First aid tips that will help you help others
By Brian Steel
Emergencies don’t happen very often, but what do you do when they occur? In some cases doing the wrong thing can be even more harmful than doing nothing. Moving a person with a spinal injury can greatly worsen their condition and cause permanent damage if done improperly. However, avoidable deaths and injuries do occur when no one knows what to do. In their book “First Aid,” Harper Essentials give step-by-step instructions for the immediate treatment of minor and major injuries. They preface their instructions with a reminder that, when at all possible, someone who is properly trained should give first aid treatment and their directions are only to be used by a novice when no professionals are available.
If you would like to learn more about first aid treatment, books on the subject are readily available in most bookstores and classes are often given by organizations such as Red Cross. Remember that first aid should only be given in emergencies when a physician is not immediately available and in the case of serious conditions, one should call 911 as soon as possible and explain the situation.
Unconsciousness
One of the common causes of avoidable deaths among college students is asphyxiation; this usually occurs when a person who is unconscious from an injury or alcohol abuse is left on his or her back unattended. When an unconscious person is left on their back, they can drown in their own vomit or suffocate from their own tongue, because the reflexes that would not normally prevent these things from occurring are temporarily paralyzed.
Fainting
Fainting is not terribly uncommon and people are often unaware of what to do when a person does faint. Fainting is caused by a temporary shortage of blood in the brain and can be brought on by many things such as extreme heat, fear, stress, and severe pain, prolonged coughing and standing for excessive amounts of time. When someone does faint, “First Aid” warns not to raise their upper body. Remember, the problem is a shortage of blood to the brain and so, raising their head would only make it worse. Instead, elevate their feet and loosen any tight clothing. If their breathing becomes strained, you should roll them into the recovery position.
Treating burns
Most people know to treat high temperature burns with cold water or ice, but what do you do to treat a chemical burn? According to “First Aid,” you should wash thoroughly under a tap or hose as soon as possible. In the case of a dry chemical burn, you should brush it off first with a soft brush. While you are washing remove any clothing contaminated by the chemicals, you will also want to remove all jewelry in case of swelling. After you have thoroughly washed the residue off of the victim, wrap the burn and take the person to the hospital.
If the burn is in the eye rinse the eye under cool tap water for at least ten minutes. Turn the head so that
the water is running off of the head and not into the unburned eye. Make sure that the eyelids are apart
during the rinsing. If the victim cannot keep them open, you need to hold them open. After rinsing the eye, tape a clean pad over the injured eye and take the victim
to the hospital.
Wound care
A common emergency is extensive bleeding from cuts and wounds. “First Aid” suggests applying pressure to the wound using your fingers. If the wound is too large, they say to push the edges together and firmly apply pressure. Also, consider what you can use to wrap or pad the wound. A folded handkerchief makes a great pad. When you wrap the wound you want to make sure that it is tight enough to keep pressure on the wound, but not tight enough to cut off their circulation; after you wrap the wound check their pulse to ensure that they are still receiving circulation in the injured limb or extremity. If the wound is on a limb, they suggest elevating the limb. Be careful if there is a possibility of a fracture.
