bend legs
and arms to avoid the person from rolling
over. Overall, these 5objectives of first aid are
vital to remember
 Stay calm - Do not take risks for yourself, the
injured person or any witnesses.
 Manage the situation to give safe access to
the person.
 Manage the patient in line with current first
aid guidance.
 Do things step by step.
Prompt and Quick:
 As soon as an accident or injury takes place, the
first aider should be prompt and quick, to render
help to the victim, without delay.
Calm and Controlled:
 He should be a calm and controlled sort of a person
because one has to take immediate action, without
any fuss or panic.
Wise and Intelligent:
 One should be intelligent and wise enough to
decide the immediate treatment even before a
complete diagnosis, especially in case of serious
injuries and severe bleeding, etc.
Resourceful:
 He should be resourceful enough to make
available his first aid material at once or get the
required things on the spot, for giving
immediate relief to the victim.
Sympathetic:
 The first aider should use sweet and
encouraging words to lessen the victim’s
distress. He should keep the victim as
comfortable as possible and should be able to
allay the victim’s fears with sympathy.
Skillful and Tactful
 The first aider should be skillful and tactful to
judge the symptoms and history of the case
without wasting any time. If need be, he should
be able to muster requisite support from the
crowd.
Dexterous and Clever:
 Should be able to help the injured without
causing and/or aggravating pain, and to use
the appliances and/or procedure efficiently and
effectively.
Confidence and Perseverance:
 The first aider should have full faith in his
skill to administer whatever assistance the
situation demands, even if there is no
response initially. He should have
perseverance and should not give up. It may
take time for the patient to respond to his
handling.
NB: Remember, an efficient and resourceful first
aider may be the link between life and death.
 The scope of first aid includes the diagnosis,
the treatment and the disposal of the case.
(a) For diagnosis, the first aider must first know
how the accident or sudden injury has occurred.
This can be got from the victim if he can tell or
from witnesses. This is called the history of the
case.
 The next step in diagnosis is to watch the
symptoms like faintness, thirst, pain or
shivering.
 the first aider looks at the signs, which are
variations from normal conditions. These may
include swelling, congestion, paleness or
deformity, which can be very easily observed by
the first aider. Signs are the most reliable
indications on which diagnosis can be based.
b) For treatment, the cause of the condition
should be immediately removed, with a view to
prevent the condition from becoming worse.
Special attention should be paid to cases of
severe bleeding, shock, unconsciousness and
failure of breathing.
(c) For quick disposal, the casualty or the victim
should either be examined by the doctor on the
spot or, if that is not possible, he should be
immediately taken to his home or to a suitable
place of shelter or to a hospital, according to
circumstances.
 The members of the victim’s family or his
relatives should be informed at once.
It consists of
1. Quick response:
 The First Aider should respond quickly and call
for assistance. A prompt action is helpful in the
saving of life.
2. Calmness and confidence:
 The victim must be approached calmly and
methodically. Also he must be examined and
treated confidently and quickly.
3. Treating injuries:
 Obvious injuries and dangerous conditions like
failure of breathing, bleeding and shock must
be treated first.
4. First aid material:
 The first aid material immediately available is used.
If a standard material is not available, the available
material is improvised to suit the condition
5 Crowd management
 Crowds must be tactfully controlled. Overcrowding
deprives the victim of air and also light required for
examination. As much as possible, the by standers
must be utilized for assistance. If any one in the
crowed has a knowledge of first aid his services
may be utilized.
6. Reassurance:
 The victim must be reassured by speaking to him
encouragingly. He must be advised to lie still with
minimum movements.
 The role of a first aider is to provide
immediate, lifesaving, medical care before the
arrival of further medical help.
 Being a first aider, therefore, carries a range
of different and incredibly important
responsibilities. If you are a trained first aider
and you think someone needs your help,
there are numerous responsibilities that you
should adhere to.
 Assess the situation quickly and calmly to get an
understanding of what happened. This involves
determining whether anyone is in danger, the cause
of the situation, and how many people are affected.
 Comfort, reassure, stay calm and take charge - You
should introduce yourself to the casualty, explain
what’s happening and why, and explain what you’re
going to do before you do it.
 Protect yourself and the casualty from any
danger. You should always protect yourself first and
only move the casualty if leaving them would cause
more harm. If you are unable to make an area safe,
call 999 for emergency help.
