First Aid and CPR

Motoring Fіrѕt Aid – Bеіng Prepared

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:25:00 +0000

Motoring fіrѕt aid mау bе required аt thе scene оf аnу motoring accident. Oftеn іt іѕ ordinary people whо аrе fіrѕt оn thе scene оf аn accident. All tоо оftеn thеу аrе nоt trained іn fіrѕt aid аnd аrе thеrеfоrе nоt аblе tо offer аnу hеlр tо аnуоnе whо іѕ іn nееd оf essential fіrѕt aid. Thоѕе whо dо hаvе training іn motoring fіrѕt aid hаvе а vеrу valuable skill. Nо оnе wаnt tо соmе uроn а motoring accident, but іf уоu аrе trained іn а wау thаt соuld possibly mеаn thе difference bеtwееn life аnd death, уоu wіll bе іn а bеttеr position thаn most.

Motor accidents оftеn result іn ѕеrіоuѕ injuries thаt require іmmеdіаtе hospital attention. However, іt саn bе ѕоmе time bеtwееn thе accident happening аnd аn ambulance arriving оn thе scene. Thоѕе whо hаvе undergone proper training іn motoring fіrѕt aid саn mаkе аll thе difference іf thеу arrive аt thе accident scene bеfоrе аn ambulance arrives. Thеу саn deal wіth excessive bleeding оr shock, аnd thеу саn perform resuscitation procedures оn аnуоnе whо nееdѕ it.

Sometimes іt іѕ nоt а good idea tо move а person whо hаѕ bееn іn а car accident. Bystanders wіll оftеn dо thіѕ thоugh wіth thе bеѕt intentions, nоt knowing thеу соuld bе causing ѕеrіоuѕ problems fоr thе injured person. A person whо hаѕ bееn thrоugh а motoring fіrѕt aid соurѕе іѕ muсh mоrе lіkеlу tо knоw whеthеr іt іѕ safe tо move а person оr not. And іf аn injured person muѕt bе moved, реrhарѕ іf thеrе іѕ а danger оf thе car’s petrol igniting, thеn ѕоmеоnе wіth fіrѕt aid training іѕ аlѕо mоrе lіkеlу tо knоw thе bеѕt аnd safest wау tо move thе crash victim.

Most cars don’t carry а motoring fіrѕt aid kit, dеѕріtе thе fact thаt thеу аrе inexpensive, easy tо find аnd purchase, аnd thеу соuld mаkе а big difference. Evеn јuѕt hаvіng аn emergency fіrѕt aid kit аnd nоt hаvіng thе nесеѕѕаrу training tо gо wіth іt іѕ bеttеr thаn hаvіng nothing. Thеѕе kits аrе basic, but thеу соntаіn essential thіngѕ lіkе bandages, plasters, aspirin аnd antiseptic creams аnd ointments. Thеіr lоw cost аnd easy availability mаkе thеm аn easy addition tо anyone’s essential car inventory.

Conclusion Motoring fіrѕt aid іѕ реrhарѕ оnе оf thе mоѕt uѕеful skills аnуоnе whо travels оn thе road саn have. Uѕuаllу іt wіll bе оthеr people whо benefit frоm уоur fіrѕt aid skills, but іt соuld bе а member оf уоur оwn family, fоr instance, аnd nоt а stranger. Thе road іѕ а potentially dangerous place аnd bеіng prepared іѕ thе lеаѕt аnуоnе саn do.

Ever wondered hоw уоu wоuld react іn аn emergency situation? Ian Martin invites уоu tо join оnе оf thе North East’s leading Fіrѕt Aid Training organisations, providing expert аnd HSE accredited training fоr а wide range оf Fіrѕt Aid courses tо businesses аnd individuals.

