Section 3- Element 3 (First Aid Theory)

Question 1

What are the priorities of first aid?

Answer 1

Preserve life
Prevent worsening the situation
Promote casualty recover and a

Question 2

List the first aid arrangements that an employer would have in place at your pool

Answer 2

Provide training

Show place of first aid kit, sharps box,links with emergency services, location of accident forms and reporting

Question 3

Give some examples of what you may find in the contents of a first aid kit

Answer 3

Contents list, scissors, plasters, sterile bandages, wipes, eye pad sterile dressing, foil blanket
many more

Question 4

Why is hygiene so important when giving first aid and what sensible precautions should you take?

Answer 4

You may infect open wounds with the bacteria on your hands

WEAR GLOVES

Question 5

What would you do/not do if you found a needle or sharp?

Answer 5

You mustn’t remove the needle or sharp objects from within the skin. You must bandage it securely where it is and leave for the surgeons to remove.

However if the needle or sharp is not within the body place it in the sharps bins which will be noted within the PSOP

Question 6

What history, symptoms and signs might be present in a casualty who is suffering from a suspected heart attack?

Answer 6

History- heart problems
Symptoms- dizziness, nausea, tightening sensation in the chest and arms, rapid weak and irregular pulse, anxiety
Signs- Pale grey skin, coughing, holding chest, sweaty, sudden collapse, blue tinge to skin and lips

Question 7

What actions would you follow to treat someone with suspected heart attack?

Answer 7

Call 999, assist to the floor in a half sitting position, loosen tight clothing around waist and neck, advise them to take medication if they are prescribed it, reassure them, remove any causes of stress, monitor the casualty and be prepared to perform CPR if they stop breathing

Question 8

What is shock and what first aid actions would you take?

Answer 8

Shock is a failure of the circulation, which leads to an inadequate supply of blood and oxygen tot he vital organs.
Lie them down with their legs slightly raised, attempt to relieve the cause of the shock. Reassure the casualty, prevent heat loss.
Call 999

Question 9

What history, symptoms and signs must be present in a casualty suffering from Asthma?

Answer 9

Symptoms- Breathing difficulties, wheezy breathlessness

Signs- Anxiety, struggle speaking, pale, clammy grey or blue lips

Question 10

What action would you follow to treat a casualty who is having an asthma attack?

Answer 10

Reassure them, sit in comfortable position, encourage them to use their medication

Call 999 when; go unconscious, attack is severe, goes on longer than usual, medication doesn’t help, person becomes very distressed and exhausted

Question 11

Explain history, symptoms and signs which might be present in a casualty suffering from anaphylactic shock

Answer 11

Symptoms- Nausea, shock, impaired breathing, confusion, agitation
Signs- Anxiety, panic, swelling of body parts, red itchy rash, watery eyes, pale or flushed skin, unconsciousness

Question 12

Describe the action you would follow to treat a casualty who is suffering from an anaphylactic shock

Answer 12

Ask casualty if they have their auto injector with them. If so, get them to inject themselves yet if they physically cannot you must ring 999 and the emergency services will guide you through the use of the auto injector/epi-pen.

Monitor breathing..
Prepare for CPR is breathing isn’t there or is impaired
OTHERWISE put them in recovery position and monitor breathing.

Question 13

Explain the history, symptoms and signs which might be present in a casualty who is hyperventilating

Answer 13

Symptoms- Dizziness, feeling faint, cramp, pins and needs, tight feeling in chest, rapid pulse, panic
Signs- Unnaturally fast, deep breathing, flushed skin

Question 14

Describe actions you would follow to treat a casualty who is hyperventilating

Answer 14

Remove casualty to quiet area, encourage them to slow their breathing, give small sips of water to slow breathing
Call 999 if the attack is prolonged

Question 15

Explain the treatment for an external bleeding (including varicose veins and nose bleeds)

Answer 15

Pressure and elevation, lay casualty in comfortable position, wearing gloves, call 999.
Examine wound and check for foreign objects, apply sterile dressing, treat casualty for shock
Varicose veins- elevation and pressure for at least 10 minutes or until bleeding stops
Nose bleed- head forward, pressure to soft tissue either side of nose, if bleed is severe and longer than 30 minutes call 999

Question 16

Describe history, symptoms and signs of a burn or scald

Answer 16

Symptoms- Pain in area of burn although some of the biggest burn may cause little pain due to destroying thickness of skin including nerves, shock, breathing difficulty
Signs- blistering, swelling, redness, clear fluid

Question 17

Explain the treatment for a casualty suffering a burn or scald

Answer 17

Immerse effected area under running cold water for at least 10 minutes
Remove jewellery before injury swells
Cover burn with sterile dressing preventing infection

Call 999 if; child or elderly, severe or unsure of extent of burn, effecting whole thickness of skin, covers feet, hands, face or genitals, extends around a limb etc

Question 18

History, symptoms and signs of casualty who is suffering a fracture or dislocation

Answer 18

Symptoms- severe pain, hard to move

Sign- Cracking sound, bleeding from open fracture, swelling and deformity can be seen

Question 19

Explain treatment for casualty with suspected fracture or dislocation (varied location/limbs)

Answer 19

Keep casualty in position comfortable for them, move only if necessary
Injuries to the wrist and/or arm- support sling
Injuries to collar bone and/or shoulder- elevation sling
Support lower limbs with soft materials, blankets etc

Cover any exposed wounds with a sterile dressing. If fracture is open make sure you don’t apply pressure to the fracture causing it to move.

Question 20

Difference between strain and sprain?