 Prevent infection between you and them. You
should wash your hands or use hand sanitizer, wear
disposable gloves, and not cough or sneeze over a
casualty.
 Assess the casualty. If there are multiple
casualties, you must help those with life-
threatening injuries or conditions first.
 Give first aid treatment, such as CPR or
applying pressure to bleeding wounds. Life-
threatening injuries and conditions must be
prioritized before giving treatment to less
serious cases.
 Arrange for the right kind of help. Call 999 for
an ambulance if it’s serious, or take/send them
to a hospital if it’s serious but unlikely to get
any worse. For less serious conditions, suggest
they see a doctor if they are concerned or if the
condition worsens. You should always stay with
them until you can leave them in the right care.
 A first aid kit is a collection of supplies and
equipment that is used to give medical
treatment.
 There is a wide variation in the contents of first
aid kits based on the knowledge and
experience of those putting it together, the
differing first aid requirements of the area
where it may be used, and variations in
legislation or regulation in a given area
 The international standard for first aid kits is that they
should be identified with the ISO graphical symbol for
first aid which is an equal white cross on a green
background
 First aid kits can be assembled in almost any type of
container, and this will depend on whether they are
commercially produced or assembled by an individual.
 Standard kits often come in durable plastic boxes,
fabric pouches or in wall mounted cabinets. The type of
container will vary depending on the purpose, and they
range in size from wallet-sized through to a large box.
 It is recommended that all kits are in a clean,
waterproof container to keep the contents safe
and aseptic.
 Kits should also be checked regularly and restocked if
any items are damaged or are out of date
Appearance
 The International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) sets a standard for first
aid kits of being green, with a white cross, in
order to make them easily recognizable to
anyone requiring first aid.


ISO First Aid Alternate version of the first aid symbol

Symbol
 Star of Life

Star of
life

Symbol of the Redcross

Star of life
 The ISO only endorse the use of the green
background and white cross, and this has been
adopted as a standard across many countries
and regions, including the entire EU.
 First aid kits are sometimes marked (by an
individual or organization) with a red cross on
white background, but use of this symbol by
anyone but the International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC) or associated agency is illegal
under the terms of the First Geneva
Convention, which designates the red cross as
a protected symbol in all countries signatory to
it.
 Some first aid kits may also feature the Star
of Life, normally associated with emergency
medical services, but which are also used to
indicate that the service using it can offer an
appropriate point of care.
 Though not supported by the ISO, a white
cross on red background is also widely
recognized as a first aid symbol.
 However, for very small medical institutions
and domestic purposes, the white cross on a
plain green background is preferred.
 Commercially available first aid kits available
via normal retail routes have traditionally been
intended for treatment of minor injuries only.
 Typical contents include adhesive bandages,
regular strength pain medication, gauze and
low grade disinfectant.
 Specialized first aid kits are available for
various regions, vehicles or activities, which
may focus on specific risks or concerns related
to the activity. For example, first aid kits sold
through marine supply stores for use in
watercraft may contain seasickness remedies.
Common kits may contain:
 Thermometer
 Adhesive dressings
 Antiseptic solution
 Antiseptic wipes
 Bandages
 Cotton balls or swabs
 Emergency blanket
 Eyewash
 Gauze
 Gloves
 Hand sanitizer
 Ice pack
 Saline
 Tissues
 Tweezers
 a leaflet giving first aid guidance
 Trauma injuries
Trauma injuries, such as bleeding, bone fractures or burns, are
usually the main focus of most first aid kits, with items such as
bandages and dressings being found in the vast majority of all
kits.
 Adhesive bandages (Band-Aids, sticking plasters) - can
include ones shaped for particular body parts, such as
knuckles
◦ moleskins— for blister treatment and prevention
 Dressings(sterile, applied directly to the wound)
◦ Sterile eye pads
◦ Sterile gauze pads
◦ Sterile non-adherent pads, containing a non-stick Teflon layer
◦ petrolatum gauze pads, used as an occlusive ( air-tight) dressing for
sucking chest wounds, as well as a non-stick dressing
 Bandages (for securing dressings, not necessarily sterile)
◦ Gauze roller bandages - absorbent, breathable, and often elastic
◦ Elastic bandages - used for sprains, and pressure bandages
◦ Adhesive, elastic roller bandages (commonly called 'Vet wrap') - very
effective pressure bandages and durable, waterproof bandaging
◦ Triangular bandages - used as slings, tourniquets, to tie splints, and
many other uses
 Butterfly closure strips - used like stitches to close
wounds, usually only included for higher level
response as can seal in infection in uncleaned
wounds.