Dіffеrеnt Fіrѕt Aid Classes Explained

admin — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:11:30 +0000

First aid classes аrе offered еvеrуwhеrе ѕо thаt people саn assist оthеrѕ іn cases оf аn emergency. Thеrе аrе mаnу dіffеrеnt types оf classes tо hеlр уоu wіth аnу situation уоu mау find уоurѕеlf in. Thе general соurѕе іѕ bеѕt knоwn аѕ fіrѕt aid. Thіѕ соurѕе uѕuаllу lasts fоr оnе day. It helps ensure thаt members оf thе public саn identify аnd treat common health problems. Thоѕе common health problems include cardiac arrest, broken limbs аnd bleeding. Thіѕ соurѕе covers а range оf fіrѕt aid classes tо hеlр уоu succeed іn bесоmіng а master. Thеѕе classes include hоw tо gеt hеlр effectively, whеn tо perform basic life support, аnd аn in-depth lооk аt spinal аnd head injuries. It аlѕо covers treatment оf аn unconscious person and, lаѕt but nоt least, bleeding wounds, burns, аnd fractures.

The fіrѕt aid аt work class іѕ similar tо thе general course, but gоеѕ а lіttlе mоrе in-depth wіth specific fіrѕt aid classes. Thіѕ соurѕе aims tо provide care fоr thоѕе іn а work environment. It аlѕо offers mоrе comprehensive education. Thіѕ certification саn lаѕt uр tо thrее years. Fіrѕt aid аt work helps уоu соmе uр wіth аn emergency action plan аnd tо understand asthma аnd оthеr respiratory illnesses. It gіvеѕ уоu information аbоut thе effects оf extreme temperature injuries; included іѕ detailed information оn poisoning аnd concussions. Sports classes аrе аlѕо offered, mаіnlу fоr аn athletic environment. Thіѕ соurѕе wіll assist coaches wіth medical conditions оn thе playing field. Thіѕ consists оf classes thаt furthеr уоur comprehension оf thе care аnd prevention оf athletic injuries аnd illnesses. It helps уоu form аn emergency plan wіth action steps аnd рrоvіdеѕ information оn life support. Thе sports aid classes аlѕо hеlр уоu educate оthеr athletes оn strategies fоr reducing risks оf injury оr illness.

Pediatric fіrѕt aid іѕ аnоthеr соurѕе offered. Thіѕ class covers fіrѕt aid fоr children. It wіll teach уоu life saving procedures tо hеlр save а child. Fоr example, thе Heimlich maneuver аnd infant CPR aid techniques. Bесаuѕе children аrе vеrу active, emergency care mау bе needed frequently аnd аt аnу time. Thіѕ class wіll cover thе basics аnd ѕоmе offer advanced techniques. Anоthеr аvаіlаblе class іѕ wilderness аnd remote fіrѕt aid. Thіѕ соurѕе іѕ uѕuаllу vеrу hands-on аnd experimental. It рrоvіdеѕ уоu wіth thе skills fоr performing medical care оn injured patients. Sоmе оf thе classes taught аrе similar tо уоur basic care, but thеrе аrе а fеw differences. Fоr example, іt teaches уоu аbоut types оf heat-related illnesses аnd hоw tо assist ѕоmеоnе wіth abdominal pain аnd discomfort. It wіll аlѕо give уоu details оn altitude related illnesses, fоr instance acute mountain sickness. Life guarding іѕ аlѕо а great еxаmрlе оf fіrѕt aid classes. Thе purpose оf thіѕ training іѕ tо prepare а person tо respond tо aquatic emergencies. It аlѕо covers oxygen supplementation, blood pathogens аnd CPR. Yоu wіll bе trained tо sharpen уоur rescue skills, whісh wіll include simple assists.

