What can you do if someone around you suddenly collapses? So we’re just gonna watch until the ambulance gets here? No! It’s what we have to do before the ambulance arrives that matters, and doing nothing will probably result in the loss of this life. According to a survey, people who wait for an ambulance with first aid are twice as likely to survive as those who do not. So, for yourself and for those around you, let’s learn the following eight first-aid tips.
Don’t panic, here are eight tips to help you deal with emergency patients:
1. Protect yourself from blood-borne pathogens
Blood-borne pathogens can cause illness and threaten your health and well-being. If you have a first aid kit, disinfect your hands and put on sterile gloves. If disinfecting gloves and disinfectant are not available, protect your hands with extra gauze or cotton. Avoid direct contact with other people’s blood. If you do end up with a patient’s blood, be sure to clean yourself up as quickly as possible to eliminate any residual contamination.
2. Stop bleeding
After you make sure the victim is breathing and has a pulse, the next thing you do should be to control any bleeding, which is one of the most important things to save a trauma patient. Apply direct pressure to the wound to stop bleeding before attempting any other hemostatic method.
3. Victims of shock
Shock often results in a loss of blood from the body, often accompanied by physical and occasionally psychological trauma. A person in shock will often have a cold, wet skin, irritability or altered mental state, and pale skin around the face and lips. If untreated, shock can be fatal. It is important to note that anyone suffering a serious injury or life-threatening situation is at risk of shock.
4. Victims with broken bones
All fractures can be treated with the following steps: Immobilize the area. Make sure the broken bone doesn’t have to move or prop up any other body parts. Pain relief. Usually, this can be done with an ice pack covered in a towel. Make a splint. A sheaf of newspaper and sturdy tape will do the trick. For example, a broken finger can also be used as a stabilization splint with the other finger. If necessary, make a sling. Tie the shirt or pillowcase around the broken arm and then around the shoulder.
5. Victims of suffocation
Suffocation can lead to death or permanent brain damage within minutes. One way to help to choke victims is Helmreich’s strategy. Helmreich’s move is to straddle the victim from behind and cross them with your hands above their navel but below their sternum. Push up to expel air from your lungs and repeat until you have successfully removed the foreign object from your windpipe.
6. Burn victims
Treat first – and second-degree burns by soaking or rinsing them in cold water for at least 10 minutes (without ice), and be sure not to use creams, kinds of butter, or other ointments. Third-degree burns should be covered with a damp cloth. Remove clothing and jewelry from the burn, but do not attempt to remove charred clothing that is stuck to the burn.
7. Concussion victims
If the victim takes a blow to the head, determine if there are signs of a concussion. Common symptoms include loss of consciousness after injury, disorientation or memory problems, dizziness, nausea, and lethargy. Loss of memory for recent events.
8. Treating patients with spinal injuries
If you suspect a spinal injury, it is especially important not to move the victim’s head, neck, or back unless the victim is in immediate danger. You also need to be very careful when performing rescue breathing or CPR.
The eight first aid knowledge is not difficult, but we can learn in an emergency situation to save our own or other important lives! So this is unusual first aid knowledge!