10 Basic First Aid Skills

First aid is an urgent action that can save a person’s life. It is provided until the doctors arrive. Almost anyone can handle this. Consider the most important basic skills that every person should have.

10 First Aid Algorithm

10 Basic First Aid Skills

So that all actions are not useless, you need to do everything according to a certain algorithm. First you need to make sure that you yourself will not suffer during the rescue of another person. Then secure the victim (for example, get him out of the car that has been in an accident). Check if he reacts to light, make sure that there is breathing and a pulse. After that, call the rescuers, doctors and give the person first aid. Before the arrival of specialists, try to provide him with maximum comfort.

9. Artificial respiration

10 Basic First Aid Skills

To restore the natural ventilation of the lungs of a person, artificial respiration can be performed. It is made in different ways. The most effective methods are mouth to nose and mouth to mouth. Before the procedure, it will be necessary to remove blood, mucus and everything that interferes with the flow of air into the respiratory tract from the victim’s oral cavity. After giving first aid, the chest should begin to rise.

8. Indirect cardiac massage

10 Basic First Aid Skills

Such exposure may be required in cases where a person has no pulse. In the process of its implementation, the heart muscles are compressed between the spinal column and the sternum. This allows you to maintain the blood circulation of the victim, whose heart has stopped. Such an impact cannot be carried out if a person has a pulse.

The victim will need to be moved to a hard and flat surface. After that, find the end of the sternum, its smallest part. It is called the xiphoid process. Then you will need to find the compression point: measure from the xiphoid process from 20 to 40 mm upwards. In this place you will need to put the base of the palm. Place the other hand on top of the first, connect your fingers. The pushes should be rhythmic: move your hand strictly vertically, with the utmost care, but quite strongly.

7. Heimlich maneuver

10 Basic First Aid Skills

When foreign bodies, food particles get into the trachea, it is partially or completely clogged, and the person begins to feel suffocation attacks. The Heimlich maneuver clears the airways. You will need to stand behind the person, wrap your arms around him and connect them on your chest, retreating a few centimeters from the umbilical region. Then begin to sharply bend the limbs at the elbows, pressing on the stomach. Press until the airway is free.

6. Help with bleeding

10 Basic First Aid Skills

Bleeding can be arterial, venous or capillary. If it is arterial, you will need to clamp the artery with your fist or fingers. If the bleeding is venous, use a pressure bandage. Put gauze on the wound and place a clean towel or cotton wool (in several layers) on it. Then you will need to bandage everything tightly. If the bleeding is capillary, use an aseptic dressing.

5. Help with fractures

10 Basic First Aid Skills

The fracture can be closed or open. If the fracture is open, in some cases fragments of the bone are visible. To provide first aid to the victim, you will first need to stop the bleeding (if any). Then try to understand whether it is possible to move the person before the doctors arrive. In case of damage to the spinal column, it is strictly forbidden to change the position of the victim. Fix the joints that are below and above the injury. Then a splint should be applied. It can be made from improvised materials.

4. Help with burns

10 Basic First Aid Skills

First, you will need to protect the victim from further exposure to the damaging factor (hot water, flame, and so on). Then you should free the burnt place from clothes and treat it with vodka or a mixture of water and alcohol. Do not treat the affected areas with greasy creams or oil-based products: with their help, it will not be possible to alleviate the condition of the victim. Then treat the burned area with cold water and bandage the wound. The victim will have to drink a warm salty liquid.

3. Help with fainting

10 Basic First Aid Skills

It will be necessary to put the person comfortably, undress him so that nothing interferes with him. If the casualty is indoors, open doors and windows wide to allow as much fresh air into the room as possible. Moisten the forehead and cheeks of a person with cold water, let him inhale the smell of ammonia. If he does not come to his senses in a few minutes, call the doctors immediately.

2. Drowning and sunstroke

10 Basic First Aid Skills

When drowning, you will need to move the person to land. When he is there, place his belly on your knee. The person must be head down. Then you will need to remove algae, mucus from his mouth. If a person is not breathing, there is no pulse, immediately do an indirect heart massage, artificial ventilation of the lungs.

If a person experiences sunstroke, it will be necessary to move him to a cool and well-ventilated place. Then undress him, take off his clothes. Moisten a towel with cold water, put it on the victim’s neck and head. Let him inhale the smell of ammonia. If necessary, it will be possible to carry out artificial ventilation of the lungs. The victim will need to be given plenty of slightly salty cool water.

1. Hypothermia and frostbite

10 Basic First Aid Skills

In case of hypothermia, it will be necessary to wrap the victim with something warm or bring (bring) him into a warm room. A supercooled person cannot be rubbed: his body must warm itself. Give him food, a warm drink.

Frostbite can result from hypothermia. Its symptoms are loss of sensation, numbness, tingling, feeling cold. A person with frostbite will need to be kept warm. Damaged areas should not be rubbed with anything: this can only worsen the situation. Frostbitten places will need to be wrapped with something warm.

Leave a Reply