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You Could Save a Life - Simple First Aid Tips Everyone Should Know
Words Dr Stephanie Slater
Dr Stephanie Slater is a trainee GP with a passion for empowering people to care for their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of others when there isn’t a medical professional around. Whether that be advising on self-care tips to improve mental health or how to help a casualty in the community.
First Aid saves lives and yet studies have shown that only 1 in 20 people would know what to do in a First Aid Emergency. So let’s improve that figure!
In all the following situations, you should shout for help as you approach the casualty. Remember to wear a mask and wash your hands before and after your actions if the casualty is not from your household or support bubble.
Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs suddenly without warning. Common culprits include; food allergens, venom (e.g. bee and wasp stings) and medicines but often the cause is unknown. A person experiencing anaphylaxis could have any of these symptoms; swelling of the lips & tongue, an itchy rash, breathing problems, collapse or loss of consciousness.
How to help:
If the patient has an adrenaline auto-injector (often referred to as an EpiPen) help them to administer this now.
Call 999 immediately as anaphylaxis needs to be treated in a hospital.
If possible, try to remove the allergen e.g. a sting.
Lie the person flat unless they’re having breathing difficulty or pregnant.
Bleeding
If a person is bleeding heavily, it is vital to attempt to stop the bleed and prevent them from going into shock. Shock is a life-threatening emergency which occurs when our circulatory system is not working effectively to deliver enough oxygen to our vital organs and tissues.
How to help:
Apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding - wear gloves if available. If something is embedded in the wound, do not try to remove it but apply pressure around the object.
Call 999.
Ask the casualty to lay down. Raise their legs to help maintain blood flow to the vital organs.
Continue to maintain pressure on the wound until help arrives.
Nosebleeds are common and often not managed correctly. What to do:
Stay upright
Pinch the soft part of the nose above the nostrils and lean forward
Continue for 10 minutes - repeat the process if still bleeding
You should get help if the bleeding is severe or lasts more than 30 minutes
Burns
Burns or scalds can result in infection, scarring or severe illness if extensive. They should be treated immediately, even if there are no visible skin changes.
How to help:
Stop the burning process
Remove clothing or jewellery unless it’s stuck to the damaged area
Cool the burn with cool or lukewarm running water (NOT ice cold) for 20 minutes. Do not apply ice or lotions/cream to the burn
Cover the burn with cling film.
If a large area is affected, ensure the casualty does not get cold
You must always seek medical advice if:
The casualty is a baby or child
The burn is chemical or electrical in nature
It is larger than the size of their hand
Smoke or fumes have been inhaled
Choking
Approximately 350 people die each year in the UK from choking. People who are choking severely often cannot make any noise but may wheeze or become red in the face.
Casualty >1 year of age:
Encourage them to cough.
If coughing does not relieve the obstruction, commence back slaps. Help the casualty to lean forward, with the heel of your hand strike them firmly between their shoulder blades up tp 5 times.
If this does not work, commence abdominal thrusts. Stand behind the casualty, join your hands around their waist at the bottom of their chest and form a fist. Pull your fist sharply inwards and upwards. Repeat up to 5 times. Do not give abdominal thrusts to pregnant women.
Call 999 if the above does not work.
Baby <1 year of age
Whilst sitting, lay the baby face down along your thighs with their head lower than their bottom supporting their head with your hand
Give up to 5 sharp back blows with the heel of the hand to the middle of their back between their shoulder blades
Should this not relieve the obstruction, lay the baby face up along your thighs and deliver up to 5 chest thrusts pressing down onto the middle of their chest with 2 fingers. Do not perform abdominal thrusts.
Should this not dislodge the blockage, call 999
The Unresponsive Adult
Although approaching an unconscious casualty may seem like a daunting task, your help could save their life. The most important thing is to determine whether the casualty is breathing or not, using the ‘DR AB(C)’ mnemonic.
D = DANGER. If it is not safe to approach the casualty, call 999 immediately.
R = RESPONSE. Put your mask on, approach the casualty, ask them loudly if they’re OK or to open their eyes. If no response, tap their shoulder or pinch their earlobe. If you have not done so already, CALL FOR HELP.
A = AIRWAY. If the casualty is UNRESPONSIVE kneel beside them, place one hand on their forehead and the other middle and index finger on their chin and gently tilt their head back.
B = BREATHING. Look for the rise and fall of their chest and stomach to see if their breathing looks normal (if you unsure, assume they are not breathing).
If the casualty is UNRESPONSIVE BUT BREATHING, place them in the Recovery position to keep their airway open and ensure they do not choke.
The Recovery position:
Kneel beside the casualty with them lying on their back and their legs straight.
Extend their arm nearest to you straight out to the side (like they are hailing a cab).
Take the casualty’s far arm and put the back of that hand against the cheek nearest to you and hold it there.
With the other hand, bend the knee of the far leg and using this knee carefully roll the casualty towards you, keeping their hand in place.
Tilt their head back gently to keep the airway open.
Stay with the person until help arrives.
If their breathing is ABNORMAL or they are NOT BREATHING, you should assume that the casualty has had a cardiac arrest. Here’s what to do...
CALL 999 (if you have not already done so)
START CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)
USE A DEFIBRILLATOR (AED) EARLY
How to perform CPR:
Place a towel/ piece of clothing loosely over the casualties nose and mouth if there is a risk of covid infection. Kneel by the casualty
Put the heel of your hand in the middle of their chest and the other hand on top, interlock the fingers making sure the fingers don’t touch the ribs.
Keep your arms locked straight and lean over the casualty. Press down hard to a depth of 5cm then allow the chest to come back up
Continue this to the beat of ‘Staying Alive’ (to ensure a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute) until help arrives
If an AED is available:
Turn it on & take out the pads
Remove any clothing from the casualty’s chest & ensure the chest is dry
Attach the pads - do not stop CPR until the AED tells you to do so
If a shock needs to be delivered, everyone needs to stand back.
NB. If you are alone, do NOT leave the casualty to get an AED - instead call 999 and continue CPR.
In the UK, the survival rate for out of hospital cardiac arrests is only 1 in 10. It is much higher in countries that teach CPR in schools. Emergencies in the community are really frightening but hopefully you can see that simple actions can save lives.