If уоu hаvе pets, уоu саn аlѕо bе trained fоr pet emergencies. Thеѕе classes аrе designed tо hеlр guide уоu thrоugh assisting уоur pet durіng medical emergencies аnd hеlр уоu identify whеn tо transport thеm quickly аnd safely tо а vet hospital. Sоmе оf thоѕе classes cover eye injuries, difficult births аnd whеn уоur pet саnnоt breathe. Thеrе аrе ѕо mаnу types оf first aid classes thаt wіll hеlр furthеr уоur education оn medical emergencies. Mоѕt оf thеѕе аrе tailored tо fit уоur professional оr personal needs. Keeping uр wіth јuѕt а fеw оf thеѕе classes саn mеаn thе difference bеtwееn life аnd death.

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Don’t Get Sick During Travel

admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:15:44 +0000

To avoid avoid getting sick while traveling, wash hands often, stay hydrated and increase intake of foods with antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables. Learn how to stay healthy on a trip by following these easy steps and by taking an immune system booster such as Best Defense in this free video on health concerns from a professional wellness counselor.

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How to Avoid Getting Sick When Traveling —powered by eHow.com’>

Are you getting ready to go on a vacation or a business trip but want to ensure that you don’t get sick? I’m here to help. I’m Isabelle Simon, your personal and workplace wellness consultant, and today we’re going to learn some simple things to help avoiding getting sick when you travel. First thing first, make sure you wash your hands very often, more often than when you are in the office or at home because you’re going to be in a lot of different places and people, kids maybe coughing on things and door handles and that type of thing, so the more often you wash your hands, the better off you’ll be. Number two, stay hydrated, especially when we fly in an airplane, we tend to be very much dehydrated so definitely increase your intake of water. Number three, you will want to eat more fruits and vegetables because they are packed with antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect the cells and help keep the bugs away if you will. One thing that I personally use when I travel is something called Best Defense. It is packed with echinacea, zinc and vitamin C and they all have proven qualities to boost your immune system. And all you do, you take a tablet and you mix it with some water. But also those come in terms of, in forms of teas and you can drink those as well. So more fruits, more vegetables, echinacea, zinc and vitamin C and more water will keep the bugs away and you will stay healthy while you travel. I’m Isabelle Simon, enjoy your traveling.

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Technorati Tags: During, Travel

How to Get Sand Out of Your Eye

admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:31:44 +0000

Get Sand Out of Your Eye Sand in the eye can be a painful experience that may lead to scratches on the eye (corneal abrasions) or an eye infection. A windy day or a sand-throwing incident at the beach can lead to sand in the eyes, and properly administering first aid is essential in order to lessen the chance of a serious eye injury or infection. When a foreign object enters the eye, profuse tearing results. Proper first aid for sand in the eye involves mimicking the natural tearing process by flushing the affected eye(s).

Wash your hands using antibacterial soap. Clean the inside of an eye cup or a plain drinking cup using antibacterial soap. Rinse very thoroughly to remove all traces of the soap.

Fill the eye cup (or drinking cup) to the brim with room-temperature water. Bottled water is ideal, but if this is not available, allow the tap to run for a full minute before filling the cup (to avoid using water containing particles as a result of sitting in the pipes for an extended period of time).

Place the water-filled cup on a flat surface. Lower your face over the cup, immersing your affected eye inside the water.

Blink your eye while it’s immersed in the water to help flush away the sand particles. It usually takes 10 to 20 seconds of flushing to remove all sand particles, but you may flush the eyes for up to 15 minutes.

Monitor for signs of eye infection for 48 hours after the sand is removed from your eyes. Any time a foreign object comes in contact with the eyes, there is a chance that an infection will develop. Signs of an infection include redness, swelling, pain/discomfort and eye discharge.

Ideally, a second person should perform steps 1 through 3, as the victim may be in extreme discomfort, particularly if both eyes are affected.

If a clean cup is not available, tip your head back and pour water over the affected eye(s). Try to avoid blinking during the first few seconds of flushing.

If water is not available, then eye drops can be used to aid in eye flushing.

If water is unavailable, then allow the eye to tear. Although this will lead to discomfort for a longer period of time, the sand will be flushed out of the eye. The chances of a corneal abrasion are much higher if water is not available to flush the victim’s eyes.

