Standard First Aid (SFA)

• Management of Gunshot and Stab Wound

• Hemorrhage Control using bandages and tourniquets
• Shock Recognition and Treatment
• Fracture Stabilization and Splinting

First Aid
The immediate medical care given to someone who is injured or suddenly ill, with the
goal of preserving life, preventing further injury and promoting recovery.

FIRST AIDER FIRST RESPONDER

Someone who has been trained to give Refers to a Police Officer who is the first
immediate medical help in an to arrive at the crime scene to provide
emergency. initial police actions on the information or
complaint received.

GOALS OF FIRST AID

• Prevent further injury
• Preserve life
• Alleviate Suffering
• Promote recovery

STEPS IN FIRST AID:

Emergency Action Principle
• Scene Size-up
• Activate Medical Assistance
• Primary Assessment
• Secondary Assessment

SCENE SIZE-UP
1. SCENE SAFETY
• Don’t engage if it is unsafe.
• Secure the scene.
2. KNOW WHAT HAPPENED
• Mechanism of injury
• Nature of illness
3. PROTECT YOURSELF/WELL-BEING
• Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to prevent possible transmission of
diseases.
4. NUMBER OF CASUALTY

WOUNDS
Injuries to soft tissue that damages the skin and the structures underlying it
First aid depends on types of wound:
- Closed
- Open
A wound is any damage or break in the surface of the skin. Applying appropriate first
aid to a wound can speed up the healing process and reduce the risk of infection.
Wounds including minor cuts, lacerations, bites and abrasions can be treated with first
aid.

CLASSIFICATION OF BLEEDING
Arterial Venous Capillary
Bleeding Bleeding Bleeding
Closed Wounds
- No break on the surface of the skin
- Application of external forces
• Bruise, contusion
• Swelling
• Hematoma
• Severe bruising = possible internal bleeding

First aid for closed wounds

 Cold compress done within 15 (range to 20 mins) every 20 minutes until referred
 Cold compress done within 15 (range of 10-20 mins) minutes every 2 hours on
the first 24 hours, for home remedies
 Hot compress for 15 minutes 3x a day after 24 hours
 Keep affected part elevated when possible

 Abrasion
Clinical Presentations, Signs and Symptoms:
• Affects the top layer of the skin
• Priority: prevent infection
First Aid Intervention:
• Wash with soap & water
• Apply mild antiseptic
• Keep surface exposed

 Laceration
Clinical Presentations, Signs and Symptoms:
• tear on surface of the skin
• more severe bleeding
• goal: control bleeding
First Aid Intervention:
• Wash with large amounts of clean water
• Control bleeding by direct pressure using clean dressing
• For persistent bleeding: apply 2nd dressing over first; use elastic bandage
• Bring victim to health care facility

 Incision
Clinical Presentation, Signs and Symptoms
• Cut or wound of body tissue caused by sharp edged object or material
• Synonyms: gash, laceration, rent, rip, slash, slit, tear
First Aid Intervention:
• Wash with large amounts of clean water
• Control bleeding by direct pressure using clean dressing
• Persistent bleeding: apply 2nd dressing over first; elastic bandage
• Bring victim to health care facility
• First aid intervention for incision will be the same as for laceration

 Puncture
Clinical Presentations, Signs and Symptoms:
• entry of sharp, pointed object
• can cause massive internal bleeding
• very painful
First Aid Intervention:
• Wash with large amounts of clean water
• Apply mild antiseptic
• Cover the wound
• Bring victim to health care facility
  Amputation
Clinical Presentations, Signs and Symptoms:
• total separation of body part or limb
• massive bleeding
• very painful

First Aid Intervention:

• Control bleeding using pressure dressings
• Cover detached part with moist dressing, place in clean plastic bag, place in bag
with ice
• Apply tourniquet to minimize or control massive bleeding
• Bring victim and detached part to health care facility

 Avulsion
Clinical Presentations, Signs and Symptoms:
• skin and tissues under it torn off from surface
• severe bleeding
• very painful
First Aid Intervention:
• Wash with large amounts of clean water
• Pressure dressing
• Bring victim to health care facility