 Saline-used for cleaning wounds or washing out
foreign bodies from eyes
 Soap - used with water to clean superficial wounds
once bleeding is stopped
 Antiseptic wipes or sprays for reducing the risk of
infection in abrasions or around wounds. Dirty
wounds must be cleaned for antiseptics to be
effective.
 Burn dressing, which is usually a sterile pad soaked
in a cooling gel
 Adhesive tape, hypoallergenic
 Hemostatic agents may be included in first aid kits,
especially military or tactical kits, to promote
clotting for severe bleeding.
Personal protective equipment
 A water -proof pelican first aid kit.
 The use of personal protective equipment or PPE
will vary by the kit, depending on its use and
anticipated risk of infection. The adjuncts to
artificial respiration are covered above, but other
common infection prevention PPE includes:
 Gloves which are single-use and disposable to
prevent cross infection
 Goggles or other eye protection
 Surgical mask or N95 mask to reduce the
possibility of airborne infection transmission
(sometimes placed on patient instead of
caregivers. For this purpose the mask should not
have an exhale valve)
 Apron
First Aid Handbook
The other items in the kit won't be much help if
you don't know how to use them. Read the
manual carefully so you can be prepared to
handle all kinds of emergencies.
 Two Pairs of Sterile Gloves
Gloves offer protection for both the victim and
the rescuer while treating open wounds,
providing a germ-free barrier between the two.
Be sure to use nonlatex gloves if you or family
members have a latex allergy.
 Sanitizing Agent
antibiotic novelettes or a mild antiseptic like
hydrogen peroxide can help clean and disinfect
a wound.
 adhesive Tape and Gauze
This duo works together to stop bleeding.
Apply sterile gauze to a bleeding wound, using
firm but gentle pressure. Once bleeding has
stopped you can use the tape to hold the
gauze in place.
 Antibiotic Ointment
Using ointment on a cut or scrape after cleaning
the wound helps defend against infection. It can
also help speed up healing and lessen scarring.
 Adhesive Bandages
Cuts and scrapes come in all shapes and sizes-
-so too should your adhesive bandages. Use
these to protect wounds from getting dirty or
irritated.
 Scissors and Tweezers
Scissors with rounded edges protect the victim
from further injury. Use these shears to cut
tape or gauze or to remove clothing if
necessary. The tweezers can be used for
detailed work like removing particulate debris,
dirt, or splinters. But don't use tweezers to
remove an insect stinger because you could
end up squeezing more venom into the skin.
Instead, brush the injured area with the edge of
a credit card.
 Elastic Wraps
Not all accidents result in cuts or scrapes. Use
elastic wraps to stabilize wrist, elbow, ankle, and
knee injuries and to keep swelling down.
 triangular Bandages
These larger bandages can also be used to
wrap injuries and are especially helpful as
slings for broken or dislocated arms and
shoulders. Don't forget safety pins to help keep
the bandages in place.
Pain Relievers
panadols, ibuprofen, and aspirin can all help
soothe minor aches and pains. With a doctor's
approval, it's a good idea to keep at least two
aspirin on hand in case of a heart attack.
 Use these medications only as directed. As
for aspirin: Don't give to children and don't
use to alleviate flu symptoms. Periodically
check the expiration dates of all medications.
 Cold Packs
Use an instant cold compress to help soothe and
treat burns and other injuries, including insect
stings, sprains, and strains.
 Emergency Phone Numbers
Just as important as bandages, wraps, and
ointments are emergency phone numbers,
including those for your doctor, pharmacy, and
area poison control center.
If your area doesn't have access to 911, be
sure to jot down the numbers for local
ambulance, fire department, and police
services.
 Prescription Medications
Keep any prescribed medications, including
insulin, asthma inhalers, heart medicine,
and allergy medications, stored as directed.
Including a list of each family
member's allergies and which medications they
take could be a lifesaver.
 Keep Your Kit Current
Don't forget to check expiration dates on kit
items and be sure to replace any that are
outdated.
