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         "First Aid" First Aid Symbol

   First Aid Artificial Ventilation & CPR Cardiac Arrest

                                            Bleeding

                                               

First Aid          

The objective of this study guide is to familiarize you with basic first aid techniques in some common emergencies (not to make you an expert in first aid). You will learn what first aid is, what it can accomplish and measures to take for the treatment of shock, bleeding, burns, and fractures; methods of resuscitation; and methods of moving injured persons.

First aid is the emergency care given to sick or injured people providing temporary assistance or treatment until medical help is available. An important aspect of first aid, besides knowing what to do for a victim, is also knowing what not to do.

Objectives of First Aid

Sailor on StrecherYour knowledge of first aid measures and their proper application may mean the difference between life and death, between rapid recovery and long hospitalization, or between temporary disability or permanent injury.

The objectives of first aid are to save lives and prevent further injury. However, first aid is not a substitute for proper medical treatment.

Everyone in the Navy must know when and how to apply first aid measures and be prepared to assist persons injured in battle, collision, fire and other accidents that may occur on land, sea or in the air.

In administering first aid you have three primary tasks:

  • maintain breathing
  • stop bleeding
  • prevent or reduce shock

The first step is to find the victim's injuries. When treating a victim, first consideration usually must be given to the most serious injury. The order of treatment is to restore breathing, stop bleeding and treat for shock.

Work quickly but do not rush around frantically. Do not waste time looking for ready-made materials. Do the best you can with whatever is at hand, and send for medical help as soon as possible.

General Rules

Although each case involving injury or sickness presents its own special problems, some general rules apply to practically all situations. Become familiar with these basic rules before you go on to learn first aid treatment for specific types of injures:

  • Keep the victim lying down motionless, head level with the body, until you have found out what type of injury has occurred and how serious it is. If the victim shows one of the following difficulties, follow the rule given for that specific problem;
  • Vomiting or bleeding from the mouth and semiconscious: If the victim is in danger of sucking in blood, vomited matter or water, place the victim on his/her side or back with their head turned to one side and lower than the feet.
  • Shortness of breath: If the victim has a chest injury or breathing difficulties place him/her on their back with their head slightly lower than the feet.
  • Do not move the victim more than is absolutely necessary. To determine the extent of the victim's injuries, carefully rip or cut the clothing along the seams. If done improperly, the removal of the victim's clothing could cause great harm, especially if fractures are involved. When clothing is removed, ensure that the victim does not get chilled. Shoes may also be cut off to avoid causing pain or increased injury.
  • The victim should not see the actual injury. You should make the victim more comfortable by ensuring the individual that the injuries are understood and medical attention is on the way.
  • Do not touch open wounds or burns with fingers or other objects unless sterile compresses or bandages are not available and it is absolutely necessary to stop severe bleeding.
  • Don't give an unconscious person any solid or liquid substance by mouth. The person may vomit and get some material into the lungs when breathing, causing choking and possibly death.
  • If a bone is broken, or you suspect one is broken, do not move the victim until you have immobilized the injured part. This may prove lifesaving in cases of severe bone fractures or spinal cord injuries. The jagged bone may sever nerves, blood vessels, damage tissues and induce or increase shock. Threat of fire, necessity to abandon ship or other similar situations may require that the victim be moved. The principle that further damage could be done by moving the victim should always be kept in mind and considered against other factors.
  • When transporting an injured person, always see that the litter is carried feet forward no matter what the injuries are. This will enable the rear bearer to observe the victim for any respiratory obstruction or stoppage of breathing.
  • Keep the injured person warm enough to maintain normal body temperature.

Very serious injuries may require heroic first aid measures on your behalf. The greater the number of injuries, the more you must exhibit better judgment and self-control to prevent yourself and well-intentioned bystanders from trying to do too much.

 

  

Artificial Ventilation and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

A person who has stopped breathing is not necessarily dead but is in immediate critical danger. Life is dependent upon oxygen, and death will result from a continued lack of breathing.First Aid Kit labeled CPR

Therefore artificial ventilation is necessary to provide a method of air exchange until natural breathing is re-established. Artificial ventilation should be given only when natural breathing has stopped. It must not be given to any person who is still breathing.