 Impaled wounds
Clinical Presentations, Signs and Symptoms:
• Foreign object that penetrates the skin and remains embedded in tissue
First Aid Intervention
• Do NOT remove unless causing airway obstruction
• Control bleeding using pressure dressing around impaled object
• Stabilize impaled object using bulky soft dressing or bandages (doughnut ring)
• Protect impaled object from being moved
• Bring to health care facility immediately

 Evisceration
Severe open wounds in abdominal wall may expose organs  organs protrude out of
wound
First Aid Intervention:
• Do NOT touch or push back exposed organs
• Cover wound with moist, clean dressing
• Do NOT use dressing material that sticks to exposed organs or that breaks up
when wet
• Bring to health care facility immediately

 Other wounds
Crashing Injuries
Sucking Chest Wounds
Blast Injuries

Controlling Bleeding
• body will not tolerate >20% blood loss
• adult = 1 L
• children = 100-200 mL
• Control bleeding using direct pressure
If you DON’T have a trauma first aid kit:
Apply Direct Pressure on the wound
1. Take any clean cloth (e.g. shirt) and cover the wound.
2. If the wound is large and deep, try to “stuff” the cloth down into the wound.
3. Apply continuous pressure with both hands directly on top of the bleeding wound.
4. Push down as hard as you can.
5. Hold pressure to stop bleeding. Continue pressure until relieved by medical
responders.

First Aid Intervention:

• Call 911
• Control bleeding
• Bring victim to health care facility

What is Tourniquet Bandage?

Tourniquets are tight bands used to completely stop the blood flow to a wound. To
control bleeding after an injury to a limb, tourniquets should ideally only be used by first
responders trained in emergency first aid.

Bandage
• maintains pressure for controlling bleeding
• keeps dressing in place
Guidelines in using dressing and bandages
• Use a dressing that is large enough to extend at least 1 inch beyond the edges of
the wound
• Bandages should fit snugly but should not cut off circulation or discomfort.
• If the area beyond the wound changes color, feels cold or starts to swell the
bandage is too tight and should be loosened.

Elastic bandages
• are stretchable bandages designed and used to create continuous localized
pressure.

Triangular bandages
• are bandages to support an injured forearm; consisting of a wide triangular piece
of cloth hanging from around the neck.

What to do for a Spine Injury Victim?

• Check the victim for responsiveness
• Wait and assist the incoming EMS
• Bring the victim to the nearest health care facility immediately

SPLINT
• rigid device used to immobilize an injured body part
• prevents further injury
• reduces pain

Types of Splint
• Soft
- blanket, pillow, binder (swathe)
• Anatomic
- Any part of the body
• Rigid
- improvised or commercial splint
Shoulder and Clavicle Injury
Treatment
• Apply a sling and swath.
• Provide any padding necessary to fill void between body and arm.

DISLOCATIONS
A dislocation is the displacement of one or more bones at a joint. It usually occurs in the
shoulders, elbow, thumb, fingers and the lower jaw.
SYMPTOMS:
• Pain at the site of injury
• Limited movement at joint
• Deformity
• Swelling
• Tenderness

FRACTURES AND DISLOCATIONS

TREATMENT:
• Support and immobilize the injured limb
• Use a splint (if possible) in order to prevent movement of the injured part
• Arrange for casualty to be removed to hospital
• In doubtful cases, always treat as for a fracture
• Do not attempt to replace the bones

General principles of splinting

• Do NOT move the victim before splinting unless there is immediate danger
• Do NOT try to straighten or re-align any deformity; splint in the position found
• Open fractures: stop bleeding, protect wound before splinting
• Maintain manual stabilization while applying the splint to minimize movement of
the injured limb and to support the injury
• Fracture of the middle of a long bone: immobilize the joints above and below the
fracture
• Joint injuries: immobilize the bones above and below the injured joint
• Pad all splints to prevent excessive pressure and discomfort