Wednesday 11 November 2020

First Aid









First Aid priorities

1st follow Drs ABCD

2nd manage bleeding

3rd manage burns

4th manage shock

5th manage other injuries



Drs ABCD


Danger

Check area is safe for you, others, patient => Then approach the casualty from their head to avoid approach of their limbs

Response

Check response – talk and touch

COWS: Can you hear me? Open your eyes? What’s your name? Squeeze my hand?
 

If not yet respond, shake their shoulders.


Send

Send for help – call 000 for an ambulance & get the nearest defibrillator (via app or webpage)

Airway

Open mouth – check for foreign material and keep airway clear if possible

Breathing

Check for normal breathing – look, listen, touch if chest still moves up & down

CPR

Either 100-120 compressions per minute without breath (because disease transmission via mouth-to-mouth isn't worth it.) or

30 compressions : 2 breaths

(pinch nose, tilt head, lift chin & breath)


 

 

 

 

 

Defibrillation

Attach defibrillator (AED) and follow prompts




--  If response, leave the casualty in the position you find him/her.



--  If unconscious, carefully place the casualty into the recovery position and ensure their airway is clear & open.

--  If unconscious with suspected spinal injury, carefully place the casualty into the H.A.IN.E.S recovery position to protect the airway.




 












There are several variations of the recovery position, each has its own advantages. No single position is perfect for all casualties.



How to CPR

 

An ex of real-life CPR & defib


Another example


 



First Aid for Respiratory Arrest

If a casualty stops breathing, but has a strong & regular pulse, there is no need for CPR & defib.

The goal is to establish an open airway using head tilt-chin lift or
jaw thrust when spinal injury is suspected.

If an oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal airway device is available, consider using these means to assist in airway maintenance.

Administering artificial respiration is when the first aider are breathing for the patient. Avoid excessive ventilation and make sure that you see the complete chest rise and fall with each breath. If you have access to supplemental oxygen, use it. You may use 100% oxygen initially, but it is best to titrate the level of supplemental oxygen necessary to achieve blood oxygen levels of 94% or higher (based on pulse oximetry). Likewise, if you have access to quantitative waveform capnography, you can use it to monitor end tidal carbon dioxide.

Remember that a person who is in respiratory arrest may enter cardiac arrest at any moment. Therefore, it is important to check for pulses.

If the patient enters cardiac arrest, you should commence CPR asap.





Emergency call triple zero (000)

Poisons Information Centre 13 11 26

 

 

Download Emergency App









For other responses, see Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) guidelines



3 comments:

  1. Before commencing compressions for pregnant women, place towel or cushion under RIGHT buttock to tilt hips 15-30 degrees to the left

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If a neck or spinal cord injury is suspected use a jaw thrust technique to open the airway
      For adult, Defibrillator pads must be placed on upper right and lower left chest

      Delete
  2. D
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    s
    A
    B -Checks for breathing (as per COVID guidelines - looks do not feel or listen) Apply oxygen mask 6L/min if able. For people with hypoxic drive COPD, no more than 4 L/min of oxygen should be given.
    C
    D

    If the casualty is now breathing, put him/her in recovery position and monitor

    Handover - Accurately hands over to emergency responder

    ReplyDelete