One helpful tip is to keep a list of contents in the
kit to help keep track of missing or expired items
 A Double Dose of Safety
Now you can be prepared when emergencies
arise. Stock both your home and car with these
first aid kits
 AMEGA is a first aid acronym used to help
remember the key steps when dealing with an
incident or emergency situation.
 First aiders and first responders may be the first to
arrive at the scene of an emergency. It's important
to quickly analyze the situation, assess for any
hazards and summon the appropriate help.
Effective Emergency Scene Management is as simple
as A-M-E-G-A
– Assess the situation
– Make the area Safe
– Emergency Aid
– Get Help
– Aftercare
1.Assess the situation quickly and calmly
Look for hazards and determine the number and
nature of casualties. Think about where the nearest
first aid kit, telephone and bystanders might be. If
you are the most experienced first aider at the scene,
take charge.
2. Make safe- Do not do anything which might
compromise your safety. If there is a hazard then it
must be made safe. Your options are, in order of
preference, to 1. remove the danger; 2. remove the
casualty from the danger; or 3. call 999 and wait for
help.
• Safety: Are you or they in any danger? Is it safe for
you to go up to them?
• Scene: What caused the accident or situation? How
many casualties are there?
• Situation: What’s happened? How many people are
involved and how old are they? What do you think
the main injuries could be?
3. Emergency aid- Once it is safe to do so, you should
provide first aid. Try to stay calm, use common sense
and think back to your training. If you feel
overwhelmed, immediately call for an ambulance
Comfort and reassure:
• Stay calm and take charge of the situation
• Introduce yourself to them to help gain their trust
• Explain what’s happening and why
• Say what you’re going to do before you do it
If there’s more than one casualty, help those with life-
threatening conditions first
• Start with the Primary Survey and deal with any life-
threatening conditions
• Then, if you’ve dealt with these successfully, move
on to the Secondary Survey
4. Get help- You should shout for help as soon
as you come across the casualty. If his
condition is life-threatening or you are not
confident to treat him on your own, call 999
and ask for an ambulance.
 Arrange for the right kind of help

5.Aftercare-When the paramedics arrive you

need to perform a patient handover and ensure
that the casualty’s belongings go with him to
hospital. Also report the incident to a member
of staff (in a sports centre, for example), or
complete the necessary paperwork if you are
the person responsible.
Take or send them to hospital if it’s a serious
condition but is unlikely to get worse
• Suggest they see their doctor if they’re
concerned about a less serious condition
• Advise them to go home to rest, but to seek
help if they feel worse
• Stay with them until you can leave them in
the right care
 Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a
lifesaving technique that's useful in many
emergencies, such as a heart attack or near
drowning, in which someone's breathing or
heartbeat has stopped.
DRSABCD stands for:
Danger – always check the danger to you, any bystanders and then the
injured or ill person. Make sure you do not put yourself in danger when
going to the assistance of another person.
Response – is the person conscious? Do they respond when you talk to
them, touch their hands or squeeze their shoulder?
 Send for help – call 112 Don’t forget to answer the questions asked
by the operator.
Airway – Is the person’s airway clear? Is the person breathing?
 If the person is responding, they are conscious and their airway is
clear, assess how you can help them with any injury.
 If the person is not responding and they are unconscious, you need
to check their airway by opening their mouth and having a look
inside. If their mouth is clear, tilt their head gently back (by lifting
their chin) and check for breathing. If the mouth is not clear, place
the person on their side, open their mouth and clear the contents,
then tilt the head back and check for breathing.

Breathing – check for breathing by looking for chest movements (up

and down). Listen by putting your ear near to their mouth and nose.
 Feel for breathing by putting your hand on the lower part of their
chest. If the person is unconscious but breathing, turn them onto
their side, carefully ensuring that you keep their head, neck and spine
in alignment. Monitor their breathing until you hand over to the
ambulance officers.
CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) – if an adult
is unconscious and not breathing, make sure they
are flat on their back and then place the heel of
one hand in the centre of their chest and your
other hand on top.
Defibrillator – for unconscious adults who are not
breathing, apply an automated external
defibrillator (AED) if one is available.
 An AED is a machine that delivers an electrical
shock to cancel any irregular heart beat
(arrhythmia), in an effort get the normal heart
beating to re-establish itself. The devices are
very simple to operate.
 Use CPR when an adult is not breathing at all.
For a child or infant, use CPR when they are not
breathing normally. Always use CPR if the adult
or child is not responding when you talk to
them or tap them.