To perform mouth-to-mouth ventilation you should:

  • clear the victim's mouth of obstructions like false teeth and other foreign matter.
  • place one hand under the victim's neck and the heel of the other hand on the forehead. Using the thumb and index finger, pinch the nostrils shut.
  • tilt the head back to open the airway.
  • take a deep breath, cover the victim's mouth with your mouth, and blow into the victim's mouth.
  • remove your mouth from the victim's to allow the victim to exhale.
  • observe the victim's chest for movement. If the victim has not started to breathe normally, start artificial ventilation with four quick ventilation's in succession, allowing the lungs to partially inflate. If the victim still does not respond you must fully inflate the victim's lungs at the rate of 12 to 15 ventilation's per minute (one breath every 5 seconds).

NOTE: To properly learn CPR, a certified instructor must conduct the training.

 
 

 

Cardiac Arrest

Cardiac arrest is the complete stoppage of heart function.

If the victim is to live, action must be taken immediately to restore the heart function. In this situation the immediate administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by a rescuer using correct procedures increases the chances of a victim's survival.

CPR involves external heart compression and artificial ventilation. The compression is done on the chest, and the lungs are ventilated either by mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose techniques. To be effective, CPR must be started within four minutes of the onset of cardiac arrest. The victim must be lying on a firm surface.

CPR should not be attempted by a rescuer who has not been properly trained. To learn CPR, consult a qualified instructor. Improperly done CPR can cause serious damage. Therefore, it is never practiced on a healthy individual for training purposes; a training aid is used instead.

 

Bleeding

The only way to stop serious bleeding is by the application of pressure. In practically all cases bleeding can be stopped if pressure is applied directly to the wound. If direct pressure does not stop the bleeding, pressure should be applied at the appropriate pressure point. First Aid Kit labeled Bleeding

Where bleeding is so severe that it cannot be controlled by either of these methods, pressure can be applied by a tight constricting band called a tourniquet. Tourniquets should be used only as a last resort.

The three ways of using pressure to control hemorrhage are direct pressure, pressure points and tourniquets. A description of each follows:

Direct pressure - In almost every case, bleeding can be stopped by the application of pressure directly to the wound. Place a dressing (sterile or clean when possible) over the wound and firmly fasten it in position with a bandage. If bleeding does not stop, firmly secure another dressing over the first or apply direct pressure with your hand to the dressing. Direct pressure is the first method to use when you are trying to control hemorrhage.

Pressure points - Bleeding from a cut artery or vein may often be controlled by applying pressure to the appropriate pressure point. A pressure point is where the main artery to the injured part lies near the skin surface and over a bone. Pressure at such a point is applied with the fingers (digital pressure) or with the hand. No first aid materials are required. The object of pressure is to compress the artery against the bone shutting off the flow of blood from the heart to the wound.

Tourniquets - A tourniquet is a constricting band that is used to cut off the supply of blood to an injured limb. It cannot be used to control bleeding from the head, neck or body, since its use in these locations would result in greater injury or death.

A tourniquet should be used only if the control of hemorrhage by other means proves to be impossible. Never put on a tourniquet unless the hemorrhage is so severe that it cannot be controlled in any other way. If a tourniquet is used, the victim most likely has lost a considerable amount of blood. Once a tourniquet has been applied it should be released only by medical personnel.

Things to remember about using a tourniquet:

  • Use a tourniquet only if you cannot control the bleeding by any other means.
  • Do not use a tourniquet for bleeding from the head, face, neck or body; use it only on limbs.
  • Always apply a tourniquet above and as close to the wound as possible.
  • Be sure you draw the tourniquet tight enough to stop the bleeding but not tighter than necessary.
  • Do not loosen a tourniquet after it has been applied except in extreme emergency.
  • Do not cover a tourniquet with a dressing. If it is necessary to cover the injured person in some way,make sure that all other people concerned with the case know about the tourniquet. Using crayon, skin pencil or blood, mark a large T on the victim's forehead or on a medical tag attached to the wrist to indicate a tourniquet is in use.

 

 

 

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