Mod 3

FIRST AID FOR THE

CASUALTIES

Praveen Vijayan, Asst Professor, SFE SOE CUSAT

• What is your idea of first aid? What are the
objectives of it? List down
 FIRST AID
First aid is “The immediate skilled assistance given to
someone who is injured or ill, to keep them safe until
they can get more advanced medical treatment by seeing
a doctor, health professional or go to hospital”.
 3 priorities of first aid
• Preserve life
• Prevent the illness or injury from becoming
worse
• Promote recovery
 IT’S OBJECTIVE
 To save life.
 Identify the emergency situations.

 Provide first aid for the causality and suddenly ill individuals.
 Use appropriate, knowledge skill and materials while helping the
causality
 To prevent further complications.

 To give relief from pain and discomfort.

 To promote early recovery.
 To transport the victim in proper position / manner when necessary.
 ROLE OF A FIRST AIDER
The role of a first aider is to give someone this help, while
making sure that they and anyone else involved are safe
and that they don’t make the situation worse.
If you think someone needs your help, these are the
seven things you need to do as a first aider.
1. Assess the situation quickly and calmly.
2. Protect yourself and them from any danger.
3. Prevent infection between you and them.
4. Comfort and reassure.
5. Assess the casualty.
6. Give first aid treatment
 How to do the Primary Survey

• Danger: Look for dangers

• Response: Check for response
• Airway: Open airway
• Breathing: Notice breathing
• Circulation: Ensure circulation
Remember DR ABC !!!

Call Ambulance /Medical assistance

 What is BLS?
• Basic Life Support, or BLS, generally refers to the
type of care that first-responders, healthcare
providers and public safety professionals provide
to anyone who is experiencing cardiac arrest,
respiratory distress or an obstructed airway.
• It requires knowledge and skills in
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), using
automated external defibrillators (AED) and
relieving airway obstructions in patients of every
age.
 CPR
• CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) is a
technique used to keep victims of sudden
cardiac arrest and other emergencies, alive
and to prevent brain damage until more
advanced medical professionals arrive.
• The goal of CPR is to keep oxygen flowing in
and out of the lungs and to keep oxygenated
blood flowing through the body. This will delay
tissue death.
• Circulating blood that contains oxygen is
required to keep tissues in the body alive and
functioning.
• The brain may sustain damage after blood
flow has been stopped for about 4 minutes.
There is irreversible damage to the brain after
blood flow has stopped for 7 minutes.
• To be successful, CPR should be started within
6 minutes of a person having a sudden cardiac
arrest.
 Please Note!
• The procedures related to the provision of first
aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
differ in some ways, depending on the age and
size of the casualty.
In first aid and CPR:
• An infant casualty is under one year old
• A child casualty is from age one to age eight
• An adult casualty is over eight years of age
“If you're afraid to do CPR or unsure how to
perform CPR correctly,
know that it's always better to try than to do nothing at all”

Untrained: If you're not trained in CPR or worried about giving rescue breaths, then
provide hands-only CPR. That means uninterrupted chest compressions of 100 to 120
a minute until paramedics arrive (described in more detail below). You don't need to
try rescue breathing.

Trained and ready to go: If you're well-trained and confident in your ability, check to
see if there is a pulse and breathing. If there is no pulse or breathing within 10
seconds, begin chest compressions. Start CPR with 30 chest compressions before
giving two rescue breaths.

