3 First Aid Skills Everyone Should Know
Spot the warning signs of a stroke
On average, one person every 40 seconds has a stroke in the United States. Early medical treatment can significantly improve the outcome of a stroke.
A stroke (sometimes called CVA – cerebrovascular accident) is a problem with the blood supply to the brain. The brain has a large and complex system of arteries and veins supplying it with blood. Broadly, there are two different types of stroke that can occur:
Ischemic stroke: A blood clot blocks an artery in the brain causing the death of brain tissue.
Hemorrhagic stroke: An blood vessel in the brain ruptures causing bleeding.
The most common type of stroke is ischemic stroke which accounts for approximately 87% of strokes. The only way to tell the difference between an ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke is a brain scan (CAT/CT scan)
Recognising a Stroke
The signs and symptoms of a stroke can vary depending upon which part of the brain is affected. Common signs and symptoms include:
Weakness down one side of the body
Facial droop
Slurred speech
Loss of sensation
Severe dizziness
Loss of coordination
Reduced level of consciousness
If you suspect a stroke, there is a simple test you can use. The FAST test:
Face: Does the person have any facial weakness? Can they smile evenly? Does one side of their face appear to droop?
Arms: Can the person raise both arms and hold them there?
Speech: Can the person speak clearly? Is their speech slurred?
Time: Time to call an ambulance urgently if the person fails any of the above tests. Also, note down the time the symptoms started or the time you arrived on the scene for the emergency services.
Do not delay in calling for emergency medical help if you suspect someone is having a stroke. Delays in treatment can lead to permanent disability and loss of brain function.
2. How to Perform High-Quality Chest Compressions (CPR)
Effective chest compressions are the most important component of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). High-quality CPR involves rescuers being aware of how to deliver effective chest compressions to a victim in order to improve the chances of successful defibrillation.
Hands-only CPR is now being taught to laypeople as it is recognized that rescue breaths are not as important in the initial few minutes after a cardiac arrest. In addition, performing rescue breaths may put off bystanders from intervening and beginning vital CPR.
So how can you deliver high-quality chest compressions to a victim of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)?
Performing High-Quality Chest Compressions
To perform high-quality chest compressions, follow these steps:
Kneel by the side of the victim
Place the heel of one hand in the centre of the victim’s chest
Place the heel of your other hand on top of the first hand
Interlock the fingers of your hands and ensure that pressure is not applied to the victim’s ribs. Do not apply any pressure over the upper abdomen or the bottom end of the sternum
Position yourself vertically above the victim’s chest and, with your arms straight, press down on the sternum approximately 5 – 6 cm
After each compression, release all the pressure on the chest without losing contact between your hands and the sternum
Repeat at a rate of 100 – 120 chest compressions per minute
Each compression and release should take an equal amount of time
Effective CPR is a skill that requires practice. Common mistakes that occur when delivering chest compressions include:
Too shallow chest compressions
Slow chest compressions
Not fully releasing the victim’s chest
‘Bouncing’ on the chest – this occurs when the rescuer’s hands don’t remain in contact with the victim’s chest
3. Stop Severe Bleeding
The average person has around 8 – 10 pints of blood in their body. Our blood is vital to life. It carries Oxygen to all the cells in our body and removes waste products such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2).
Blood is carried around the body in three main types of blood vessels:
Arteries: Carry blood under high pressure away from the heart
Veins: Carry blood under low pressure back to the heart
Capillaries: Carry blood to the individual cells and tissues, these are very small and have very low pressures.
Damaging an artery (and even a vein) can lead to severe blood loss if the bleeding is not controlled quickly. A severe bleed is an emergency situation requiring prompt first aid action in order to stop the bleeding whilst awaiting the arrival of emergency medical help.
Treatment for Severe Bleeding
You can use the first aid mnemonic PEEP to remember how to approach a victim with a severe bleed.
Position: Ask the victim to sit on the floor if possible.
Expose & examine: Quickly find and examine the wound(s) for any embedded objects.
Elevation: If the injury is to a limb, elevate above the level of the heart.
Pressure: Ask the casualty to apply firm direct pressure over the wound using gloved hands or a dressing/towel (if the casualty is unable to do this, you will have to do it for them).
If possible, you should avoid coming into direct contact with another person’s blood. Several infections can be carried in the blood, and whilst the risk may be minimal you should always take precautions. This could involve wearing disposable gloves, or using clothing/tea-towels/plastic bags to create a barrier between your hands and the wound.
Once you have controlled the performed the emergency steps above, call for an ambulance.
Remember, the emphasis should be on applying and maintaining direct pressure over the wound as this will help stop significant blood loss.
If there is an object in the wound (such as a piece of glass), then you should not remove it. Removing the object may cause internal damage and further blood loss. Instead, you should apply firm direct pressure around the wound, taking care not to move the object.
If a first aid kit is available apply a sterile emergency bandage. If blood seeps through apply a second bandage over the top. If this occurs once more, remove both bandages and start again with a clean one. Continue to keep pressure applied and the wound elevated if a limb. Keep any dressings/cloths/towels that become soaked in blood. These will be helpful for the emergency services to ascertain how much blood has been lost.
What happens if someone loses too much blood?
If someone loses too much blood, they will go into a condition known as shock. Our body can cope with a small amount of blood loss (normally around a pint), this is why giving blood is perfectly safe.
However, if you lose too much blood your body’s cells & tissues become deprived of oxygen as there is less blood available to them- this is a medical condition known as shock. If someone is going into shock, they may show some of the following signs & symptoms:
Pale, cold clammy skin
Dizziness and confusion
Weak fast pulse
Rapid breathing
Thirst
Nausea and vomiting
Reduced level of alertness/sleepy
You should suspect shock in any victim who has lost a significant amount of blood.
The treatment for shock is to lie the person down, with their legs raised. This will increase blood flow to the vital organs (heart, lungs, brain etc.).
Don’t give the person anything to eat or drink as this may cause them to be sick. If they go unconscious, you should check that they are still breathing and roll them onto their side into the recovery position in order to protect their airway.
