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Social Awareness

Program

First Aid

A cknowledgement I am highly indebted to internet, teachers and

my friends for their guidance and constant supervision as well as for providing necessary information regarding the project and also for their support in completing the project.

I would like to express my special gratitude and thanks to my parents and my group members for their kind co-operation and encouragement which helps me in completion of this project.

My thanks and appreciations also go to my batch-mates in developing the project and people who have willingly helped me out with their ability.

I ntroduction First aid is the assistance given to any person suffering a sudden illness or injury, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, and/or promote recovery. It includes initial intervention in a serious condition prior to professional medical help being available, such as performing CPR while awaiting an ambulance, as well as the complete treatment of minor conditions, such as applying a plaster to a cut. First aid is generally performed by the layperson, with many people trained in providing basic levels of first aid, and others willing to do so from acquired knowledge. Mental health first aid is an extension of the concept of first aid to cover mental health.

There are many situations which may require first aid, and many countries have legislation, regulation, or guidance which specifies a minimum level of first

aid provision in certain circumstances. This can include specific training or equipment to be available in the workplace (such as an automated external defibrillator), the provision of specialist first aid cover at public gatherings, or mandatory first aid training within schools. First aid, however, does not necessarily require any particular equipment or prior knowledge, and can involve improvisation with materials available at the time, often by untrained persons.

I n S hort F irst A id S ometimes M ay E ven S ave

S omeone’s L ife.

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A im s The key aims of first aid can be summarized in

three key points, sometimes known as 'the

three P's'

Preserve life: the overriding aim of all

medical care which includes first aid, is to

save lives and minimize the threat of death.

Prevent further harm: also sometimes

called prevent the condition from worsening,

or danger of further injury, this covers both

external factors, such as moving a patient

away from any cause of harm, and applying

first aid techniques to prevent worsening of

the condition, such as applying pressure to

stop a bleed becoming dangerous.

Promote recovery: first aid also involves

trying to start the recovery process from the

illness or injury, and in some cases might

involve completing a treatment, such as in the

case of applying a plaster to a small wound.

F irst A id F or S ome F or S ome C ommon

I ssues

General Guidance:Learn CPR: If you are interested in learning CPR,

go to the UCOP emergency management webpage at the link on the slide and complete the training request form.

Spinal/Neck Injuries: If you suspect spinal or neck injuries – Do NOT move the person. Moving the person can result in permanent injuries. The only

time you should move the person is if the person is exposed to an immediate imminent danger.

Trust Your Instincts: When you are assessing the situation, always trust your own initiative, good judgment, and common sense. 99% of the time you initial instincts are usually correct.

In case of tongue fallen backwards, blocking the airway, it is necessary to hyperextend the head and pull up the chin, so that the tongue lifts and clears the airway.

Bleeding:Direct Pressure: If you are cut and bleeding, apply steady firm direct pressure to the wound using a clean cloth or bandage. Avoid direct contact with the wound.

Maintain Pressure: Maintain direct pressure on the wound for 15 minutes. If needed, add more layers of clean cloth or bandages.

Elevate Extremities: If it is a bleeding extremity and there are no fractures, lie down and raise the extremity.

Burns:First Degree Burn: A first degree burn results in minor redness of the skin. Treatment for a first degree burn is to run cold water over the burn for at least 5 minutes. Never put ice on the burn. This can result in frostbite which can further damage the skin. Do not apply butter or ointments to the burn. This could prevent proper healing. Place a sterile gauze bandage over the burn and allow it to heal.

Second Degree Burn: A second degree burn is a burn into the second layer of the skin and will eventually blister. Do not break the blisters!Broken blisters are vulnerable to infection. If the blister should break, clean the burn and apply an antibiotic ointment. Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage. Do not use fluffy cotton, which may irritate the skin. Wrap the gauze loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the burned skin, reduces pain, and protects the blistered skin.

Third Degree Burn – A third degree burn is the most serious type of burn which results in charred skin. Immediately call 911 if a person has a 3rd

degreeburn.

