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Feature
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The first few minutes following
an accident or injury are often
the most crucial.
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Be Prepared in an Emergency:
Learning the Basics of First Aid and CPR
More than one of three Americans ends
up in the emergency room each year for
a variety of reasons, ranging from life-threatening
conditions to minor cuts and burns. And
while the majority of these injuries are
treated quickly, far too many people die
each year from injuries that could have
been prevented or taken care of sooner.
The first few minutes following an accident
or injury are often the most crucial.
Life or death may be determined by whether
immediate treatment is available to jump-start
the heart, stop the bleeding, clear the
airway, or treat the shock. By the time
trained medical personnel arrive, it may
be too late.
No one likes emergencies, but they are
an inevitable part of life. Taking the
necessary precautions to prevent an emergency
is always the preferred route. But not
every potential danger is predictable.
The next best thing you can do to prepare
for an emergency is to learn basic first
aid so you will know what to do until
medical help arrives.
First Aid 101
Regardless of the injury, it’s
important to take action immediately.
Here are some of the most common emergency
situations and the procedures you should
follow.
Wound Care
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Control
the bleeding. Bleeding is the
most visible result of an injury.
The body holds between five or six
quarts of blood, so a little bleeding
is not harmful. But if a person
loses more than a quart of blood
in a short time, he or she could
go into shock or die. To stop severe
bleeding, place a clean cloth on
the wound and press on the wound
with the palm of your hand until
the bleeding stops. You should also
lift the wound above the person's
heart, if possible, to slow down
the bleeding at the wound site. |
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Treat shock
quickly. Shock occurs when there
is a sudden loss of blood or the
person is not getting enough oxygen.
The symptoms of shock include pale
or bluish skin that is cold to the
touch, vomiting, dull and sunken
eyes, and unusual thirst. Shock
requires immediate medical attention.
Keep the person flat on his or her
back, make sure nothing obstructs
his or her mouth or nose, control
any bleeding, and elevate the person’s
legs about 12 inches off the ground.
Preserve the person’s body
heat by covering him or her with
blankets. Don’t give the person
anything to eat or drink because
it could cause the person to vomit.
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Keep the
person still. Never move an
injured person unless there is a
fire or another danger that is threatening
them. Moving a person could worsen
his or her injury. |
Burn Care
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Treat
burns with water. Although burns
occur in a number of different ways,
the treatments are similar. For
thermal, chemical, or contact burns,
the first step is to run cold water
over the burn for 30 minutes. If
the burn is small enough, keep it
completely under water. Flushing
the burn takes priority over calling
for help. Cover the burn with a
clean cotton material or nothing
at all. Do not scrub the burn and
do not apply any soap, ointment,
or other topical solution. If the
person's clothing is stuck to the
burn, don't attempt to remove it.
Also, don't offer the person anything
to drink or eat. Keep the person
covered with a blanket to maintain
a normal body temperature until
medical help arrives. |
Treating Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke
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Heat
exhaustion. Heat exhaustion
and heat stroke are two different
conditions. Simple heat exhaustion
occurs when the body loses fluids
and salts. The symptoms of heat
exhaustion usually include fatigue,
dizziness and disorientation, and
damp and clammy skin. To treat heat
exhaustion, move the person to a
cool spot and have him or her drink
cold water. |
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Heat stroke.
Heat stroke is much more serious
and occurs when the body's sweat
glands have shut down. Some symptoms
of heat stroke are mental confusion,
unconsciousness, fever, and dry
mottled skin. Someone who has had
a heat stroke could die quickly
without immediate treatment. Move
the person to a cool place out of
the sun and pour cool water over
him or her. Afterward, fan the person
to increase air circulation until
medical help arrives. |
Poison First Aid
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Take
the poison away. The first thing
to do is get the person away from
the poison. If the poison is a pill
or a liquid, remove any traces from
the person’s mouth. If the
poison is a gas, remove the person
from the area toward fresh air.
