First Aid Flashcards
What to do if you come across a casualty?
Primary survey
Don’t become a casualty, check for others, treat serious first.
GET Professional help! 999/112
DRSABC
D - Danger: check for hazards, other casualties
R - Response: talk, gently shake, pinch ear lobe
S - (no response) Shout for help
A - Airways: look in mouth, ensure not obstructed, tilt head back
B - watch chest, feel for breath with cheek (10s)
No breathing? 999/112 get help -> CPR ASAP -> AED if available
C - Circulation: if breathing, check body over for bleeds and treat if so
Secondary survey
when, what
If primary survey ok / treated, casualty seems ok.
Not serious or awaiting assistance
S - symptoms/signs: ask what’s wrong, head to toe check for pain, sharp/dull? breathing affected? What makes pain better/worse?
A - Allergies?
M - Medication being taken?
P - past medical history
L - last meal? Low glucose, dizzy?
E - Event history : try figure out what happened - illness or injury?
Severe bleeding
Try reduce bleeding, avoid infecting wound, GET HELP
Whilst awaiting help:
Clear clothing from wound
Do NOT remove object in wound - could be reducing bleeding
Apply pressure direct or either side if object in wound.
Raise above heart if possible
Cover wound with clean bandage
Apply bandage firmly but without cutting circulation completely - check still blood flow after wound with pushing against skin and colour cx.
Take pressure off wound/limb/muscles - raise, support.
Monitor responsiveness (shock?), circulation.
Shock
What?
Symptoms
How to deal with
Loss of blood/fluid to internal vitals - blood directed away from externals, heart and lungs work hard to try cope resulting in….
Get HELP
Grey blue or pale, clammy skin
Fast heart rate
fast shallow breathing
weakness
nausea
restless, aggressive
Calm them
Lie them down (on coat/mat to avoid cold)
Raise legs if not injured (blood to vitals)
Loosen tight clothing (aid blood flow, breathing)
Warm them
Burns
Serious ?
Serious requires 999/112/ER
Larger than their hand size, face/feet/hands, severe extent…
Cool! Run under cold water 10 mins
keep clean - cover lightly with cling film or plastic bag (avoid cloth getting stuck)
Fractures
Open - breaks skin
Call for HELP / get to hospital
Protect/prevent getting worse: cover wound, isolate movement (sling, tie legs together), take pressure off muscles.
Monitor for shock
Cuts
Apply direct pressure
Clean and dry
cover with bandage / sterile dressing
keep clean and dry with clean dressing
CPR
Covid says no breaths but who cares
2 compressions of 5-6cm per second “stayin alive” rhythm
Get someone to find AED and follow instructions - keep doing CPR.
AED massively help chances.
AED - detailed instructions: any one EXCEPT <1yr babies
remove metal/jewellery
dry the chest
keep clear when warned
Person recovers slightly:
Into recovery position
Leave AED on - it won’t shock if it senses pulse.
Recovery position
Aim is to keep stable with airway open whilst await help.
Lie flat, legs straight
Arm up at right angles, palm up
opposite arm across, back of hand on cheek
Opposite knee up
pull towards to roll onto side
adjust head for airway (tilt up or jaw open if suspect neck injury)
leg to 90 degrees to stabilise
Spine injury suspected?
Don’t move, but if unable to maintain airway open then we need recovery position.
Use people to help keep spine straight as you roll them over
Head injury
Identify severity:
Nausea / dizzy
memory loss
confusion
Severe:
unconscious
fluid/blood from nose/ears
pupils mismatched size
AVPU response scale. If responsive then likely minor: monitor.
Seek medical (A&E) if: Condition worsens, over 65, under influence of drink or drugs, no one able to monitor them.
Response scale
AVPU- check if they respond to the following
Alert - are they awake, motor function ok, (may be confused)
Voice - do they respond to it in any way?
Pain - do they respond?
Unresponsive
Spinal injuries
causes? falls, motorbike/horses, sport, impact etc.
Symptoms: pain in neck or back… bruising over spine…. abnormal twist or kink… loss of bladder or bowel control… inability to move certain limbs or odd sensations (ie. nerves impacted)
get HELP
Don’t move them… even if in odd position.. unless in immediate danger
kneel by their head, keep head still, support around body to isolate movement.
Monitor response (if unconscious then need to do ABC)
Traffic accident
Make area safe:
hazard lights, get 2 others to park ahead and behind with hazards.
turn off all engines, disconnect batteries if fire risk.
handbrakes on
Check for casualties and triage - DRS ABC as required
Call for help if required.
Choking
a) baby
b) adult
a) baby can’t cry
Lie baby face down along your thigh, head over knee, lower than it’s legs.
- Up to 5x back slap firm
-Turn over, face up, two fingers on breast bone x5 Chest press
-999
B) bend forward, 5 back slaps firm between shoulder blades
- stand behind, heimlich, right hand fist, in and up towards belly button x5
- 999 : return to step 1
Tourniquet
Try get it into skin contact, as tight as required to stop arterial bleeding (bright red)
Write time on the the tourniquet
Use 2 if necessary eg leg.
Only works with compressing tissue onto artery - bone / fracture no good.
