Life Saving Procedures
Resuscitation
Whenever you come across an emergency medical situation, the procedures and the priorities are always the same. Before you take any action make an initial assessment of the situation to help you to establish what the priorities are, this could be whether you and the person are in any immediate danger. If so then you would decide what the best course of action would be – remember you cannot always move a person, so telephoning the emergency services might be your next step.
If a person is quiet, it often means that they are in need of urgent attention. So the first action would be to check the individual(s):
(A) Airway – is it clear of any obstacles,?
(B) Breathing – are they breathing normally?
(C) Circulation – check their pulse?
If the person appears unconscious, ask them loudly `can you hear me - can you open your eyes?’ If the person responds, and there is no immediate danger it would be advisable to leave them in the same position and immediately summon help. You could continue to treat any conditions found, but monitor for any vital signs (A, B and C) until the emergency services arrive.
If the airway is obstructed, clear any obstacles that you can as it could cause the individual to die if left untreated. Obstacles could include the tongue falling into the back of the throat; so you would carefully move it out of the way.
Action to Take
The following gives actions that you should take to deal with an emergency situation:
1. If you are alone with the person, SHOUT for help rather leaving them on their own.
2. If possible, keep the person in the position found and open the airway. If that is not possible and the situation is dangerous very gently turn the person onto their back and open their mouth.
3. Open the airway by placing one hand on the person’s forehead and gently tilting the head backwards. Open the mouth using 2 fingers only - this will move the person’s tongue away from the back of the mouth.
4. Look, listen and feel for no more than 10 seconds to establish whether the person begins to breathe normally.
5. Check if the chest is rising and falling as the person breathes - listen for breathing. Feel for breath against your cheek.
6. If the person is breathing normally, then place them in the recovery position that is covered in Lesson 3. for more information see first aid manual.
Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
The most significant life-threatening condition for a first aider is when a person is not breathing. The first action you should take is to ensure that the emergency services have been called.
It is vital to a person’s survival that they breathe, as without oxygen the brain cells start to die within minutes. What we can do is breathe for the individual and pump oxygen around their body by using a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths known as Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
CPR enables you to push vertically down on the centre of the chest, squeezing the heart between the chest and backbone; thus forcing the blood out of the heart and into the body tissues. This is known as compression.
When the pressure is released, the heart returns to its normal shape and the blood is sucked in and then you force it out during the next compression.
You breathe into the individual sufficient oxygen to potentially keep them alive until the emergency services arrive. This expired air can be forced into the person’s lungs and air passages by performing what is called rescue breaths.
In situations of sudden cardiac arrests, the oxygen level in the blood remains high for a few minutes; so chest compressions are initially more important than the rescue breaths.
CPR for adults
The following gives the actions that you should take to deal with a CPR in an adult:
1. If you are alone with the person, SHOUT for help rather leaving them on their own and start the resuscitation immediately.
2. Place the heel of your hand in the centre of their chest, and place the other hand on top and interlock the fingers.
Compressions
3. Keep your arms straight and your fingers off the chest; press down approximately 4-5cms - then release the pressure, keeping your hands in place.
4. Repeat the compressions 30 times, at a rate of 100 per minute.
Rescue Breaths
1. Ensure that their airway is open and pinch nose firmly closed.
2. Take a deep breath and seal your lips around the person’s mouth.
3. Blow into the mouth until the chest rises.
4. Remove your mouth and allow the chest to fall and repeat once more.
5. Continue resuscitation, 30 compressions to 2 Rescue Breaths.
6. If there is blood in and around the mouth or it is difficult to breathe into their mouth, then you can place your mouth around their nose.
7. Continue with CPR until either the emergency services arrive or if you become too exhausted that you cannot continue (you could continue with compressions only until you catch your breath). It is always a good idea to check whether there is anyone else that can take over – this can be done every 2 minutes with minimum disruptions.
8. Once they start to breathe normally then you can leave them – if you have been unable to get someone to call for the emergency services, then this would be the appropriate time to do so.
CPR for children (1 year to puberty)
These are similar actions as with an adult – first thing is to get someone to call for an ambulance: If alone then carry out CPR for 2 minutes before calling for an ambulance, then:
Rescue Breaths
1. Ensure the airway is open.
2. Seal your lips around the child’s mouth while pinching the nose.
3. Blow gently into the lungs, looking along the chest as you breathe.
4. Take shallow breaths and do not empty your lungs completely.
5. As the chest rises, stop blowing and allow it to fall.
6. Repeat 4 or more times then check for circulation.
7. Give 30 chest compressions
Compressions
1. Place 1 or 2 hands in the centre of the chest (depending upon the size of the child).
2. Use the heel of that hand with arms straight and press down to a third of the depth of the chest.
3. Press 30 times, at a rate of 100 compressions per minute.
4. After 30 compressions, give 2 rescue breaths.
5. Continue resuscitation (30 compressions to 2 rescue breaths) without stopping until the emergency services arrive.
6. If you are alone, carry out rescue breaths and chest compressions for 2 minutes before leaving the child to call the emergency services.
CPR for babies (birth to 1 year)
CPR for babies is similar to the procedures used on young children; however you are able to place your mouth over the baby’s nose and mouth.