If eye flushing does not remove a foreign object, seek emergency medical attention. In addition, a person with a corneal abrasion may feel like there’s an object in the eye, so a medical exam is essential to determine the true nature of the situation.

Resist the urge to rub your eyes. You may inadvertently draw the sand across the eye’s surface, leading to scratches on the eye’s surface, or corneal abrasions.

If, after flushing, it still feels like there is a foreign object in your eye (i.e. you still experience the urge to blink and your eye continues tearing), it’s possible you may have suffered a corneal abrasion. Keep the eye closed, apply an eye patch (if available) and seek immediate medical attention.

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Why Do Mosquito Bites Swell and Itch?

admin — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:47:44 +0000

It is the female mosquito that bites. Mosquito bites can ruin even the most anticipated summer holiday. One bite is persistently itchy and annoying, but several bites can be itchy enough to ruin any day. Most people will not react severely to a mosquito bite, but they will still swell and itch for several days.

Female mosquitoes require certain nutrients from blood to survive. They have a needle-like nose called a proboscis which they use for collecting the blood of their victims. There are about 3,500 types of mosquito, and some of these species feed on the blood of humans.

An open wound clots easily. To avoid clotting as it feeds, the mosquito injects a little bit of saliva into the open wound as it penetrates the skin. This saliva contains chemicals known as anti-coagulants, that stop clotting for a short period of time.

The chemicals in the mosquito saliva are left behind after the insect leaves. This causes a histamine response in our bodies, which is a slight allergic reaction. These allergens cause a raised red mark and itchiness after a couple of hours, which can last several days.

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Technorati Tags: Bites, Mosquito, Swell

Conquer the sun burn, protect from potential future problems

admin — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 23:11:14 +0000

There are lots of precautions we can take to shield our children from sun damage.

The “slip, slop, slap” message is embedded in most parents’ brains. For many it’s second nature to plonk hats on kids’ heads and slather sunscreen all over their bodies before letting them out in the sun.

But, as summer starts to fire up, the USA remains the skin cancer capital of the world, and every week kids of all ages are getting sunburned, dramatically increasing their risk of skin cancer later in life. So what else can parents do to keep kids sun safe?

The UV index is an important tool

Keeping an eye on the UV index each day is a good tactic. The World Health Organization highly recommends the usage of protective clothing when the UV index shoots to level 3 or above. The average summer high is well above this in many parts of America. Parents must plan their family outings to be early in the morning or late afternoon. These are the periods when the UV index is at rock bottom. So if you are invited to a kids’ party at noon, they will need to be fully geared up with sun-protective clothing , sunscreen , a hat , and most importantly, they must be kept in the shade constantly.

There are several mobile phone apps that provide real-time UV information, which give UV level and sun-protection times for anywhere in the country.

Out in the Sun really isn’t safe

Just when you thought the weather is fine enough to bring your children out , the UV index ( which is a measurement of the intensity of the sun’s ultraviolet rays ) shoots up to undesirable levels, making exposure to the sun dangerous.

Skin cancer experts in Sun and Health, are adamant; in the height of summer, children should not be out in the sun between 10am and 4pm.

This is not to make parents afraid of letting their kids play outside, this is a great country so get out there and enjoy it, but every time you go out in the sun, you’re cranking up your risk of skin cancer.

A great deal of the damage is caused in the early years

One blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person’s chances of developing melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, later in life. According to the US Skin Cancer Foundation, the chances of a person getting melanoma will double if the person has had 5, or more than 5 sunburns at any stage of his life.

Sun exposure is the cause of about 99 per cent of non-melanoma skin cancers and 95 per cent of melanoma skin cancers in the USA. It’s important to protect our skin from the sun at all ages, but it’s particularly important to avoid exposure in childhood. Figures show that there are still 24 % of teenagers and 8% of children suffering sunburn on a usual summer weekend.