Trained but rusty: If you've previously received CPR training but you're not confident
in your abilities, then just do chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 a minute.

ref: https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-cpr/basics/art-20056600
 CPR steps
1. CHECK the scene for safety, form an initial
impression and use personal protective
equipment (PPE)
2. If the person appears unresponsive, CHECK
for responsiveness, breathing, life-
threatening bleeding or other life-
threatening conditions using shout-tap-shout
3. If the person does not respond and is not
breathing or only gasping, CALL ambulance
and get equipment, or tell someone to do so
4. Place the person on their back on a firm, flat
surface
5. Give 30 chest compressions
– Hand position: Two hands centered on the chest
– Body position: Shoulders directly over hands;
elbows locked
– Depth: At least 2 inches
– Rate: 100 to 120 per minute
– Allow chest to return to normal position after each
compression
Fig. chest compressions
6. Give 2 breaths
– Open the airway to a past-neutral position using
the head-tilt/chin-lift technique
– Ensure each breath lasts about 1 second and
makes the chest rise; allow air to exit before giving
the next breath

7. Continue giving sets of 30 chest compressions

and 2 breaths. Use an AED as soon as one is
available!
• If you're trained in CPR and you've performed 30 chest
compressions, open the person's airway using the head-tilt,
chin-lift maneuver. Put your palm on the person's forehead
and gently tilt the head back. Then with the other hand,
gently lift the chin forward to open the airway.
Open the airway using the head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver. Pinch the nostrils shut
for mouth-to-mouth breathing and cover the person's mouth with yours,
making a seal.
Give the first rescue breath, lasting one second, and watch to see if the chest
rises. If it rises, give the second breath. If the chest doesn't rise, repeat the
head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver first and then give the second breath. Be careful
not to provide too many breaths or to breathe with too much force. After two
breaths, immediately restart chest compressions to restore blood flow.
 What is AED?

• AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) are used

to revive someone from sudden cardiac arrest.
• The combination of CPR and early defibrillation is
effective in saving lives when used in the first few
minutes following collapse from sudden cardiac
arrest.
• AEDs are portable, life-saving devices designed to
treat people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, a
medical condition in which the heart suddenly and
unexpectedly stops beating.
 How different is the CPR procedure for a
child?

• You may use one or two hands depending on

the size of the child
 How different is the CPR procedure for an
infant?

• Place two fingers on the breastbone just

below the nipple line. Push down on the
breastbone 1/3 the depth of the chest or
about 4 cm (1 1/2 inches).
 Recovery Position
• The recovery position is a technique used in first aid
for all unconscious people who are breathing.
• This includes anyone over the age of one year old:
– who has started breathing after being given CPR,
– those who may be unconscious or nearly unconscious but
are still breathing,
– those who are too inebriated- to assure their continued
breathing, persons of near drowning, and in cases of
suspected poisoning.

Steps in detail: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/emergencies-

and-first-aid-recovery-position
https://youtu.be/GmqXqwSV3bo
 Question (university exam 2022)
• Consider the given situation:
• A worker in an industry finds his colleague unconscious.
She followed the following course of action.
• (1) Immediately rushes to the victim and checked vitals.
• (2) Finds that the victim has neither breath nor pulse.
• (3)Decides to take her colleague to hospital as she
forgot the exact CPR procedure.
• Observe the actions of the employee as a first aider.
What will you do in such a situation?
CHOKING
 !News!
• Choking on food, doctor dies as fellow
shoppers look the other way Tuesday 26 April
2016 03:10 PM IS...
• Choking occurs when a foreign object lodges
in the throat or windpipe, blocking the flow of
air. In adults, a piece of food often is the
culprit.
• Young children often swallow small objects.
Because choking cuts off oxygen to the brain,
give first aid as quickly as possible.
 What to do if there is choking?
• Encourage to cough.
• If that does not work, go for 5 and 5
• if the situation does not improve even after
repeated 5 and 5, and the person’s pulse gets
weak and turning unconscious, start CPR
How to perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) on
yourself
To perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) on yourself,
place a fist slightly above your navel. Grasp your fist with the other
hand and bend over a hard surface. Shove your fist inward and
upward.
 Seizures
• A seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical
disturbance in the brain.
• It can cause changes in your behavior,
movements or feelings, and in levels of
consciousness.
• Having two or more seizures at least 24 hours
apart that aren't brought on by an identifiable
cause is generally considered to be epilepsy.
• Most seizures last from 30 seconds to two
minutes. A seizure that lasts longer than five
minutes is a medical emergency.
 convulsion
• A convulsion is a general term that people use
to describe uncontrollable muscle
contractions.
• They can continue for a few seconds or many
minutes.
• Some people may use it interchangeably with
the word “seizure,” although a seizure refers
to an electrical disturbance in the brain.
Seek immediate medical help if any of the following occurs:

• The seizure lasts more than five minutes.

