Over the next few weeks we aim to post a few blogs highlighting just how easy, with the correct training, First Aid can be for the lay person. During these blogs if you have any questions, please contact us.
Communication and Casualty Care During First Aid
Whilst carrying out any first aid training, one of the main things students neglect to do is actually speak to their casualty and reassure them! Often they dive straight in and start dealing with what they believe to be wrong with their casualty. Who knows better what is wrong when dealing with them, you or them? Clearly they will have a plethora of information that they are able to share with you and in doing so it will make the first aiders diagnosis so much easier! Coupled with this, if you communicate with your casualty you are going some way to checking and monitoring their response levels and the reassurance that your casualty feels can not be underestimated, knowing that you know what you are doing! Where possible, tell your casualty the truth! Maybe not the full truth if to do so will cause distress but certainly do not try and hide anything as you may lose their trust! In essence, communicate with your casualty in a calm and concise manner to build a history, look for signs, discuss the symptoms and treat accordingly.
The Priorities of First Aid Treatment
When treating casualties it is important to remember to what levels we have been trained and not to cross the boundaries of your first aid training. First Aid is vitally important and in the UK it is a legal requirement to ensure that we have an allocation of first aiders in the workplace, whether these are emergency first aid at work qualified or hold the higher qualification of first aid at work or even the lesser ELS training. Either way these individuals need to know their limitations. However, first aiders can save lives and when they are dealing with emergency situations they need to prioritise their treatment and one of the easiest ways to remember this is the 4 B’s! Top priority, beginning with B, Breathing! Is your casualty breathing normally? Second priority, Bleeding, is your casualty bleeding and if so can you stem the flow of blood? Third and forth, Breaks and Burns and finally deal with any other injuries! If you can remember the 4 B’s you will not go far wrong! Again, treat within your limitations and you will not go far wrong but if in any doubt, call 999.