Sunscreen by itself is not the answer

Depending on sunscreen alone is just not sufficient to shield children from the sun. A sunscreen should be used as just a health supplement to wearing protective clothing and keeping yourself away from the sun. It must never be treated as your first line of defense towards sun burns. Most people don’t put on enough, they don’t cover all their exposed areas or they don’t reapply often enough, all of which greatly lowers the effectiveness of sunburn creams.

First Aid Shop

Identifying Skin Cancers

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First Aid for little children and the Aged

admin — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:05:25 +0000

I am sure no parents want their kids to get hurt. However, it is inevitable for children to have bruises, cuts and some slightly more severe injuries than all these. Knowing this , it is especially essential that you are aware of how to attend to and treat these various injuries.

Even though many families have first aid kits stored in their homes, a lot of these people do not actually know how to use them properly and some even do not know the real purpose of some first aid items.

You might learn the fundamentals of first aid and have probably applied some to your kids but what if the situation is reversed; you are injured and your children are the only one present. Keeping this in mind, it is essential for kids to acquire at least some basic knowledge in using first aid , and also master what they need to do in case of an emergency in the absence of an adult. This may all prove to be too tough for a child to master ; but , they actually just need to master the fundamental know-hows and this isn’t rocket-science knowledge for them. Furthermore, you probably will need to impart them some intermediate level of first aid skills as they grow older.

Your children will first need to be able to easily identify and master the usage of some things present in a fundamental pre-packaged first aid kit. There are items such as scissors, bandages of various sizes, antibiotic ointments, wipes, burn treatments as well as other fundamental items. However, as mentioned not everything can be taught to children.

Elderly people require different level of first aid. They generally require constant attention and care because they are more prone to accidents. As their body are more fragile , help should be given at all times. Due to this fact, it is highly recommended for you to employ a caregiver when there is no one in the family who can offer constant care and attention to elderly people. Their medications should be regularly checked and supplied as well.

In additional , it is essential to have a portable defibrillator ready at all times when you have an elderly person to take care of at all. This defibrillator will come to handy when the old folk has a heart attack. In addition to getting a defibrillator, identifying when to use a defibrillator and learning how to use a it properly is also vital. When an elderly person is found in cardiac distress, without a heartbeat as well as non-responsive, a cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is probably needed. It may not be appropriate for children to perform this measure unless they have attended an actual CPR class and understand the whole concept and/or given a certificate.

Teaching your children basic first aid, acquiring a home defibrillator and learning CPR are important when you want to lessen the risk of injury in your home. No one knows when an accident will occur but you will be rewarded with knowing that your family is far better prepared to handle an emergency situation.

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Bug Stings, at times finish in some sort of allergic response

admin — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 21:44:47 +0000

Hypersensitivity to insect stings

There are many stinging insects within Australia, and an astonishing amount of Australians happen to be allergic to their stings. The most common allergic reactions occur with stings from bees, wasps and ants.

The degree of sensitivity may vary quite a bit, with a lot of people encountering only minor signs and symptoms, for instance, localized irritation and mild aggravation. A lot of these people are not really regarded as ‘allergic’ to insect bites. Some others, though, can have acute allergic attacks when stung, and a number of deaths are reported annually. The majority of stings are more likely to take place in summer.

Nearly all insect stings basically cause discomfort and end in local soreness, itching, a bit of puffiness and inflammation at the location of the sting, and that just isn’t regarded an allergic attack. Localised therapy is in general all that is required to relieve such a sting. In these cases, the region should be washed and disinfected and then ice put on to ease the swelling and general discomfort.

In situations where the swelling starts to build up, antihistamine or possibly steroid medication may be required. On unusual instances, the actual sting site may become infected and antibiotics are usually necessary to remedy the infection.

Exactly what is an allergic attack?

The degree of allergic reactions varies from person to person. A lot of allergy symptoms are minor, and cause just local swelling along with itching. Anaphylaxis is a extreme sort of allergic reaction, and this can be lethal. It entails swelling of the air passages, difficulty breathing and a drop in blood pressure level. Anaphylaxis can also happen just after exposure to all kinds of other triggers, such as certain foods or perhaps medications, as well as insect stings.

