First Aid is the “Skilled application of accepted principles of treatment on the occurrence of any injury or sudden illness, using facilities or materials available at the time. It is the approved method of treating a victim until he is placed, if necessary, in the care of a doctor, appropriate person or removed to hospital.”
The purposes of First Aid in any emergency are:
1.To sustain life of victim
2.To prevent the case from becoming worse.
3.To promote recovery of such case.The First Aider should not assume the duties of a medical doctor in the administration of medicines or drugs since he is not so trained.The First Aider should:
1.Respond promptly to calls.
2.Quickly assess the situation for safety of himself and the victim.
3.Diagnose nature of injury or sudden illness.
4.Give immediate and appropriate treatment to relieve victim and
immobilize if necessary.
5.Control crowd, act calmly, intelligently and methodically to encourage victim and lessen anxiety.
6.The First Aider's responsibility is not complete until victim is handed over to skilled personnel or appropriate authority for further treatment.
7.Act quickly, cleverly and methodically with sympathy, giving priority to the most urgent conditions.
8.Ensure that there is no further danger to the victim on your cit.
9.The history or signs of the incident must be considered quickly to enable arrive at an appropriate diagnosis for immediate treatment.
10.Give artificial respiration if breathing has stopped. 11.Control or stop bleeding and immobilize accordingly.
12.Do not move victim roughly.This worsens any case of illness especially of spinal injury.So be cautious in removing clothing if at all necessary and in carrying off for safety or treatment.
13.Do not allow people to crowd around as fresh air is needed.
- Use the FIVE human senses to enhance efficient treatment; these are:
(a) Eyes to look cleverly,
(b) Ears to listen carefully,
(c) Mouth to speak clearly,
(d) Nose to smell clearly, and
(e)Hands to feel quickly and correctly.
- Reassure victim and those around to lessen anxiety.
16.Arrange for transportation or removal of victim for delivery to appropriate authority for further treatments.RECOVERY POSITION: This is recommended for unconscious victim whose breathing becomes difficult or noisy. This position ensures open air-way, prevents the tongue from falling back into the throat, thus keeping the air passage constantly widened and allow any vomit or other fluids from victim's mouth to drain freely. Recovery position also affords improved breathing process for any victim or patient just prolonged case.It affords sound sleep.
EMERGENCY PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES:
The approach to any case of emergency must be preceded by quick assessment for the safety of the point of accident to avoid more casualties.Check for possible hanging or falling walls, roofs, trees, loose and naked electric wires, slippery grounds, pot-holes or sharp pointed objects etc.that may be traps for injuries.
In case of electrocution, immediately turn off control switch or meter; where this cannot be easily reached, get yourself properly insulated and push
off victim with dry wood, dry cloth but not anything metallic or wet.
I pray there is Peace in Ukraine.