If the poison is harmful to the
skin, remove the clothing from the
affected area and rinse with water
for 30 minutes. Take the poison
container or label with you when
you call for medical help because
you will need to be able to answer
questions about the poison. Stay
calm and follow the instructions
you are given. If the poison is
in contact with the eyes, flush
the person's eyes for a minimum
of 15 minutes with clean water.
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First Aid Kit Basics
Another necessary part of being prepared
for an emergency is to have a well-stocked
first aid kit nearby. It is a lot easier
to gather the supplies you might need
ahead of time rather than try and find
them when an emergency occurs. You should
have two first aid kits: one in your home
and one in your car, so you’re never
without access to these supplies.
Choose containers for your kits that
are roomy, durable, easy to carry, and
simple to open. Plastic tackle boxes or
containers for storing art supplies are
ideal because they are lightweight, have
handles, and offer a lot of space.
Include the following in each of your
first aid kits:
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First
aid manual |
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Sterile gauze
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Adhesive tape
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Adhesive bandages
in several sizes |
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Elastic bandage
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Antiseptic wipes
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Soap |
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Antibiotic cream (triple-antibiotic
ointment) |
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Antiseptic solution (like hydrogen
peroxide) |
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Hydrocortisone cream (1 percent) |
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Acetaminophen and aspirin (aspirin
is not recommended for children
under age 12) |
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Tweezers |
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Sharp scissors |
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Safety pins |
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Disposable instant cold packs
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Calamine lotion |
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Alcohol wipes or ethyl alcohol
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Thermometer |
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Two pairs of plastic gloves
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Flashlight and extra batteries
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Make sure you read the entire first aid
manual so you are familiar with how to
use the contents of your kit. And replace
missing items or those that may become
outdated.
Know How to Perform CPR
What if someone you know or someone near
you suddenly collapses, stops breathing,
and has no heartbeat? Could you take the
appropriate action to try and restore
his or her breathing and heartbeat until
medical professionals arrive?
Knowing how to perform cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR)—life-saving
measures that include mouth-to-mouth breathing
and chest compressions—may increase
a person's chances for survival and avoid
damage caused by lack of oxygen to the
brain. A person may need CPR during or
following a heart attack, stroke, drug
overdose, severe blood loss, or carbon
monoxide poisoning or to restore breathing
and heartbeat following choking, drowning,
suffocation, or electrocution.
Despite evidence that CPR saves lives,
these simple procedures are not performed
for a majority of people who need it.
The main reason more people do not take
action is because they do not understand
how to perform this life-saving procedure.
Three Parts of CPR
CPR has three basic parts that are distinguished
by these easy-to-remember letters: ABC.
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A
is for airway. Food or a foreign
object could be blocking the person’s
airway. The person's airway must
be open for breathing to be restored.
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B is for
breathing. Rescue breathing
is essentially forcing air into
the person’s lungs at specific
intervals. |
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C is for
circulation. Sometimes rescue
breathing alone is enough to keep
the person alive until help arrives. |
If rescue breathing does not revive the
person, you may need to press on the person’s
chest to help circulate blood. Chest compressions
should be coordinated with rescue breathing.
Anyone who has not been trained in proper
CPR technique should not attempt to perform
it. CPR training courses are routinely
offered in most communities. For more
information on training courses in your
area, contact your local American Heart
Association, American Red Cross chapter,
or medical center.
References
1. “CPR Can Save Someone’s
Life,” Journal of the American Medical
Association, April 7, 1999.
2. “Basic First Aid,” Coalition
for Health and Safety in Agriculture,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
April 2002.
3. “First
Aid Kit,” Nemours Foundation,
May 2001.
4. “CPR”
Nemours Foundation, October 2002.
Writer:
Gary Gilles
Clinical Reviewer: Patt Panzer, MD, MPH
Editors: Andrea King, Joanne Poeggel
Date Written: 9/23/03
Date Last Revised: 10/13/03
Source of Material: Rockhill Communications,
14 Rock Hill Road Bala, Cynwyd, PA 19004,
(610) 667-2040, http://www.rockhillcommunications.com
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