• Breathing or consciousness doesn't return after the
seizure stops.
• A second seizure follows immediately.
• You have a high fever.
• You're experiencing heat exhaustion.
• You're pregnant.
• You have diabetes.
• You've injured yourself during the seizure.
Sometimes seizures may be caused or triggered by:

• High fever, which can be associated with an infection such as meningitis

• Lack of sleep
• Flashing lights, moving patterns or other visual stimulants
• Low blood sodium (hyponatremia), which can happen with diuretic
therapy
• Medications, such as certain pain relievers, antidepressants or smoking
cessation therapies, that lower the seizure threshold
• Head trauma that causes an area of bleeding in the brain
• Abnormalities of the blood vessels in the brain
• Autoimmune disorders, including systemic lupus erythematosus and
multiple sclerosis
• Stroke
• Brain tumor
• Use of illegal or recreational drugs, such as amphetamines or cocaine
• Alcohol misuse, during times of withdrawal or extreme intoxication
• COVID-19 virus infection
 Complications
• Falling: If you fall during a seizure, you can injure your
head or break a bone.
• Drowning: If you have a seizure while swimming or
bathing, you're at risk of accidental drowning.
• Car accidents: A seizure that causes loss of either
awareness or control can be dangerous if you're driving
a car or operating other equipment.
• Pregnancy complications.
• Emotional health issues. People with seizures are more
likely to have psychological problems, such as
depression and anxiety.
 Epilepsy
• Epilepsy is a central nervous system
(neurological) disorder in which brain activity
becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods
of unusual behavior, sensations and sometimes
loss of awareness.

• Anyone can develop epilepsy. Epilepsy affects

both males and females of all races, ethnic
backgrounds and ages.
 Question for you.
• One of the employees in a manufacturing
plant, is collapsed and has seizures. What will
you do as a first aider? How to decide whether
the person need further medical attention?
Eye Injury
Some signs and symptoms that will indicate an
injury to the eye include:
• Pain
• Blurred or double vision
• Excessive tearing
• Feelings of grit or a particle under the lid
• Broken blood vessels or red spots
• Bleeding or other fluids from the eye
• Deformity
• Loss of vision
 1 Chemical burns
• A chemical splash in the eye can cause
permanent loss of vision and needs prompt first
aid and medical care.
• Chemicals common at home or in the workplace
can easily get splashed into your eyes.
• It is important to wear safety glasses when
handling toxic or abrasive chemicals and use
caution with household cleaners in order to
prevent injury.
First aid care for chemical burns includes:

• Remain calm and keep your eyes open until they

can be flushed. Closing your eyes traps the
chemical in and does further damage.
• Flush eyes generously with water for 15 to 20
minutes. Make sure you keep your eyes open
during flushing.
• Get immediate medical care.
 2 Foreign object
First aid care for foreign objects in the eyes includes:

• Don’t rub your eyes.

• Lift the upper eyelid up and out over the lower lid, and then roll your
eyes around.
• Flush your eyes generously with water, and keep your eyes open
during flushing.
• Repeat the previous steps until the object is eliminated.
• Follow up with a doctor to make sure all debris is gone and the eyes
have not been scratched or damaged. Your doctor may evaluate you
for damage by using a special eye drop that fluoresces under a
certain type of light; it will help reveal any cuts or scratches in the
cornea.
• If there is an object embedded in the eye, do
NOT remove it, as this may cause further
damage. Instead, cover the eye with an eye
shield or gauze and seek prompt medical
attention
 3 Blows to the eye
• Impact to the eye is another form of eye
trauma. Minor blows can often be managed at
home. Any eye injury should be monitored for
signs of a serious injury or potential infection.
First aid care for a blow to the eyes includes:

