First Aid for Common Unintentional Injuries Fracture Dislocation Heat exhaustion Sprain Food

Poisoning Choking Drowning Heart Attack Chemical Burns Burns Heat Stroke Stroke

An injury is damage to your body. It is a general term that refers to harm caused by accidents, falls,
hits, weapons, and more. These injuries range from minor to life-threatening.

Unintentional injuries are harmful acts that occurred without any intention of causing damage to
oneself or others.

Let's recall that unintentional injuries are harmful acts that occurred without any intention of
causing damage to oneself or others, while intentional injuries are injuries resulting from purposeful
harmful actions upon oneself or others.

Intentional injuries are injuries that occur with purposeful intent and include homicide, suicide,
domestic violence, sexual assault and rape, bias related violence and firearms. Unintentional
injuries are injuries that occur without purposeful intent, and are a leading cause of death and
disability.

FIRST AID. The treatment given for any injury, or sudden illness before the arrival of an ambulance,
doctor or any other qualified person.

Objectives of First Aid

1. To save lives 2. To prolong life 3. To alleviate suffering 4. To prevent further injury

1. To restore and maintain vital functions. The ABC of basic life support (Airway, Breathing, and
Circulation) are always the first priority.

● Airway must be open so that air containing oxygen enters the body ● Breathing must take place so
that oxygen passes through the lungsinto the blood stream ● Theheart must circulatethe oxygen
carrying blood

2. To prevent further injury or deterioration.

3. To reassure the victim and make him or her as comfortable as possible.

Primary Assessment – ASSESSING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

This Action Plan is a vital aid to the first aider in assessing whether the victim has any life-
threatening conditions and if any immediate first aid is necessary. They are DRABC .

D - Check for DANGER To you To others To victim

R - Check RESPONSE Is victim conscious? Is victim unconscious?

A - Check AIRWAY Is airway clear of objects? Is airway open?

B - Check for BREATHING Is chest rising and falling? Can you hear victim's breathing? Can you
feel the breath on your cheek?

C - Check for CIRCULATION Can you feel a pulse? Can you see any obvious signs of life?

1. Is anyone in danger? Make the accident site safe

If yes, can the danger be easily managed? If it cannot, call for emergency help and protect the scene.

Move to the quietest victim

2. Gently shake the shoulders and ask question If the victim responds, treat any life-threatening
conditions If there is no response, check the airway

3. Open the air way

Do the “Head TiltChin Lift Method”

4. Check for breathing

If breathing, check for any life-threatening conditions If not breathing, rescue breaths If rescuer is
alone, call for ambulance

5. Look for signs of circulation

If the victim is a child or an adult who has suffered from a drowning or accident, proceed directly to
CPR.

Otherwise, look for signs of life such as movement and normal skin color

Alert

responds appropriately / aware of place / time

Verbal

responds in some manner to voice

Pain

responds in some manner to painful stimuli

Unresponsive

Does not respond to painful stimuli

• Check for signs of circulation

– Normal breathing, coughing, or movement in response to the 2 breaths

– If signs of circulation are present but there is no normal breathing, provide rescue
breathing

– 1 breath every 6 seconds, about 10 breaths per minute

• If no signs of circulation are present,

– Begin cycles of 15 chest compressions (about 100 compressions per minute)

followed by 2 slow breaths

• Dressings

– Control bleeding

– Reduce infection

• Bandages A bandage can be used to:

• • Hold a dressing in place over an open wound • Apply direct pressure over a dressing to
control bleeding
 – Direct pressure

– Securing dressings etc

– Reduce swelling, support limbs

– Restrict movement

RULES IN DRESSING:

• Wear disposable gloves

• If possible, wash hands

• Correct size

• Place pad directly onto wound

• Avoid touching wound

• Try not to cough or sneeze

A puncture wound is a deep wound that occurs due to something sharp and pointed, such
as a nail. The opening on the skin is small, and the puncture woundmay not bleed
much. Puncture wounds can easily become infected.
An abrasion is a type of open wound that's caused by the skin rubbing against a rough
surface. It may be called a scrape or a graze. When an abrasion is caused by the skin
sliding across hard ground, it may be called road rash.
An incision is a cut through the skin that is made during surgery. It is also called a
surgical wound. Some incisions are small, others are long. small hole in the soft
tissue. An incision is a clean, straight cut in the skin. Many surgical
procedures use incisions.
A laceration is a wound that is produced by the tearing of soft body tissue. This type
of wound is often irregular and jagged. A laceration wound is often contaminated with
bacteria and debris from whatever object caused the cut. Human body tissue makes
up organs and other body parts. There are four main types of
tissue: muscle, epithelial, connective and nervous.

Skin avulsion is a wound that happens when skin is torn from your body during an accident
or other injury. The torn skin may be lost or too damaged to be repaired, and it must be
removed. A wound of this type cannot be stitched closed because there is tissue missing.
An avulsion involves forcefully tearing away the skin and underlying tissue.
Avulsions can result from violent incidents, such as explosions, animal attacks, or motor
vehicle accidents.
In a closed wound, the skin's surface is not broken; therefore, tissue damage and any
bleeding occur below the surface. The simplest closed wound is a bruise. A bruise
develops when the body is bumped or hit, such as when you bump your leg on a table or
chair.
open wound is an injury involving an external or internal break in your body tissue, usually
involving the skin.
Open wound care should involve the following steps:

Stop the bleeding: Using a clean cloth or bandage, gently apply pressure to the wound to promote
blood clotting.

Clean the wound: Use clean water and a saline solution to flush away any debris or bacteria. Once
the wound looks clean, pat it dry with a clean cloth. A doctor may need to perform a surgical
debridement to remove debris from severe wounds that contain dead tissue, glass, bullets, or other
foreign objects.

Treat the wound with antibiotics: After cleaning the wound, apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment
to prevent infection.

Close and dress the wound: Closing clean wounds helps promote faster healing. Waterproof
bandages and gauze work well for minor wounds. Deep open wounds may require stitches or
staples. However, leave an already infected wound open until the infection clears.

Routinely change the dressing: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend
removing the old bandages and checking for signs of infection every 24 hours. Disinfect and dry the
wound before reapplying a clean adhesive bandage or gauze. Remember to keep the wound dry
while it heals.

First, wash and disinfect the wound to remove all dirt and debris. Use direct pressure and
elevation to control bleeding and swelling. When wrapping the wound, always use a sterile
dressing or bandage. Very minor wounds may heal without a bandage.