Introduction to

First Aid
FIRST AID
Is an immediate care given to a person
who has been injured or suddenly
taken ill.
Roles and Responsibilities of a First Aider
1. Bridge that fills the gap between the victim
and the physician.

2. Ensures personal safety, patient & by-stander.

3. Gain access to the victim.
4. Determines any threats to patient’s life.
5. Summon advanced medical care as needed.
6. Provide needed care for the patient.
7. Assists EMT and other
medical personnel.
8. Records all assessments
and care given to the patient.
 Objectives of First Aid
1. To alleviate suffering.
2. To prevent added/further
injury or danger
3. To prolong life.
 Characteristics of a Good First Aider
1. Gentle - should not cause pain.

2. Resourceful - should make the best use of things

at hand.

3. Observant - should notice all signs.

4. Tactful - should not alarm the victim.

5. Empathetic - should be comforting.

6. Respectable - should maintain a professional &

caring attitude.
 Hindrances in Giving First Aid
1. Unfavorable surroundings.

2. Presence of crowds.

3. Pressure from victim or relatives.

THE GOLDEN RULES OF FIRST AID
• USE A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH IN ALL MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.
• IDENTIFY AND AVOID RISKS TO YOURSELF, THE PERSON AFFECTED AND
THIRD PARTIES.

• REQUEST SUPPORT EARLY (FIRST AIDERS, AED, EMERGENCY NUMBER 144).

• BE “SUSPICIOUS” AND PRIMARILY ASSUME IT IS SOMETHING SERIOUS.
• DEAL QUICKLY WITH ANY CHAOS AND COPE WITH THE SITUATION.
 BODY SUBSTANCE ISOLATION (BSI)
Are precautions taken to isolate or prevent risk of exposure
from any other type of bodily substance.

Basic Precautions and Practices

Personal Hygiene Protective Equipment Equipment Cleaning &

Disinfecting
 Basic Equipment
Spine Board Kendrick’s Extrication Device (KED)
 Basic Equipment
Sets of Splints Commercial Stretchers

Poles and Blankets

 First Aid Kit Content

• Rubbing alcohol • Plaster

• Povidone Iodine • Gloves
• Cotton • Scissors
• Gauge pads • Forceps
• Tongue depressor • Bandage (Triangular)
• Penlight • Elastic roller bandage
• Band aid • Occlusive dressing
DRESSING
Any sterile cloth materials used to cover the wound.
Other uses of the dressing

1. Control bleeding.
2. Protect the wound from infection.
3. Absorbs liquid from the wound such as blood plasma,
water and puss.

BANDAGES
Any clean cloth materials sterile or not use to hold the dressing in
place.
Other uses of bandages:

1. Control bleeding.
2. Tie splints in place.
3. Immobilize body part.
4. For arm support – use as a sling.
Guidelines in Giving
Emergency Care
GETTING STARTED
1. Plan of Action
Emergency plans should be established based on anticipated needs and
available resources
2. Gathering of
2. Gathering of Needed
Needed Materials
Materials
The
The emergency
emergency response
response begins
begins with
with the
the preparation
preparation of
of equipment
equipment and
and
personnel
personnel before
before any
any emergency
emergency occurs.
occurs.
3. Initial
3. Initial Response:
Response:
• Ask for HELP.
• Intervene
• Do no further harm.
4. Instruction to Helper/s

Proper information
Proper information and
and instruction
instruction to
to aa helper/s
helper/s would
would provide
provide
organized first aid care.
EMERGENCY ACTION PRINCIPLES
1. Survey the Scene
Once you recognized that an emergency has occurred and decide to
act, you must make sure the scene of the emergency is safe for you,
the victim/s, and any bystander/s.

Elements of the Survey the Scene

• Scene safety
• Mechanism of injury or
nature of illness.
• Determine the number of patients
and additional resources.
2. Activate Medical Assistance (AMA) or Transfer Facility

In some emergency, you will have enough time to call for specific
medical advice before administering first aid. But in some situations, you
will need to attend to the victim first.
 3. Do a Primary Survey
In every emergency situation, you must first find out if there are conditions that
are an immediate threat to the victim’s life.

1. Check for Consciousness 2. Check

2. Check for
for Airway
Airway

3. Check for Breathing 4. Check

4. Check for
for Circulation
Circulation
4. Do a Secondary Survey
It is a systematic method of gathering additional information about
injuries or conditions that may need care.

1. Interview the victim.

2. Check vital signs.

3. Perform head-to-toe examination.

Interview the victim.
• Victim’s name, address, phone number

• Ask what happen

• S A M P L E history
 Signs & symptoms
Allergies
Medications
Past medical history
Last oral intake
Events prior to the episode
HISTORY
Check vital signs
• PULSE Rate, Strength & Rhythm

• RESPIRATION Respiration = 1 inhalation & 1 exhalation

• SKIN APPEARANCE Temperature, color & capillary refill

• PUPILS Pupil Equal And Reactive to Light (PEARL)

Normal Ranges for Pulse Rate Normal Ranges for Respiration

AGE RANGE AGE RANGE
ADULT 60 – 90/min. ADULT 12 – 20/min.
CHILD 80 – 100/min. CHILD 18 – 25/min.
INFANT 100 – 120/min. INFANT 25 - 35/min.
VITAL SIGNS
VITAL SIGNS OR CARDINAL SIGNS are:
[Link] TEMPERATURE
[Link]
[Link]
[Link] PRESSURE
[Link] OXIMETER ASSESSMENT
 ASSESSING BODY TEMPERATURE