 If someone is not breathing, giving CPR can
ensure that oxygen-rich blood reaches the
brain. This is important, as without oxygen,
someone can sustain permanent brain damage
or die in under 8 minutes.
 A person might need CPR if they stop breathing
in any of the following circumstances:
 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
CPR STEP BY STEP
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 is available, carry on performing
CPR until the machine is set up and ready to
use.
 The CPR steps for children and infants are slightly different to
the steps for adults, as below.
Preparation steps
 To perform CPR on an infant or child, use the following
preparation steps:
Step 1. Call 911 or give 2 minutes of care
 First, check the surrounding area for factors that could put you
in danger. Next, check the child or infant to see whether they
need help. For children, tap their shoulder and shout, “Are you
OK?” For infants, flick the sole of their foot to see if they
respond.
 If you are alone with the child and they are not responding,
give them 2 minutes of care and then call 911. If there is a
bystander, ask them to call 911 while you give 2 minutes of
care.
 If possible, ask a bystander to go and search for an AED
machine.
 If the child does respond, call 911 to report any life-
threatening conditions.
Step 2. Place them on their back and open their
airways
 Place the child or infant carefully on their
back and kneel beside their chest. Tilt their
head backward slightly by lifting their chin.
 Open their mouth. Check for any obstruction,
such as food or vomit. If it is loose, remove it.
If it is not loose, do not touch it, as this may
push it farther into their airways.
Step 3. Check for breathing
 Place your ear next to their mouth and listen
for around 10 seconds. If you do not hear
breathing, or you only hear occasional gasps,
begin to administer CPR.
 Changes in an infant’s breathing patterns are
normal, as they usually have periodic
breathing.
 Keep monitoring their breathing and perform
CPR if they stop breathing.
 Use the following steps to perform CPR on a
child or infant:
Step 4. Perform two rescue breaths
 If the child or infant is not breathing, perform
two rescue breaths with their head tilted
backward and their chin raised.
 For a child, pinch their nose shut and place
your mouth over theirs. Breathe into their
mouth twice.
 For an infant, place your mouth over their nose
and mouth and blow for 1 second to make their
chest rise. Then, deliver two rescue breaths.
 If they are still unresponsive, begin chest
compressions.
Step 5. Perform 30 chest compressions
 Kneel beside the child or infant.
 For a child, use one of your hands. Place the heel
of the hand at their sternum, which is in the
center of the chest, between and slightly below
their nipples. Press down hard and fast around 2
inches deep, or one-third the depth of the chest,
at least 100 times per minute.
 For an infant, use two fingers. Place your fingers
in the center of their chest, between and slightly
below the nipples. Perform 30 quick
compressions around 1.5 inches deep.
Step 6. Repeat
 Repeat the cycle of rescue breaths and chest
compressions until the child starts breathing or
help arrives.
 CPR is a life-saving first aid procedure. It can
significantly improve someone’s changes of
surviving if they suffer a heart attack or stop
breathing following an accident or trauma.
 The steps vary depending on whether the person
is an infant, child, or adult. However, the basic
cycle of chest compressions and rescue breaths
will remain the same.
 Only use CPR when an adult has stopped
breathing. Check the person to see whether they
respond to verbal or physical stimuli before
starting CPR.
 Emergency Medical Services, more commonly
known as EMS, is a system that provides
emergency medical care. Once it is activated by
an incident that causes serious illness or injury,
the focus of EMS is emergency medical care of
the patient(s).
 Call for help immediately, preferably while
assessing the victim (pulse and breathing).
 Alone with no cell phone: Leave victim to
activate EMS and get AED before CPR UNLESS an
unwitnessed collapse of an infant or child. Give
2 minutes of CPR then activate EMS/get AED.
Alone with cell phone: Activate EMS first.
three types of EMS services
EMS agency types can be divided into three
main groups:
(1) EMS agencies responding to 911-based
emergencies with or without transport;
(2) EMS agencies that provide scheduled
medical transport, often referred to as non-
emergent transport; and
(3) EMS agencies known as Specialty Care
Transport that provide emergency treatment
...
the role of EMS
 An emergency medical service (or EMS) is
a service providing out-of-hospital acute care
and transport to definitive care, to patients
with illnesses and injuries which the patient
believes constitute a medical emergency.
