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Things we should know
First Aid-do’s
and don’t’s
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The recent terrorist attacks and other mishaps in the country have highlighted the need for citizens to know a few concepts related to First Aid so that they can provide timely help to victims till medical help reaches. Dr. Aashish S. Phadke, M.D. (Ayurved) explains some of these and the role of the First Aider. |
As we all still remember the terror seen on 26/11, we can imagine the kind of problems faced by those who were at the spot. Apart from fear, what we could see even on our TV screens was the difficulty in handling casualties. Not intentionally but perhaps due to sheer ignorance, people were lifting the injured and shifting them to different places without taking proper precautions thereby causing more harm and damage. The intention of these good samaritans was to save the lives of those injured by the militants, but unfortunately they did not know how to.
In different situations such as the serial bomb blasts that took place in local trains in Mumbai or more common situations like small cuts and wounds in the kitchen, burns in labs or drowning at swimming pool, what we normally see is a lot of confusion about what needs to be done. How to handle these emergencies? How to take care of the victims of these emergencies? The answer to all these questions is FIRST AID!
What is First Aid?
As the name suggests it’s the first help given to the victims of any casualty before receiving medical help. So here one needs to understand very clearly that no one is expected to give any kind of medications to the victim but to just help them with their knowledge about different emergencies and First Aid management of the same.
Training - Must for every citizen
The objectives of First Aid are –
a) To save the life of the victim
b)To prevent further complications
We can easily understand the first part of saving life of a casualty, but let me explain a bit on the second aspect. If the injured person has had a simple fracture and if proper care is not taken in lifting that person, the simple fracture may turn into a compound fracture. The bone may pierce out of the skin with bleeding and complicate the situation even more! So, to prevent these hazards, every citizen should be trained in first aid techniques.
Qualities of First Aider
Who can become a First Aider? Practically, anyone who really wants to help others.
They need to posses some inherent qualities and some of the qualities could be acquired.
- Knowledge – The First Aider should have knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology of human body and First Aid management in basic emergencies.
- Leadership qualities – to control the situation and to get work done from the bystanders
- Sincerity – He/She needs to be sincere enough to continue with First Aid till medical aid reaches.
- Courage – Should be brave enough to tackle any emergency situation, to confront blood and broken bones or similar disastrous situations
- Sympathy - towards the casualties
- Tactful – Gets the best out of available things and does not wait for the required but unavailable articles
How to become a certified First Aider?
One needs to do a First Aid course, where he/she will be taught systematically about the six basic types of emergencies, how to diagnose (understand) them and what to do immediately. It’s a combination of theory classes followed by practical demonstrations of the same. The First Aider is also trained in stretcher drill, rescue methods, which he/she learns at length practically in the course. At the end of the course, they also have to appear for a written as well as practical examination.
Basic emergencies taught in First Aid
The most important factors to be remembered are the 5Bs & 1S
- Breathing problems (asphyxia)
- Bleeding (wounds & haemorrhage)
- Broken Bones (fractures)
- Burns & scalds
- Bites & poisoning
Encompassing all these emergencies there is also the presence of the ‘shock’ factor.
To handle all these with First Aid treatment constitutes the basic function of the First Aider.
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Some first aid tips
In case of bleeding
- Do not give direct pressure if the wound is large and lacerated (torn) with profuse bleeding
- Instead give indirect pressure on the pressure points close to the wounded area & between the heart and the wounded area with an improvised tourniquet
- Give direct pressure at the site of cleancut wounds
- Lift the part upright (against gravity) to reduce bleeding especially if the wounds are on extremity
- Do not allow the injured with head injuries or with profuse bleeding to walk, instead shift them on a lying down position on an improvised stretcher
- Do not remove glass particles from wounds, since they can go even deeper by doing so, rather try to wash the wound with clean water if possible
- Never cover wounded surface with handkerchiefs because most of the time they are highly contaminated, rather cover it with a clean middle page of the book /newspaper
- Never apply any medications or do not pour ink or put burnt cotton on the bed of wound, as the doctor may find it difficult to examine then.
In case of fractured bones
- Immobilise that fractured limb with an improvised splint (umbrella/ stick /twig of a tree/ bamboos etc.)
- Tie knots above & below the fractured portion with improvised bandages viz. dupattas, ropes, wires, handkerchiefs etc.
- You may also tie the fractured part to a sound portion of the body part to immobilise it ( Body splinting)
- Support the fractured part with improvised slings
- Prevent simple fracture to turn into compound one or becoming complicated fracture by avoiding rash & improper handling viz. a victim with fractured leg needs to be shifted either in sitting or lying down position & never ever walking!
Breathing problems (asphyxia)
- Clear the mouth cavity of the victim
- Clean/check nasal passage for obstructions
- Loosen his/her clothing at neck, chest & waist
- Give artificial respiration (Mouth to Mouth or Mouth to Nose) {This needs to be learnt practically & mere theoretical knowledge will not help.}
- Call for an ambulance or medical aid
There are many more such things which we can learn in FIRST AID!!
(Pic. courtesy: First Aid Handbook, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai)
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Other duties of the First Aider
Apart from saving the life of a casualty and improving his health condition, the First Aider also needs to arrange for sending a call for medical aid and if that is not possible then he/she should take the casualty to hospital for medical aid.
The take home message of this article is that we need to spend a little time to learn such a programme so that trained personnel are available at all the emergencies.
The writer is a specialised instructor in First Aid & Home Nursing from Tata Ambulance College, Mumbai and has conducted a number of courses on First Aid in different organisations.
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