Basic first aid skills

First aid algorithm

SIGNS:

• dysfunction of the limb, manifested in the inability to produce active movements;
• the appearance of intense pain in the area of the affected joint.

FIRST AID:

• It is necessary to fix the injured limb, give an anesthetic and send the victim to a medical institution. Fixation of the limb is carried out with a bandage or hanging it on a scarf. In case of dislocations of the joints of the lower limb, the victim must be taken to a medical institution in a supine position (on a stretcher), with pillows placed under the limb, its fixation and giving the victim an anesthetic.
• If the case is not clear (it was not possible to distinguish a dislocation from a fracture), the victim should be treated as if he had an obvious fracture of the bones.

SIGNS:

• severe pain
• deformity and impaired motor function of the limb
• shortening of the limb
• a kind of bone crunch

FIRST AID:

• assess the severity of the victim's condition, determine the location of the fracture
• if there is bleeding, stop it
• determine whether it is possible to move the victim before the arrival of specialists
• do not carry the victim and do not change his position in case of spinal injuries!

Ensure the immobility of the bone in the area of the fracture - immobilize. To do this, it is necessary to immobilize the joints located above and below the fracture.

• put on a tire. As a tire, you can use flat sticks, boards, rulers, rods, etc. The tire must be tightly, but not tightly fixed with bandages or plaster.
• with a closed fracture, immobilization is performed over clothing
• with an open fracture, you cannot apply a splint to places where the bone protrudes outward

SIGNS:

• scarlet blood spurts from the wound in a strong pulsating stream

FIRST AID:

• Artery Clamping Technique: firmly press the artery with your fingers or fist against the underlying bone formations.
Arteries are easily accessible for palpation, so this method is very effective. However, it requires physical strength from the first aid provider.
• If the bleeding does not stop after applying a tight bandage and pressing on the artery, apply a tourniquet. Remember that this is a last resort when other methods fail.
Technique for applying a hemostatic tourniquet:
• Apply a tourniquet to clothing or a soft pad just above the wound.
• Tighten the tourniquet and check the pulsation of the vessels: the bleeding should stop, and the skin below the tourniquet should turn pale.
• Put a bandage on the wound.
• Record the exact time the tourniquet was applied.
• A tourniquet can be applied to the limbs for a maximum of 1 hour. After its expiration, the tourniquet must be loosened for 10-15 minutes. If necessary, you can tighten again, but no more than 20 minutes.

SIGNS:

• the entire wound surface bleeds

FIRST AID:

• Stopping capillary bleeding is carried out by applying an aseptic bandage, and also, if the arms or legs are injured, by raising the limbs above the level of the body.

SIGNS:

• dark blood flows from the wound in a slow continuous stream

FIRST AID:

• With venous bleeding, a pressure bandage is applied. To do this, tamponade of the wound is performed: gauze is applied to the wound, several layers of cotton wool are placed on top of it (if there is no cotton wool, a clean towel), tightly bandaged. The veins squeezed by such a bandage quickly thrombose, and the bleeding stops. If the pressure bandage gets wet, apply firm pressure with the palm of your hand.

The fainting state is characterized by the fact that a person rolls his eyes, becomes covered with cold sweat, his pulse weakens, his limbs become cold.

Typical situations of fainting:

• fright
• excitement
• stuffiness and others

SIGNS:

• sudden onset of lightheadedness, dizziness, weakness and loss of consciousness
• fainting is accompanied by blanching and cooling of the skin
• breathing is slow, shallow, weak and rare pulse (up to 40-50 beats per minute)

FIRST AID:

• If the person faints, put him in a comfortable horizontal position and provide fresh air (unbutton clothes, loosen belt, open windows and doors). Sprinkle cold water on the face of the victim, pat him on the cheeks. If you have a first-aid kit on hand, give a cotton swab moistened with ammonia to sniff.
• If consciousness does not return for 3-5 minutes, call an ambulance immediately.
• When the victim comes to, give him strong tea or coffee.

Depending on the type of toxin, poisoning is distinguished:

• carbon monoxide
• pesticides
• alcohol
• drugs
• food and others

First aid measures depend on the nature of the poisoning. The most common food poisoning is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. In this case, the victim is recommended to take 3-5 grams of activated charcoal every 15 minutes for an hour, drink plenty of water, refrain from eating and be sure to consult a doctor.