Poisoning:Identify The Substance: For poisonings, you should try to identify the substance which was ingested. Identification can be done by looking for the container or other clues such as stains, odors, or residues.

Contact The Poison Control Center: Immediately contact the poison control center for advice.

Induce Vomiting: If directed by the poison control center, induce vomiting. You should never induce vomiting if the victim is unconscious or if the victim has ingested corrosives or caustics.

If Vomiting – Roll To TheSide:If the victim is vomiting, they should be rolled onto their side to allow for drainage.

Altitude Sickness:Altitude sickness, which can begin in susceptible people at altitudes as low as 5,000 feet, can cause potentially fatal swelling of the brain or lungs.

Give oxygen, if available.

Keep the person warm and have him or her rest.

Give plenty of liquids.

Give acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen(Advil, Motrin) for headache.

Anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition in which the airway can become constricted and the patient may go into shock. The reaction can be caused by a systemic allergic reaction to allergens such as insect bites or peanuts. Anaphylaxis is initially treated with injection of epinephrine.

Battlefield first aid-This protocol refers to treating shrapnel, gunshot wounds, burns, bone fractures, etc. as seen either in the ‘traditional’ battlefield setting or in an area subject to damage by large-scale weaponry, such as a bomb blast.

Bone fracture, a break in a bone initially treated by stabilizing the fracture with a splint.

Cardiac Arrest, which will lead to death unless CPR preferably combined with an AED is started within minutes. There is often no time to wait for the emergency services to arrive as 92 percent of people suffering a sudden cardiac arrest die before reaching hospital according to the American Heart Association.

Choking, blockage of the airway which can quickly result in death due to lack of oxygen if the

patient’s trachea is not cleared, for example by the Heimlich Maneuver.

Cramps in muscles due to lactic acid build up caused either by inadequate oxygenation of muscle or lack of water or salt.

Diving disorders, drowning or asphyxiation.[14]

Gender-specific conditions, such as dysmenorrhea and testicular torsion.

Heart attack, or inadequate blood flow to the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle.

Heat stroke, also known as sunstroke or hyperthermia, which tends to occur during heavy exercise in high humidity, or with inadequate water, though it may occur spontaneously in some chronically ill persons. Sunstroke, especially when the victim has been

unconscious, often causes major damage to body systems such as brain, kidney, liver, gastric tract. Unconsciousness for more than two hours usually leads to permanent disability. Emergency treatment involves rapid cooling of the patient.

Heavy bleeding, treated by applying pressure (manually and later with a pressure bandage) to the wound site and elevating the limb if possible.

Hyperglycaemia (diabeticcoma) and Hypoglycaemia (insulin shock).

Hypothermia, or Exposure, occurs when a person’s core body temperature falls below 33.7 °C (92.6 °F). First aid for a mildly hypothermic patient includes rewarming, which can be achieved by wrapping the affected person in a blanket, and providing warm drinks, such as soup, and high energy food, such as chocolate. However, rewarming a severely hypothermic person could result in a fatal arrhythmia, an irregular heart rhythm.

Insect and animal bites and stings. Joint dislocation. Poisoning, which can occur by injection,

inhalation, absorption, or ingestion.

Seizures, or a malfunction in the electrical activity in the brain. Three types of seizures include a grand mal (which usually features convulsions as well as temporary respiratory abnormalities, change in skin complexion, etc.) and petit mal (which usually features twitching, rapid blinking, and/or fidgeting as well as altered consciousness and temporary respiratory abnormalities).

Muscle strains and Sprains, a temporary dislocation ofa joint that immediately reduces automatically but may result in ligament damage.

Stroke, a temporary loss of blood supply to the brain.

Toothache, which can result in severe pain and loss of the tooth but is rarely life-threatening, unless over time the infection spreads into the bone of the jaw and starts osteomyelitis.

Wounds and bleeding,including lacerations, incisions and abrasions, Gastrointestinal bleeding, avulsions and Sucking chest wounds, treated with an occlusive dressing to let air out but not in.

