Basic First Aid for the Community and Workplace

Section 2 — Responding to Emergencies Emergency Action Steps Roles and Responsibilities of the First Aid Provider Roles The basic role of a first aid provider is to recognize a medical emergency and make a decision to help. Your personal safety is your highest initial priority, followed by the safety of the victim and any bystanders. Responsibilities • Maintain composure. • Maintain personal health and safety. • Maintain caring attitude. • Maintain up-to-date knowledge and skills. • Without putting yourself in danger, make the victims’ needs your main concern. • Do no further harm. Universal First Aid Procedures Assess the Scene • If it is not safe, or at any time becomes unsafe, GET OUT! • Observe Universal Precautions. (Use Personal Protective Equipment!) • If victim is awake and talking, identify yourself; ask if it is okay to help. • If victim appears weak, seriously ill or injuried, or is unresponsive… Alert EMS Call 9-1-1 or active your Emergency Action Plan. Emergency Action Steps The Emergency Action Steps are intended to help the first aid provider respond to an emergency and manage life-threatening problems of the airway, breathing, and circulation in a victim of any age. Whenever you recognize and emergency, you should assess the scene for safety. Pause for a moment as you approach the victim. If the scene is not safe, or at any time becomes unsafe, GET OUT! Assess the victim. What is your first impression? Is the victim responsive? If the victim is unresponsive, appears badly hurt, seriously ill, or quickly gets worse… Alert EMS. Call 9-1-1 or activate your Emergency Action Plan. Attend to the victim. Check the victim’s airway, breathing, and circulation. Refer to the Universal First Aid Procedures. Attend Attend to the Victim A = Airway — Open Airway. • If unresponsive, tilt head — lift chin. B = Breathing — Check Breathing. • Look, listen, and feel for at least 5 seconds, but no more than 10. – Unresponsive, not breathing — Perform CPR. – Unresponsive, breathing normally — Place in recovery position. If injured, use HAINES position (page 9.) C = Circulation • Look for and control severe bleeding with direct pressure. • Monitor tissue color and temperature. • Help maintain normal body temperature. • If it is available and you are properly trained, give emergency oxygen. Provide First Aid Treatment • Suspected Spinal Injury — Place your hands on both sides of victim’s head to stabilize it. • Suspected Limb Injury — Place your hands above and below the injury to stabilize it. • Consider performing physical assessment (SAMPLE/DOTS — page 8.) Responding to Emergencies Basic First Aid for the Community and Workplace 5 This training guide is provided online for individual use only. Reprinting for classroom distribution is prohibited.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Basic First Aid for the Community and Workplace

Basic First Aid for the Community and Workplace Contents Basic First Aid Emergency Action Steps Severe Bleeding and Shock Major Wounds Minor Wounds Burns Bites and Stings Dental Injuries Eye and Nose Injuries Injuries to Limbs Injuries to the Spine Head Injury Sudden Illness Specific Conditions Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke Endnotes About This Program

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