1. Your breath MUST be gentler as you fill your cheeks with air rather than breathing from your lungs. As the chest rises, stop blowing and allow it to fall.
2. Repeat this 5 times. Then give 30 chest compressions by placing the baby on a firm surface.
3. Use 2 fingers in the centre of the chest and press down sharply to about a third of the depth of the chest. Gently press 30 times, at a rate of 100 compressions per minute.
4. After 30 compressions, give 2 Rescue Breaths.
5. Continue resuscitation (30 compressions to 2 rescue breath) without stopping until help arrives.
6. If you are alone, carry out rescue breaths and chest compressions for 2 minutes before taking the infant with you to call an ambulance.
7. If you are familiar with adult CPR and have no knowledge of infant CPR, use the adult sequence using 2 fingers for compression.
The Recovery Position
The Recovery Position is a technique that is used to assist people that are unconscious but still breathing. It can prevent a person from choking or suffocating from blood loss or other fluids.
When a person is positioned into the recovery position their chest is slightly raised, their tongue does not block their airway and gravity enables fluids to drain away from the nose and mouth.
As with other emergency procedures, you must first check a person’s condition and situation - are they in a safe area or must they be moved? Are they responsive to either verbal or physical responses? Carry out ABC and if the patient is not alert, complete CPR, also arrange for the emergency services to be called.
If you come across an unconscious person who is breathing with no life- threatening conditions, they should then be placed in the recovery position. To do this:
1. Firstly ensure that both you and the causality are safe, and move any items that can cause harm.
2. Place the person’s nearest arm at right angles to your own body with their palm facing upwards and bring their other arm across their chest.
3. Pull up the leg on the same side of their body to just above the knee, but ensure that their foot remains on the ground.
7. Turn the person towards you moving them onto their side and try to keep their hand close to their cheek as this allows their airway to remain open.
8. Check their breathing.
9. Move their upper leg so that both the hip and knee are bent at right angles.
10. Continue to monitor their condition until help arrives.
VERY IMPORTANT
Spinal Injuries
If you suspect spinal injury, the following steps should be taken:
1. Place your hands on either side of their face.
2. With your fingertips gently lift the jaw to open the airway.
3. Take care not to tilt the person’s neck.
4. Check for other life-threatening conditions such as severe bleeding and treat as required.
5. If the person is not breathing normally or if you have any doubt as to whether or not their breathing is normal, begin CPR:
Recovery Position for Babies
For a baby less than a year old, a modified recovery position must be adopted:
• Cradle the baby in your arms, with their head tilted downwards to prevent them from choking on their tongue or inhaling vomit.
• Monitor and record their vital signs - level of response, pulse and breathing until the emergency services arrive.
Epileptic Fits
Background
An epileptic fit is normally a result of a disturbance in the electrical activity in the brain that causes involuntary contractions of muscles in the body. These seizures can be sudden, dramatic and many sufferers can experience a brief warning period just before a seizure (a strange feeling or a special smell or taste).
An Epileptic fit can be caused by a head injury, disease, and shortage of oxygen to the brain or the intake of certain poisons including alcohol. The most common cause of this disruption is epilepsy.
Symptoms
A seizure can be recognised by the person’s lack of consciousness, they appear rigid often arching the back - breathing may slow or even cease. The lips may show a grey-blue tinge (cyanosis) and the face and neck may become red and puffy.
Convulsive movements begin - the jaw clenches and breathing can become very noisy. Saliva can appear from the mouth and be blood-stained if the lips or tongue have been bitten. There may be loss of bladder or bowel control as the muscles relax.
As they move towards the end of the seizure, muscles relax and breathing becomes more normal with the person recovering consciousness within a few minutes. They become disorientated, dazed, and may act in an unusual manner. They can be exhausted, feel tired and fall into a deep sleep.
Treatment
The following actions should be taken if you suspect that a person is suffering a seizure:
1. No matter what the cause of the seizure, an open, clear airway must be maintained. You should monitor the person’s vital signs, their level of response to stimuli, their pulse and their breathing.
2. They must be protected from self harm as they are unaware of what they are doing during a seizure.
3. Throughout a seizure you should aim to protect the person, care for them when they regain consciousness and arrange for them to be hospitalised as appropriate.
4. Because an epileptic fit is caused by a disturbance in the brain, the onset can be sudden and unexpected. In some cases the individual may have a few minutes warning, sufficient for them to get them to a place of safety. However this is not always possible, if you see the person falling try to catch them to help their fall. Gently lower them to the ground, make space around them and ask bystanders to move away.
5. Always remove potentially dangerous items, such as hot drinks and sharp objects. If possible, protect the person’s head by placing soft padding underneath it and loosen clothing around their neck.
6. Note the time when the seizure started, and stay with them until the seizure passes. Place them into the recovery position and monitor their vital signs.
You must NOT move the person unless they are in immediate danger or put anything in their mouth or use force to restrain them. If the person is unconscious for more than 10 minutes or the seizure continues for more than 5 minutes, they are having repeated seizures or this is their first seizure – please telephone the emergency services.
This is just a few things that this 4 part Free First aid manual covers. If you would like a free copy then just go to www.onlinehomestudies.com