Heat Stroke:It, also known as sun stroke, is a severe heat illness, defined as hyperthermia with a body temperature greater than 40.6 °C (105.1 °F) because of environmental heat exposure with lack of thermoregulation. This is distinct from a fever, where there is a physiological increase in the temperature set point of the body. The term "stroke" in "heat stroke" is a misnomer in that it does not involve a blockage or haemorrhage of blood flow to the brain. Preventive measures

include drinking plenty of cool liquids and avoiding excessive heat and humidity, especially in unventilated spaces, such as parked cars, that can overheat quickly. Treatment requires rapid physical cooling of the body.

Cars

Between 1998 and 2011, at least 500 children in the United States died from being inside hot cars and 75% of the victims were less than 2 years old. When the outside temperature is 21 °C (70 °F), the temperature inside a car parked in direct sunlight can quickly exceed 49 °C (120 °F).

Young children, elderly adults, or disabled individuals left alone in a vehicle are at particular risk of succumbing to heat stroke. "Heat stroke in children and in the elderly can occur within minutes, even if a car window is opened slightly." As these groups of individuals may not be able to open car doors or to express discomfort verbally (or audibly, inside a closed car), their plight may not be immediately noticed by others in the vicinity. It is recommend that parents put their purse, wallet, or anything that is valuable in the backseat so that

when they get their items out of the backseat they can see that their child is there as well. For larger groups in a van or bus, checking for stragglers at the end of the trip is essential, complemented by other procedures such as a head count.

Heat stroke occurs when thermoregulation is overwhelmed by a combination of excessive metabolic production of heat (exertion), excessive environmental heat, and insufficient or impaired heat loss, resulting in an abnormally high body temperature. Substances that inhibit cooling and cause dehydration such as alcohol,

stimulants, medications, and age-related physiological changes predispose to so-called "classic" or non-exertional heat stroke (NEHS), most often in elderly and infirm individuals in summer situations with insufficient ventilation. Exertional heat stroke (EHS) can happen in young people without health problems or medications – most often in athletes, outdoor laborers, or military personnel engaged in strenuous hot-weather activity or in certified first responders wearing heavy personal protective equipment. In environments that are not only hot but also humid, it is important to recognize that humidity reduces

the degree to which the body can cool itself by perspiration and evaporation. For humans and other warm-blooded animals, excessive body temperature can disrupt enzymes regulating biochemical reactions that are essential for cellular respiration and the functioning of major organs.

The risk of heat stroke can be reduced by observing precautions to avoid overheating and dehydration. Light, loose-fitting clothes will allow perspiration to evaporate and cool the body. Wide-brimmed hats in light colors help prevent the sun from warming the head and neck. Vents on a hat will help cool the head, as will sweatbands wetted with cool water. Strenuous exercise should be avoided during daylight hours in hot weather, as should remaining in confined spaces (such as automobiles) without air-conditioning or adequate ventilation.

In hot weather, people need to drink plenty of cool liquids to replace fluids lost from sweating. Thirst is not a reliable sign that a person needs fluids. A

better indicator is the color of urine. A dark yellow color may indicate dehydration.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the United States publishes a Quick Card with a checklist designed to help protect from heat stress:

Know signs/symptoms of heat-related illnesses.

Block out direct sun and other heat sources. Drink fluids often, and before you are thirsty. Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting

clothes. Avoid beverages containing alcohol or

caffeine.

TreatmentPerson being cooled with water spray

Treatment of heat stroke involves rapid mechanical cooling along with standard resuscitation measures.

The body temperature must be lowered quickly. The person should be moved to a cool area (indoors, or at least in the shade) and clothing removed to promote heat loss (passive cooling). Active cooling methods should also be used, if

possible: The person is bathed in cold water, or a hyperthermia vest can be applied. (However, wrapping the person in wet towels or clothes can actually act as insulation and increase the body temperature.) Cold compresses to the torso, head, neck, and groin will help cool the victim. A fan or dehumidifying air-conditioning unit may be used to aid in evaporation of the water (evaporative method).