First Aid
First Aid is the giving of “first” or initial care for an injury or illness, and so this is how the name is derived.
It generally consists of a series of simple, and often, potentially life-saving techniques, that an individual can be trained to perform, usually with the use of minimal equipment.This may be in the form of a First Aid Kit.
This is normally performed by a trained or untrained person to a sick or injured patient until medical help is available.
Many illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care past this initial step.
The Aims of First Aid can be summarised by three main points:
(a) Preserving life – the main aim of all medical care, including these techniques, is to save lives.
(b) Preventing further harm – it is very important to move the patient and the First Aider away from any likely cause of harm, before the application of the techniques to prevent the worsening of the condition, e.g. moving the patient from the roadside before the application of a pressure bandage to stop bleeding.
(c) Promoting recovery – FirstAid may also involve trying to start the recovery process from the illness or injury, e.g. the application of an ice pack, or might involve completing a treatment, such as the applying of a plaster to a small wound.
The First Step in First Aid is to ensure a clear airway.
If the patient is breathing, then a First Aider would normally place them in the recovery position, with the patient turned on their side.This has the effect of clearing the tongue from the pharynx. It also helps to avoid a common cause of death in unconscious patients, choking on regurgitated stomach contents or vomit. The airway may also become blocked by a foreign object lodging in the throat.
When the airway has been cleared, the First Aider would assess to see if the patient is breathing. If there is no breathing, the First Aider would undertake what is probably one of the most recognized 1st Aid procedures, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or CPR, which involves breathing for the patient, and massaging the heart externally to promote blood flow in the patient.
The First Aider is also likely to be trained in dealing with injuries like cuts, grazes and even broken bones.
Often this will be using a “First Aid Kit”, or First Aid Supplies. They may be able to deal with the situation completely e.g. an adhesive bandage on a minor cut, or they may be required to stabilise the condition of something like a broken bone, until the doctor or ambulance arrives. The First Aid Kit would also likely contain items to manage swelling and infection, such as instant cold packs and antiseptics.
First Aid Hints that could save your Dog’s life!
