Would You Know What To Do? Page 3/4
Would you Know? The Control decision	Whilst waiting for help to arrive you should try to assess the condition of the casualties, moving them only if immediate danger threatens or if it becomes necessary to apply life-saving treatment. If you have knowledge of first aid you can help the patient by ensuring that their airway is clear to allow easy breathing and by trying to stem any severe bleeding. Always reassure them that everything is alright, keep them warm and make them as comfortable as possible. • BREATHING: Make sure that the patient can breathe easily by loosening any tight clothing or removing any obvious obstruction. If breathing has stopped or is rapidly failing, immediately press the head backwards and blow three or four times into their mouth or nose. If this has no effect, lay the patient on their back, press the head backwards and the jaw forwards to open the airway. Seal the nostrils with your fingers and gently blow air in through the mouth to inflate the lungs. Remove your lips each time to avoid any regurgitated matter and repeat this process about ten times per minute until the patients starts to breathe again of their own accord. If the pulse is also absent, strike their chest smartly above the heart. Finding this produces no response, place one hand over the other on their chest then, bending forward from a kneeling position at their side, depress the chest six to eight times between repeating each inflation of the lungs. Continue this process until a pulse is restored. If the casualty if a young child, use only one hand or a baby, just two fingers. Pressure and inflation in these cases must be very gentle. • BLEEDING: If the patient is bleeding from an external wound, raise the bleeding part above the level of the heart, as long as you suspect there are no fractures or broken bones. Apply direct pressure, preferably over a pad to the wound. If there is a projecting object embedded in the wound, try to apply pressure alongside it. Place a dressing over the pad all around and slightly higher than any projection then bandage firmly. Apply further bandaging and padding as long as the bleeding persists. DO NOT use a tourniquet to try and stop bleeding as this will cut off circulation to the injured part. If you suspect that the patient may be suffering from internal bleeding, keep them absolutely still in a lying position. Do not give them anything to drink and seek immediate medical help. • HEAD INJURIES: All injuries to the head are potentially dangerous and should receive medical attention, particularly if sever enough to have caused partial or total loss of consciousness. If the patient has become unconscious through a blow to the head, place them on their side bending the upper leg at right angles at the hip and knee and incline the chest downwards into what is known as the "recovery position". PREVIOUS NEXT