• Gently place a cold compress over your eye in 5- to 10-

minute intervals. Do not place ice directly on the skin.
Instead, use a cloth in between the ice and skin.
• Call your doctor. They may want to examine the eye for
potential damage. If the trauma was significant (for example,
skull fracture or displaced bones), you will need to go to an
emergency department for immediate evaluation.
• After 24 hours, switch to warm compresses. This will help
lessen bruising.
4 Cuts or puncture wounds on the eye or lid

You should seek immediate medical care if you suffer this type
of injury. However, you need to follow some basic first aid
steps to ensure proper safety and support.
Here are some first aid tips for treating cuts and puncture
wounds:
• Do not wash the eye or lid.
• If there is an object embedded in your eye, do NOT remove
it. Doing so can cause further damage.
• Cover the eye with an eye shield. If you don’t have one
available, place the bottom half of a paper cup over your eye
and tape over it gently to secure it to your face.
• Seek prompt medical attention.
• Eye injury (additional reading recommended:
St Johns Ambulance pdf)
Wounds
 Types of Wounds
• A wound is any damage to the soft tissues of the body. It
usually results in the escape of blood from the blood vessels
into surrounding tissues, body cavities or out of the body.
• A wound can be either open or closed:
• Open wound—a break in the outer layer of the skin
• Closed wound—no break in the outer layer of skin but there
is internal bleeding
• The aim in the care of wounds is to stop the bleeding and
prevent infection. Although some bleeding may help to wash
contamination from the wound, excessive blood flow must
be stopped quickly to minimize shock.
 Bleeding

• Bleeding is the escape of blood from the blood

vessels. In external bleeding, blood escapes
the body through a surface wound.
• In internal bleeding, blood escapes from
tissues inside the body.
Severe blood loss will result in the following
signs and symptoms of shock:

• Pale, cold and clammy skin

• Rapid pulse, gradually becoming weaker
• Faintness, dizziness, thirst and nausea
• Restlessness and apprehension
• Shallow breathing, yawning, sighing and
gasping for air
 Bleeding can result in Shock
• Shock is a critical condition brought on by the
sudden drop in blood flow through the body.
Shock may result from trauma, heatstroke,
blood loss, an allergic reaction, severe infection,
poisoning, severe burns or other causes.
• When a person is in shock, his or her organs
aren't getting enough blood or oxygen. If
untreated, this can lead to permanent organ
damage or even death.
 FIRST AID: external bleeding
Perform a scene survey, then do a primary
survey.
• To control severe bleeding, apply direct
pressure to the wound.
• Place the casualty at rest.
• Once bleeding is under control, continue the
primary survey, looking for other life-
threatening injuries
• Before bandaging the wound, check circulation
below the injury.
• Bandage the dressing in place.
• Check the circulation below the injury and
compare it with the other side.
• If it is worse than it was before the injury was
bandaged, loosen the bandage just enough to
improve circulation if possible.
• Give ongoing casualty care.
 Internal bleeding

Suspect internal bleeding if:

• The casualty received a severe blow or a
penetrating injury to the chest, neck, abdomen
or groin
• There are major limb fractures such as a
fractured upper leg or pelvis
Signs of internal bleeding:
• Bleeding from the ear canal or the nose
• Bloodshot or black eye (bleeding inside the head)
• Coughing up blood that looks bright red and frothy
(bleeding into the lungs)
• Vomiting bright red blood, or brown blood that looks
like coffee grounds
• Blood in the stool that looks either red or black and
tarry
• Red or smoky brown-looking blood in the urine
• Signs of shock with no signs of external injury
First aid for internal bleeding
1. Perform a scene survey. Have the casualty lie
flat on their back and do a primary survey.
2. Send or go for medical help.
3. Give ongoing casualty care, including laying
the casualty in the supine position, and giving
first aid for shock