Answer 20

Strain- occurs if muscles are over-stretched

Sprain- happen at joints where ligaments have been wrenched

Question 21

History, symptoms and signs and treatment for a sprain

Answer 21

Symptom- Complain of pain and difficulty to move
Sign- Swelling, bruising, discolouration
Treatment- RICE
REST, ICE, COMFORTABLE POSITION, ELEVATION

Question 22

History, symptoms and signs and treatment for a strain

Answer 22

Symptom- Complain of intense pain
Sign- Swelling, cause cramp
Treatment- RICE
REST, ICE, COMFORTABLE POSITION, ELEVATION

Question 23

History, symptoms, signs and treatment for a casualty suffering from cramp

Answer 23

Symptom- cannot relax muscle, pain a muscle
Sign- muscle will feel hard and tight
Treatment- Stretch the muscle carefully by straightening the affected muscle, massaging can relieve cramp, rest before further activity

Question 24

Symptoms, signs and treatment for head injury

Answer 24

Symptoms- dizziness, confusion, vomiting, headache, short term memory loss, possible seizure
Signs- Change in skin colour, unusual breathing pattern, blood in the white of the eye, blood or fluid coming from nose or ears.
Treatment- Call 999
Unconscious but breathing normally- recovery position, monitor breathing
Conscious- lie down, keeping head, neck and body in line, look and treat any other injuries

Question 25

History, symptoms, signs and treatment for casualty with eye injury

Answer 25

Symptoms- itchy, pain in and around eye, impaired vision
Sign- Watery eye, redness, swelling, inability to open the eye
Treatment- Separate eyelids with your finger and thumb, clean out foreign object with sterile solution tilting head away from injured eye. If this doesn’t work, apply eye pad
Arrange medical help

Question 26

History, symptoms, signs and treatment for dental injury

Answer 26

Symptoms- pain, difficulty speaking
Sign- Bleeding swelling, damage to tooth/teeth
Treatment-
BROKEN TOOTH-retrieve broken parts, rinse mouths with luke warm water, apply cold pack to outside of cheek, seek dentist help
KNOCKED OUT TOOTH- If possible, place tooth back in socket. If not possible, preserve in milk, seek dentist help, wash out mouth and spit

Question 27

History, symptoms, signs and treatment for fainted casualty

Answer 27

History- illness, fatigue, hot stuffy atmosphere
Symptoms- nausea, blurred vision, stomach ache
Signs- Sway, become unsteady, visible sweat, cold clammy skin, slow week pulse
Treatment-
FEEL FAINT- Advice slow, deep breathing, lay them down, raise legs, loosen clothing, sips of water when recover
FULL FAINT- Lay down, raise legs, check airway and breathing. Not breathing? CPR. Breathing? recovery position..call 999

Question 28

Symptoms, signs, treatment for suspected stroke

Answer 28

Symptoms and signs: FAST
FACE- proper smile? dropped mouth or side of face?
ARMS- can they raise both arms
SPEECH- can they speak clearly and understand you?
TIME- any of above present, call 999 immediately
Treatment- lay down, head and shoulders raised so blood doesn’t pool in brain, reassure them, monitor constantly, recovery position if breathing normally and monitor

Question 29

Symptoms, signs and treatment for someone who has been poisoned

Answer 29

Symptoms- difficulty breathing, dizzy, confusion, headache, nauseous
Signs- Evidence of poison, smell in area or breath, vomiting, burns and swelling, pale skin
Treatment- Remove to safe place, remove cause if possible, for swallowed substance rinse mouth and give sips of water or milk to soothe throat.
Treat injuries eg burn. call 999, if CPR required used face mask, recovery position if breathing normally

Question 30

Symptoms, signs and treatment for a bite or sting

Answer 30

Symptom- complaints of pain
Signs- Swelling, redness
Treatment- Remove sting if visible and possible, apply ice to relieve pain and swelling, treat for anaphylaxis shock if present
Call 999 if severe

Question 31

What safety precautions should you follow when treating sting or bite?

Answer 31

Do not use tweezers to remover the sting as this will release the poison into the casualty

Question 32

Describe different types, symptoms, signs and treatment for casualty suffering diabetes

Answer 32

Hyperglycaemia- too much blood sugar
Hypoglycaemia- too low blood sugar
HYPER
Symptoms- rapid pulse and breathing, drowsiness
Signs- warm dry skin, thirst, sweet smell on their breath
Treatment- Call 999, unconscious normal breathing into recovery position, monitor airway and breathing, CPR if required
HYPO
Symptoms- feel faint, rapid pulse, trembling limbs, confusion, aggressive
Signs- Pale skin, sweating, shallow breathing
Treatment- Conscious- sit down, sugary drink or some form of sugar eg chocolate, no response call 999
Unconscious- call 999, normal breathing into recovery position, monitor airway and breathing, CPR if necessary

Question 33

Symptoms, signs and treatment for seizure

Answer 33

Symptoms and signs- sudden collapse, blue lips, muscles stiffen, eyes may roll, twitching, plucking at clothes
Treatment-
IN WATER- keep face clear of water, casualty head mustn’t hit you or the poolside, support in shallow water away from the side until seizure is over, remove from pool (continues as below)
OUT OF WATER- Protect head with soft material, loosen tight clothing, monitor breathing, may fall into deep sleep, reassurance, CPR if needed. CALL 999 FOR IN WATER SEIZURE AS WATER MAY HAVE BEEN INHALED.
Time the seizure, casualty will rest and sleep

Question 34

History, symptoms, signs and treatment for heat and cold injuries

Answer 34

Symptoms- nausea, loss of appetite, headache, muscle cramp, weakening pulse and breathing
Signs- Sweating, pale clammy skin
Treatment- Move to cool place, sip water, lie down raise legs
unconscious, breathing normally- recovery position, monitor breathing
Summon emergency services if conditions deteriorate