Medical emergencies can occur anytime, anywhere. That is why you must either have a first aid kit in your reach...
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edical emergencies can occur anytime, anywhere. That is why you must either have a first aid kit in your reach or know the basics of first aid. Calling 911 or your local emergency hotline should be the very first step when someone in front of you faints, has an asthma attack, an epilepsy episode, or has an injury where they break a bone or start bleeding. But the time that the professionals will take to arrive is still very crucial. Here are some things you can do to ensure that the person doesn’t collapse. There are steps you can take to prevent their injury from becoming fatal.
Fainting, Fits, or Cardiac Arrest
If the patient has fainted or collapsed check ABCs. ABCs stand for:
Airway: Check if the person has something stuck in their throat, which is preventing them from breathing properly.
Breathing: Check if the person is breathing or not, if they are not or if their breathing rate is less than 12 per minute, change the person’s position to comfortable seating and give them rescue breaths if you are capable of them.
Circulation: Check and measure the person’s pulse and heart rate, if they are below normal, pump the person’s chest and perform CPR if you know how to do it. Call an ambulance or 911 immediately
Bleeding
Before you do anything else, check what kind of bleeding the person has.
If the blood is dark and blood is flowing out of the wound, that means the bleeding is from a vein. If the blood is bright red and coming out in spurts or in a fountain-like manner, it means it is from an artery. Arterial bleeding is more dangerous and can quickly turn fatal.
Wash and dry your hands. Or at least sanitize them well.
Wash and disinfect the wound and clean up as much blood as you can to expose the site of bleeding.
Apply pressure on the wound with a bandage to induce blood clotting. Wrap a bandage thoroughly.
If the wound is arterial or if the wound is deep and needs stitches, call an ambulance or rush the patient to a hospital.
Burns
If you or someone close to you gets scalded or burned there are some things to identify before you start treatment.
First, check what degree of burn it is and then follow the steps below:
If it is a first-degree or minor burn, keep the injury under the cold water tap for 10 minutes and apply a cooling ointment or lotion.
If you develop blisters, don’t burst them.
Bandage the burn lightly and if it hurts more see a doctor or call an ambulance.
In case of second or third-degree burns, immediately call an ambulance.
Choking
Make the person face upwards and cough forcefully.
Go to their back and give 5 back blows and abdominal thrusts alternatively to remove the object that is choking them.
If this doesn’t stop, give the person chest compressions and call an ambulance.
Fractures
In case of any bleeding, apply pressure and bandage on the wound. Immediately immobilize the fractured area and try to counsel the patient and calm them down as much as you can. Call an ambulance and while you wait, apply ice packs to relieve the swelling and pain in the area of the fracture.
Sprains
Spraining your joints during sports, running, or climbing downstairs can be extremely painful.
The first thing to do is apply an ice pack to the sprained area to reduce pain and swelling.
Rest and avoid putting weight on the joint.
Keep icing the area at regular intervals until the swelling goes down.
If the swelling doesn’t improve, go to the hospital to test for fractures.
If you can, apply a splint and bandage or a brace to prevent the joint from moving while you sleep.
Take over the counter pain medication to reduce pain,
Nosebleeds
If you get a nosebleed, tilt your head forward to prevent blood from trickling down and clotting in your nose and throat. Pinch your nose with your thumb and forefinger until the bleeding stops. Wash your nose with cold water to shrink your capillaries and dunk your head in cold water. If bleeding persists, call an ambulance immediately.
These are the basics of first aid that anyone should be able to perform.
