Take Me Everywhere First Aid Guide

By PR Rainbird

The Take me Everywhere First aid Guide is a practical illustrated reference for First Aid. It covers a wide range of situations that a first aider may encounter. The chapters are short and to the point. For each subject, there is a simple list of signs and symptoms together with the recommended first aid. The information is all based on the current recommendations of the worlds leading First Aid bodies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pheasantpond Press
• Release date: Feb 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215142035

Book preview

Introduction

First aid is the assistance we can give to someone injured or ill. It is the first care provided until medical care is available.

Sometimes the care we provide is all they need. Sometimes they also need professional help. First aid can sometimes make the difference between life and death.

As a first aider, it is important to stay calm. You are more useful to your casualty this way and your composure will help to keep them calm. Talk to them if they are conscious, and remember to treat them with respect.

Try not to exceed the levels of your training. If you are not a doctor or paramedic, you are not expected to perform like one. If you are in any doubt as to the care needed, call emergency services. Trained operators can guide you through the necessary steps until help arrives.

As soon as you suspect emergency services are required, call for them. Time can be critical, and ambulances may not always be close by. It is better to have an ambulance arrive to find that they are not needed than to find out you should have called earlier.

Remember that as much as you want to help other people, it is crucial to prioritize looking after yourself. You cannot help anyone if you are a casualty as well. If you experience trauma as a result of helping someone, seek professional help.

This book is intended as a quick reference guide to dealing with common first aid scenarios.

General Principles of First Aid

As a first aider, you may attend a minor or a major incident. We can regard a minor incident as one that does not require professional medical attention and a major incident as any that does.

Take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Try to stay calm and remain in the moment. Call for help as soon as you think it is needed.

The aims of First Aid

Preserve the life of the casualty. This could be anything from moving them out of danger to stemming severe bleeding or providing CPR.

Prevent the condition from worsening. Even if you cannot improve their condition, you might prevent further harm. Examples include positioning the casualty safely, removing dangers, and keeping them warm.

Promote recovery where possible. This can lessen the time it takes for a casualty to recover from an injury or accident. For example, prompt treatment for a burn can ensure the recovery will be faster and better.

Protect yourself and others. Some situations will contain dangers to yourself and others. Always protect yourself before you help anybody else. Dangers may come from the environment, such as traffic or aggressive bystanders. They can also come via infection from a casualty. Protecting yourself should include an assessment of environmental dangers and the use of infection control measures. Protect other uninjured people before attending to the casualty.

Infection control precautions

Wear gloves where contact with the casualty is required. Wear eye protection if available.

Wash your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

Cover any cuts or grazes on your hands with waterproof dressings.

Dispose of contaminated waste products appropriately.

Use a face shield if possible during CPR.

If you have no gloves use any effective barrier such as plastic bags or other fabrics. Although the risk of infection through contact is low, you should always try to protect yourself.

Legal issues

Legal standards for first aid vary from country to country. It is advisable to familiarize yourself with the principles in your own country. Here we will look at some principles common to many countries’ first aid guidelines.

Duty of care

A duty of care is an obligation to help a casualty to the best of your ability, for as long as needed. If a first aider starts to provide care, they then assume a duty of care to the casualty. A duty of care also exists where a first aider is a designated first aid officer in the workplace.  

Consent

Consent is the casualty’s permission to touch them. Consent should be obtained before beginning first aid. It may be expressed or implied. Expressed consent should be sought where the casualty is competent to give it. If they refuse, respect their decision. Implied consent occurs when the casualty is not competent to give it, but first aid is needed. This applies to unconscious people and people who are unable to decide due to their condition. For minors, consent comes from the parent or guardian.

Confidentiality

When first aid is provided, the casualty’s details should be treated as confidential. Identifying Information should only be passed on to other authorized parties involved.

Liability

Most countries have civil liability laws that define the liability a first aider may be exposed to. In many western countries, the term Good Samaritan is used to describe a person providing help in good faith, with no expectation of reward. If a first aider acts as a Good