What is first aid- Do’s & Don’ts

What is First aid – Do’s & Don’ts. Disasters involve causality with critical serious major or minor injuries. In all such conditions, First Aid assumes significant importance in disaster management.

What is first aid?

First Aid is the immediate treatment given to the victim of an accident or sudden illness before medical (doctors) help is obtained.

 Aims of first aid

• To Preserve life
• To Promote recovery
• To prevent worsening of the casualty’s condition.
• After First Aid rush casualties to hospital immediately, if necessary.

Remember first aid are not done usually from a doctor , Therefore, First aider must

• Observe carefully
• Think clearly
• Act quickly
• Be calm, cool, confident and not get excited.

Rules of first aid

• Reach the accident spot quickly to save the life
• Be calm, methodical and quick
• Look for the following in the casualty:-
• Maintain Clear airway
• Check breathing – if stopped, apply artificial respiration.
• Check pulse – if absent, give cardiac compression
• Stop or control bleeding.
• Shock – Check whether there is any kind of shock, light or severe

Do’s & Don’ts during first aid

Do’s

• Attend to the casualty at the earliest.
• Make the casualty comfortable while giving first aid.
• Transport a lower jaw fracture casualty in a sitting position with face downwards.
• Stop bleeding.
• Analyze fracture on the spot.
• Treat for the shock
• If there is a doubt, treat the injured for as fracture.
• Turn the face towards a side, if there is vomiting.
• Casualty with fracture of pelvis, leg or spine must be lifted with a blanket lift only.
• If using a constrictive bandage, take care to loosen it every 10 to 15 seconds intermittently.
• Don’t create panic situations.
• From the spot of accident, victim must be shifted to hospital without wasting time, at the earliest

Don’ts

• You are not a doctor, do not attempt too much and dont take the responsibilities of a qualified medical person/doctor. Never try to set right a dislocated joint.
• Never apply bandages too tight, so as to stop blood circulation.
• Never neglect rat, monkey, insects, dog bites.
• If the casualty is unconscious, don’t induce vomiting.
• For a victim of epileptic fits, never give key bunch, iron article or blunt/sharp materials. »f
• Don’t feed the victim, if you suspect there is an internal injury.

Most important, after first aid, shift the victim/casualty to hospital at the earliest.

To know more about first aid click here

Read more on World health organisation’s tips on  Medical kit and toilet items

K K Pradeep
Tejus crisis and Trauma Foundation