 A bandage is a strip of material used either to covering
wounds, to keep dressings in place, to applying pressure
controlling bleeding, to support a medical device such as a
splint, or on its own to provide support to the body. It can also
be used to restrict a part of the body.
 Dressings are used to cover wounds, prevent contamination
and control bleeding.
 In providing first aid we commonly use self-adhesive
dressings or gauze dressings :
• Adhesive dressings are used mainly for small wounds. They
come in many different sizes, including specific types for
placement on fingertips.
• Gauze dressings are thick, cotton pads used to cover larger
wounds. They are held in place with tape or by wrapping with a
gauze strip (bandage).
 Dressings must be sterile and absorbent to deter the growth of
bacteria, and should be left in place until the wound heals,
unless it needs to be regularly cleaned.
 The three major types of bandages are:
 roller bandages,
 tubular bandages and
 triangular bandages.
They are necessary for;
covering wounds, applying pressure controlling
bleeding, supporting a strain or sprain.
There is a specific bandage made for each of
these uses.
Roller bandages: are long strips of material and
basically there are two types of roller bandages;
 An elastic roller bandage is used to apply
support to a strain or sprain and is wrapped
around the joint or limb many times. It should
be applied firmly, but not tightly enough to
reduce circulation.
 Cotton or linen roller bandages are used to
cover gauze dressings. They come in many
different widths and are held in place with tape,
clips or pins. They can also be used for wound
compression if necessary, as they are typically
sterile.
Tubular bandages are used on fingers and toes
because those areas are difficult to bandage with
gauze.
 They can also be used to keep dressings in place
on parts of the body with lots of movement, such
as the elbow or knee.
Triangular bandages are made of cotton or
disposable material.
 They have a variety of uses:
• When opened up, they make slings to support,
elevate or immobilize upper limbs. This may be
necessary with a broken bone or a strain, or to
protect a limb after an operation.
• Folded narrowly, a triangular bandage becomes a
cold compress that can help reduce swelling.
 They are used also for applying pressure to a
wound to control bleeding.
 Each bandaging technique consists of various basic
forms of bandaging.
 The following five basic forms of bandaging can be
used to apply most types of bandages:
1.circular bandaging
2. spiral bandaging
3. figure-of-eight bandaging
4. recurrent bandaging
5. reverse spiral bandage Circular bandaging is used
to hold dressings on body parts such as arms, legs,
chest or abdomen or for starting others bandaging
techniques.
 For circular bandage we use strips of cloth or
gauze roller bandage or triangular bandage folded
down to form strip of bandage (cravat).
 In the circular bandaging technique the layers of
bandage are applied over the top of each other,
With the roll on the inner aspect, unroll the
bandage either toward you or laterally, holding the
loose end until it is secured by the first circle of the
bandage.
 Two or three turns may be needed to cover an area
adequately. Hold the bandage in place with tape or
a clip.
 Spiral bandaging: Spiral bandages are usually used
for cylindrical parts of the body. An elasticated
bandage can also be used to apply spiral
bandaging to a tapered body part.
 Despite the increasing diameter of the body part,
the elasticity will allow the bandage to fit closely to
the skin. With each spiral turn, part of the
preceeding turn is covered generally by 1/3 of the
width of the bandage.
 Figure-of-eight bandage involves two turns, with
the strips of bandage crossing each other at the
side where the joint flexes or extends.
 It is usually used to bind a flexing joint or body
part below and above the joint.
 The figure-of-eight bandage can be applied using
a roller bandage in two ways: • Following a circular
turn around the middle of the joint, the bandage
should fan out upwards and downwards.
 The turns should cross at the side where the limb
flexes.
 The figure-of-eight turns can also be applied from
a starting point located below or above the joint
crease, working towards the joint itself. The cross-
over points will be located at either the flexing or
extending side of the joint; the side where the
turns do not cross remains uncovered.
 Recurrent bandaging is used for blunt body
parts consists partly of recurrent turns.
 The bandage is applied repeatedly from one
side across the top to the other side of the
blunt body part.
 To be able to fix the recurrent turns well, not
only the wound, but the entire length of the
blunt body part should be covered.
 Depending on the width of the bandage and
the body part, successive turns either cover the
preceding turn fully or partially.
 Recurrent bandages are fixed using circular or
spiral turns
 Reverse spiral bandage is a spiral bandage
where the bandage is folded back on itself by
180° after each turn.
