Everyone Should Know First Aid Chapter 1 Everyone Should Know First Aid

Emergency Medical System (EMS) Your role in the EMS system includes 4 basic steps Recognize an emergency exists Decide to act Activate the EMS system Give care until help arrives

Step 1 Recognizing an emergency Unusual sights Unusual appearances or behaviors Unusual odors Unusual noises

Step 2 Decide to Act In order to help in an emergency you must act Most common reasons why people don’t help The presence of other people Being unsure of the ill or injured person’s condition Type of injury or illness Fear of catching a disease Fear of doing something wrong Fear of being sued Being unsure of when to call 911

Step 3 Activate the EMS System Call 9-1-1 Know your local emergency numbers

Getting Permission Before giving care to a conscious adult you must permission “consent” Identify yourself Tell them what you are trained in What you think is wrong What you plan on doing If they refuse care at least notify 9-1-1 If they are unconscious or can not respond consent is implied

Step 4 Give Care Until Help Arrives Examples CPR/First Aid Making victim comfortable Meet EMS out at the curb Direct traffic Keep onlookers away

Getting permission Conscious Child or infant you need permission from a parent or guardian. If a parent refuses notify 9-1-1 If a parent is not present and the situation is life threaten consent is implied

How Disease Spreads Infectious diseases spread from person to person by bacteria and viruses Bacteria can live outside the body Viruses live on other organisms, once in the body they are hard to remove They are spread through touching breathing and biting

If you touch an infected person blood or bodily fluid with an open wound, cut, or cracked skin, you can be infected Common cold Breathing in droplets in the air, someone sneezing Touching objects that have been exposed to droplets

Animal or human bites Getting a disease this way is rare Some may give you flu a like disease Can create discomfort but often temporary Usually not serious for healthy adults

Others are more Serious Hepatitis B (HBV) Hepatitis C (HCV) Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) These are not easily transmitted Blood to blood contact

HIV, AIDS and You AIDS is caused by HIV Damages the immune system Many don’t know they have it They don’t look or feel sick AIDS eventually develops into infections which lead to death Currently there is no vaccine

Transmission During First Aid Unprotected direct contact with infected blood Blood splashes in responder’s eye Touching infected person’s body fluids Unprotected indirect contact with infected blood Touching contaminated objects

Precautions Risk of transmission during first aid is low Give care in ways that protect you and the victim Wash hands before and after giving care Wear protective gear and use barriers Avoid contact with blood and other body fluids Dispose properly of all material used in giving care

Cleaning up Blood Spills Clean up immediately Use disposable gloves and protective equipment Use paper towel Use a chlorine/water solution to clean Wait 10 minutes Dispose of all contaminated material

Good Samaritan Laws All 50 states have it Protects people who provide care without accepting anything in return Protects citizens who act the in a reasonable and prudent manner

Examples Move a person only if their life is in danger Ask permission before giving care Check for life-threatening conditions before giving further care Call 9-1-1 Continue to give care until trained personnel arrive

Protection in Lawsuits Non-professional who responds to emergencies (lay responder) is rarely sued for helping in an emergency Good Samaritan laws protect responders from financial responsibility

You are not protected Abandoning a victim after starting care Reckless responders Taking unnecessary measures to give care Negligent responders Moving a person without cause