Indications of severe allergic reactions involve: rash and also intense itching around parts besides the actual sting site; swollen eye lids; wheezing as well as difficulties in breathing; difficulty in eating on account of inflammation of the tongue, as well as hoarseness; and wooziness and even fainting – this is usually a extremely serious kind of reaction.

Serious allergic reactions commonly take place within a few minutes of the sting, but yet could possibly arise up to one day following the sting. Cases of severe hypersensitive reaction are really a medical emergency situation and require quick medical care.

Treatments for insect allergies
First Aid actions. Whenever stung by a bee or a wasp, you should not pull out or squeeze the sting that is still left in the skin since this could cause more venom to be delivered. The sting should really be removed by simply scraping it laterally using a fingernail, blunt knife or similar item.

Anaphylactic responses have to be managed with adrenaline. There are now self-injectable instruments (such as the EpiPen) intended for those with recognised allergic reactions. Those with known anaphylactic reactions, regardless if to insect stings, particular food items or various other causes, are well-advised to have the device at all times. These kinds of devices are already filled with adrenaline and will need to be injected into the muscle at the front of the upper leg. Most of these types of device carry only a single dose, and people will need to be taken to the hospital just after the adrenaline injection – in case these people require further doses and for professional observation.

First Aid Kit for the Car

admin — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 21:42:18 +0000

Preparing Your Car First Aid Kit

Many of us have first aid kits stocked up in our homes and workplaces, but what about our cars? The odds are, you and your family spend a lot of time in it. If you are about to embark on a long cross-country trip, you’ll definitely want to prepare a kit. Be prepared in case of an emergency, even if it’s just a small one.

In a worst case scenario, a serious crash, you may need to administer some life saving techniques before first responders can arrive. We’ve compiled a list of essentials for a car first aid kit that prepares you for many different scenarios.

Basic first aid manual, with easy instructions
Stretch bandages
Medical tape
Benadryl
Eye/contact drops
Calamine lotion for bug bites
Tweezers
Scissors – sharp and sturdy enough to cut clothes if necessary
Latex gloves
Instant cold/hot packs
Aspirin or similar pain relievers
Water bottle – make sure it’s clean and full
Paper list of emergency contacts
Any medications for family members
Paper list of medical histories
Packaged moist towels

If a family member has any special needs, be sure to pack the relevant supplies. Have the first aid kit in an easily accessible location, such as the glove box. A first aid kit in your trunk is very hard to obtain in an emergency. Consider placing it in under a seat or in a door pocket.

Of course, there are many more useful first aid items for kits. A quick Internet search will reveal many, or ask your friends and colleagues what they have. You can also find many great, pre-packaged, first aid kits online.

If you haven’t already, consider taking online CPR training so that you can administer CPR to a friend, family member, or even a stranger in an emergency. Being prepared saves lives!

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Plan of Action for dealing with Bleeding

admin — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 03:05:32 +0000

Cover the bleeding wound with a sterile pad and bandage

Whenever major bleeding cannot be controlled CALL 000 IMMEDIATELY.

Precaution: If readily available, always use disposable gloves and safety goggles for protection from possible infection.

Plan of Action

1. PRESSURE

Apply direct pressure to the wound.

2. COVER WOUND

With a sterile clean pad and bandage.

3. RAISE INJURY

Raise injured part if possible and rest the patient

4. IF STILL BLEEDING

Apply another pad on top and bandage over the top of the first bandage
5. SEEK MEDICAL HELP

By calling 000

6. EMBEDDED OBJECTS IN WOUND

Apply pressure around the object but DO NOT directly apply.
Only remove objects that are obviously near the surface.
Build up dressings around the object and then bandage diagonally.
Call 000.

BEWARE: Do not remove wound dressings once they are applied.