BODY TEMPERATURE
• Is the balance between the heat produced by the body and the heat lost from the
body.
• The average body temperature of an adult is between 36.7 ‘C (98’F) to 37.0’C
(98.6’F)
• There are a number of body sites for measuring body temperature: oral, rectal,
axillary and tympanic
• RECENTLY, using non-contact thermometer
STEPS / PROCEDURES
1. Check if the equipment is functioning normally
2. Explain what you are going to do
3. Wash hands before and after, disinfect equipment as well
4. Provide privacy if ever necessary
5. Place in a comfortable and appropriate position
6. Wait for the appropriate time that will indicate reading is complete,
either a tone or light effect
7. Remove the thermometer and disinfect properly
8. Record result
 ASSESSING PULSE RATE
PULSE
• The term used to describe the rate ,
rhythm and volume of the heartbeat
• The rate of the pulse is expressed in
beats per minute (bpm)
• Normal range: 60 to 100 bpm
• Radial artery
 REASONS FOR USING SPECIFIC PULSE SITES
• RADIAL – Readily accessible
• TEMPORAL – used when radial pulse is non-palpable
• CAROTID – used for infants, cases of cardiac arrest
• APICAL – routinely used for infants and children up to 3 years old
• BRACHIAL – Used to measure blood pressure
• FEMORAL – for cases of cardiac arrest
• POPLITEAL – used to determine circulation of the lower leg
• POSTERIOR TIBIAL – used to determine circulation of the foot
• PEDAL used to determine circulation of the foot
 RADIAL PULSE PALPATION
• ONE FULL MINUTE - 60 SECONDS
TEMPORAL PULSE
CAROTID PULSE
•Apical pulse
BRACHIAL PULSE
FEMORAL , POPLITEAL, POSTERIOR TIBIAL AND
DORSALIS PEDIS PULSE
Steps / procedures
1. Explain what you’re going to do
2. Wash hands before and after, (gloves) optional
3. Provide for client privacy
4. Select pulse points
5. Assist to a comfortable, resting position
6. Palpate and count the pulse ( place two or three middle fingertips lightly over the pulse point)
7. Assess the pulse
rhythm - noting the pattern of the intervals between the beats
volume - a normal pulse can be felt with moderate pressure and equal with each beats
8. Document and record
 ASSESSING RESPIRATION
Respiration
• Is the act of breathing
• The terms inhalation and exhalation
• Ventilation is another word, that refers to the movement of air in and out of the lungs
• Hyperventilation – refers to very deep and rapid respiration
• Hypoventilation – very shallow respiration
• DOB – Difficulty of breathing
• Assess: the rate depth, rhythm
• Describe in breaths per minute (bpm)
• A normal adult takes between 15 to 20 breaths per minute . By watching the movement of the chest
• DOB – Difficulty of breathing
• Assess: the rate depth, rhythm
• Describe in breaths per minute (bpm)
• A normal adult takes between 15 to 20 breaths per minute . By watching the movement of the chest
 STEPS / PROCEDURES
1. Determine the clients activity, need to rest for a few minutes to permit the
accelerated respiratory rate to return to normal
2. Explain
3. Wash hands before and after
4. Observe and count the respiratory rate, place a hand against the clients chest to
feel the movement of the chest
5. An inhalation and an exhalation count as one respiration
6. Normally, respirations are silent and effortless
7. Document and or record
 Steps / procedures
1. Ensure that the equipment is functioning properly
2. Make sure that the client has not smoked or ingested caffeine within 30 minutes
prior to measurement
3. Explain
4. Wash hands and observe appropriate infection control procedures
5. Position the client appropriately, the adult client should be sitting unless otherwise
specified
6. The elbow should be slightly flexed with the palm of the hand facing up
7. Wrapped the deflated cuff evenly around the upper arm
8. Palpate the brachial artery with the fingertips
 • Continuation:

9. Position the stethoscope appropriately

10. Close the valve on the pump
11. Pump up the cuff until you no longer feel the brachial pulse
12. Release the pressure slowly and completely in the cuff
• As the pressure falls, identify the manometer reading
• Repeat the above steps once as necessary to confirm the accuracy of the reading
13. Remove the cuff from the arm
14. Wipe the cuff with an approved disinfectant
15. Document and record
OXYGEN SATURATION
MEASUREMENT
• Using a PULSE OXIMETER device that
measures a clients arterial blood oxygen
saturation (Sa02) by means of a sensor
attached to the clients finger or toe.
• Normal reading is 95% to 100%
• Below 70% is life threatening
 •STEPS / PROCEDURES
1. Check the equipment if functioning properly, check nailbeds
2. Explain
3. Wash hands before and after
4. Choose a sensor appropriate to the clients weight , size and desired
location
5. Prepare the site: clean the site with alcohol
6. Apply the sensor and connect to pulse oximeter
7. Set and turn on the alarm
8. Ensure the accuracy of the measurement – minimize motion
9. Observe reading and record
Perform head-to-toe examination
D Deformities
C Contusions
A Abrasions
P Punctures/penetrations
B Burns
T Tenderness
L Lacerations
S Swelling
Pupillary Reactions

Constricted Pupils
( Heat Stroke / Drug over dose )

Dilated Pupils
( Shock / Bleeding )

Unequal Pupils
( Head Injury / Stroke)