 This V-shaped fold allows the bandage to fit to
the tapered shape of the body part all the way
along.
 This type of bandaging is required when using
non-elasticated bandages.
 The development of elasticated fixing
bandages, which are applied to tapered body
parts using the spiral technique, means that
the reverse spiral technique is far less
commonly used nowadays.
 A dressing is used to protect a wound and
prevent infection, but also to allow healing.
 A dressing should be large enough to totally
cover the wound, with a safety margin of about
2.5 cm on all sides beyond the wound.
 A sterile dressing may be used to control
bleeding from a major wound or to absorb any
discharge from a minor wound.
 Dressings vary greatly in nature and size, so it
is important to select the correct dressing for
use on a specific wound. A sterile dressing
which is past its expiry date should NOT be
used.
 A bandage is used in combination with a
dressing where a wound is present
Sterile wound dressings
 Wound dressings will be in a sterile packet,
which should be opened carefully by a person
with clean or gloved hands. Then, to avoid
contamination of the sterile dressing, it is not
removed from the opened packet until the
wound is ready to be covered.
 Dressings used to control bleeding must be
bulky to ensure that adequate pressure is
applied over the injured area. The most
common dressing is made of combined wool or
cellulose, covered in a light cotton woven
fabric, and these are generally known as
‘combine dressings’.
 sterile gauze squares are used mainly for
cleaning a wound. Cotton wool should NOT be
used because of loose cotton fibres that might
stick to the wound during healing.
Sterile non-adherent dressings
 Very light dressings are used on a minor
wound to aid healing and most have a non-
adherent surface.
 A non-adherent dressing is often covered on
one or both sides with a plastic film containing
many perforations. If only one side has a
plastic film, that is the side to be placed
against the wound. This allows fluids to pass
through into an absorbent layer, to keep the
wound dry.
 Other types of non-adherent dressing have a
special synthetic coating on one or both sides
to prevent adhesion to the wound surface.
The non-adherent layer is always placed
against the wound. To reduce confusion and
incorrect use, some manufacturers make both
sides on-adherent.
 Non-adherent dressings are used for
extensive surface wounds such as an
abrasion
 Improvised dressings
 In an emergency a dressing may be improvised
from a range of materials. To control bleeding
a bulky pad may be made from a bundle of
several facial tissues or from any clean, non-
fluffy material.
 For a minor burn or scald, a piece of clean
plastic kitchen wrap may be used initially.
However, if the burn is serious, it is vital to use
only sterile coverings to avoid the risk of
infection. Cooling should be continued until a
sterile dressing is available.
 A triangular bandage is made from a strong
type of cloth which has been cut into a right-
angle triangle.
 The standard size of triangle bandages is
40x40x56 inches (102x102x142
cm). However, you can sometimes find them in
other sizes too. When folded down, the triangle
bandage is quite small
1. Apply the outer side of the tail of the bandage
to the injured part.
2. Bandage limbs from below upwards and from
within outwards.
3. Apply a bandage so that each layer covers
two-thirds of the previous one. Keep the edges
parallel.
4. Never bandage without having previously
applied a pad of cotton wool. Such a pad should
surround a limb or a finger. The cotton wool
prevents compression of the veins and still
allows the bandaging to be firm. If there is a
wound, gauze should be placed over it before
the cotton wool is applied.
5. Stand in front of the hand or foot when bandaging
a limb.
6. In dressing a limb or fixing a splint do not cover
the tips of the fingers or toes; they are a useful guide
to whether the bandage is too tight. Blueness of the
nails and swelling or numbness of the fingers
indicate the need to loosen the bandage.
7. Make all reverses or crossings in a line on the
outer side of the limb.
8. When bandaging the elbow keep it at right angles
and make sure that a large pad of cotton wool is
placed round the joint to avoid constricting the
blood vessels.
9. When bandaging the knee keep it slightly bent.
10. Complete the bandage with a safety-pin or a
narrow strip of adhesive plaster
11. Pad bony areas and/or between skin surfaces
(such as between fingers) that will be covered by
the roller bandage
12.Tape, clip, or tie the end of the bandage in a
position that is easy to reach.
13.Check the circulation below the wrapping. If
the wrapping is interfering with the casualty's
circulation, loosen the roller bandage and apply
it again.
14. Elevate the injured limb to help control
swelling.