In addition, accidental or intentional drug poisoning and alcohol intoxication are common.

In these cases, first aid consists of the following steps:

• Rinse the victim's stomach. To do this, make him drink several glasses of salted water (for 1 liter - 10 g of salt and 5 g of soda). After 2-3 glasses, induce vomiting in the victim. Repeat these steps until the vomit is "clean".
• Gastric lavage is possible only if the victim is conscious.
• Dissolve 10-20 tablets of activated charcoal in a glass of water, let the victim drink it.
• Wait for the specialists to arrive.

After removing the victim from the water with a satisfactory pulse and breathing, but in an unconscious state, it is necessary to throw back his head and push the lower jaw, then lay him down so that his head is low, and free the oral cavity from mud, silt, vomit, wipe him dry and warm up.

When removing the victim from the water without spontaneous breathing, but with preserved cardiac activity, after the same preliminary measures, artificial respiration should be done as soon as possible using the mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose method. If the victim does not have spontaneous breathing and cardiac activity, it is necessary to combine artificial respiration with an indirect heart massage.

After first aid, regardless of the severity of the condition, the victim must be taken to a medical facility, since in all cases complications are possible from which the victim may die.

SIGNS:

• the appearance of sudden severe pain, swelling, impaired movement in the joints, hemorrhage into soft tissues
• when feeling the place of stretching, pain is manifested

FIRST AID:

• It is necessary to provide rest to the victim, tight bandaging of the damaged joint, ensuring its mobility and reducing hemorrhage. Then you need to see a doctor - a traumatologist.

The mechanism of artificial respiration is as follows:

• put the victim on a horizontal surface
• clean the mouth and throat of the victim from saliva, mucus, earth and other foreign objects, if the jaws are tightly clenched, push them apart
• tilt the head of the victim back, putting one hand on the forehead and the other on the back of the head
• take a deep breath, bending over to the victim, seal the area of his mouth with your lips and exhale; he exhalation should last about 1 second and help lift the victim's chest. In this case, the nostrils of the victim should be closed, and the mouth covered with gauze or a handkerchief, for reasons of hygiene
• frequency of artificial respiration - 16-18 times per minute
• periodically release the stomach of the victim from the air, pressing on the epigastric region

An indirect (closed) heart massage, or chest compression, is the compression of the muscles of the heart between the sternum and spine in order to maintain a person's blood circulation during cardiac arrest. Refers to elementary resuscitation measures.

• Lay the victim down on a flat, hard surface. Do not perform chest compressions on a bed or other soft surfaces.
• Determine the location of the affected xiphoid process. The xiphoid process is the shortest and narrowest part of the sternum, its end.
• Measure 2-4 cm upward from the xiphoid process - this is the point of compression.
• Place the base of your palm on the compression point. In this case, the thumb should point either to the chin or to the stomach of the victim, depending on the location of the resuscitator. Place the other hand on top of one hand, fold your fingers into the lock. Pressing is carried out strictly with the base of the palm - your fingers should not come into contact with the victim's sternum.
• Perform rhythmic chest thrusts strongly, smoothly, strictly vertically, with the weight of the upper half of your body. Frequency - 100-110 pressures per minute. In this case, the chest should bend by 3-4 cm.
• For infants, indirect heart massage is performed with the index and middle fingers of one hand. Teenagers - with the palm of one hand.

If mechanical ventilation is performed simultaneously with closed heart massage, every two breaths should alternate with 30 chest compressions.

If, during resuscitation, the victim regains breathing or a pulse appears, stop first aid and lay the person on his side, putting his hand under his head. Keep an eye on his condition until paramedics arrive.

SIGNS:

• Lack of complete breathing. If the windpipe is not completely blocked, the person coughs; if completely - holds on to the throat.
• Inability to speak.
• Blueness of the skin of the face, swelling of the vessels of the neck.

FIRST AID:

• Stand behind the victim.
• Grab it with your hands, clasping them into a lock, just above the navel, under the costal arch.
• Strongly press on the victim's abdomen, sharply bending your elbows.

• Repeat this several times until the airways are clear.

If the victim has lost consciousness and fallen, lay him on his back, sit on his hips and with both hands press on the costal arches.

To remove foreign bodies from the child's respiratory tract, turn him on his stomach and pat 2-3 times between the shoulder blades. Be very careful. Even if the baby coughs quickly, see a doctor for a medical examination.