First Aid

Critical Question 1
What are the main priorities for the assessment and
management of first aid patients?

PRIORITIES FOR MANAGING FIRST AID

Syllabus dot points:
Students learn about:
● Setting priorities for managing a first aid situation and assessing the casualty
- Situational analysis
- Priority assessment procedures
- DRSABCD
- STOP
● Crisis management
- CPR
- Bleeding
- Shock
- Neck and spinal injury
- Moving the casualty
- Medical referral
- Care of the unconscious casualty
Students learn to:
● Plan and conduct appropriate assessment and management procedures in
response to a range of first aid scenarios

● Demonstrate CPR procedures using a manikin

● Use safe procedures when moving a casualty

What is first aid?

First aid is the initial care or assistance provided to a sick or injured person prior to receiving
professional medical attention.
Aims of first aid
1. Preserve life
2. Prevent deterioration
3. Promote recovery
4. Relive pain
5. Protect the unconscious
In order to be effective in an emergency it is essential that the first aider conducts an
analysis before starting any first aid measures by:
1. Establishing what has happened
2. Preparing a plan of attack
3. Putting your plan into practice
4. Approaching the casualty
Priorities for Managing Health

Situational Analysis
1. Analyse the situation → observe what has happened and ask yourself “‘What’s the best
I can do for this person in terms of the skills that I have?”
2. Plan how to deal with the situation → prioritise your intended actions, dealing with the
most important issues first
- Use bystanders (if available) to get medical assistance and help where
necessary.
- Minimise danger to yourself and others.
- Clear airways and restore breathing.
- Control bleeding.
- Tend to other injuries, such as burns and fractures.
3. Be aware of environmental hazards and available skill sets
You should:
- Check for danger to ensure you are not placed at risk and become a victim
yourself
- Take steps to remove/limit the danger and remove the victim from danger
- Approach with caution to prevent further injury to casualty
- Not perform first aid if injured
- Work within your own training to ensure the best outcome

Priority Assessment Procedures

1. Act quickly but calmly
- Tend to the immediate needs of the person
- Urgency is critical because if the passage of air to the lungs is blocked or the
heart has ceased to beat, brain function progressively shuts down. Each
second lost places the patient at further risk of brain damage and death.

2. If there are two people at the scene

- If both arrived at the same time, the most experienced handle the casualty

- The first person is responsible for initial support of the casualty

➔ Includes going through DRSABCD action plan

- The second person needs to support first person by:

➔ contacting emergency services
➔ protecting and interviewing bystanders
➔ gathering first aid equipment before helping with resuscitation

3. Procedures to follow during an emergency

- Requesting a mobile phone from bystanders
- Contacting emergency services
- Directing people to go for help
- Instructing people on how to give two-operator cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- Requesting assistance with bandaging, control of bleeding or attaching slings
and splints
 - Observing people who may in a state of shock

4. Contacting Emergency Services

1. Dial 000 and request help
2. State the type of accident (i.e. car, drowning, electrocution)
3. State the number of people injured
4. CLEARLY identify the location
- Provide house number, street and suburb
- If on the road, state name of the road and the nearest cross-street.

5. Priority of conditions (from most to least serious)

1. Breathing
2. Bleeding
3. Burns
4. Bones

DRSABCD

Step Explanation

Danger Check for dangers and hazards to the rescuer,

bystanders and the casualty

Response Assess the level of consciousness of the

casualty

With one hand on the shoulder and one hand

holding the patients hand, ask COWS loudly and
clearly.
“Can you hear me?”
“Open your eyes”
“What’s your name?”
“Squeeze my hand.”

If the patient responded, place them in the

recovery position.

Recovery Position
1. Kneel beside the patient, centred
between the patient's shoulder and waist.
2. Extend their furthest arm out and place
their closest arm across their chest and
rests on the shoulder of the extended
arm.
3. Lift the patient’s closest leg until the foot
 is flat on the floor
4. Roll the patient towards the extended
arm. The upper leg should roll across and
on the floor. Place one hand on the neck
when rolling to give extra support

Send for help If there is no response or if the casualty is badly

injured, immediately send for help by calling
triple zero (000).

If there are bystanders, ask them to do this for

you while you check their airways and breathing.

Call 112 for remote areas or if unsure

Airway Open clear and maintain the casualty’s airway

and check for signs of life

Clearing Airway
1. Have the patient lie on their back.
2. Place one hand on the forehead and the
other on the chin.
3. Gently extend the neckline and tilt the
head back. Any foreignobjects in the
mouth are cleared by inserting fingers
carefully into the mouth

Checking Signs of Life

- Place ear at mouth for 10 seconds while
facing the chest to check for chest
movement indicating breathing
- Conscious or unconscious
- Responsive or unresponsive
- Moving or not moving
- Breathing or not breathing

If breathing commences
- Leave the patient in the same position
- Ensure that the head is tilted and the
airway remains open
- Reassure the patient
- Send for medical assistance

If patient is breathing but unconscious

- Place the patient in the recovery position
- Support them until help arrives

Breathing If the casualty is not breathing, commence

rescue breathing

- Look, listen, feel

- Check for breathing by watching the
patient's chest falling after a rescue
 breath within 10 seconds.
- If the chest does not rise, perform the
second rescue breath.
- If it fails again, begin performing chest
compressions.
- If the patient shows signs of life, place the
patient in the recovery position and wait
for medical professionals

CPR If no signs of life, commence cardiopulmonary

resuscitation which is a combination of chest
compressions and rescue breaths at a ratio of
30:2.

Rescue Breath
A breath given to a patient who is not breathing.
1. Kneel beside the patient and tilt the head
back.
2. Lift the chin.
3. Pinch the nostrils to provide head tilt
4. Place the mouth firmly over the person’s
mouth.
5. Breathe into the patient’s mouth.
6. Turn your head towards the patient's
stomach and place an ear close to the
patient’s mouth.
7. Listen to air being exhaled and watch for
a fall in the chest

Defibrillator Where possible, ensure a defibrillator is utilised

as quickly as possible

A device that provides an electric shock to a

patient whose heart has stopped beating.
- Used particularly following a heart attack.
- Commonly used by ambulance officers
and other qualified rescue personnel

STOP
 Step Explanation

Stop Stop the athlete from participating or

moving and stop the game if necessary

Talk Talk to the injured athlete

- What happend?
- How?
- What did you feel?
- Where does it hurt?
- Does it hurt anywhere else?
- Have you injured this parft before?
Provide words of encouragement

Observe Observe the following

General:

- Is the athlete distressed?

- Is the athlete lying in an unusual
position/posture?

Injury site:

- Is there any swelling?

- Is there any deformity?
- Is there any difference when
compared to the other side/limb?
- Is there tenderness when touched?
- Does it hurt to move the injured
part?
If the answer to any of these questions is
yes, seek an accredited sports
trainer or qualified first aider

Prevent Severe injury:

Suspect head, facial, spinal, chest,
abdomen injuries, fractures or major
bleeding

Get professional help: don’t move the

athlete.

Keep onlookers away.

Comfort the athlete until professional help
arrives

Less Severe:
Soft tissue injuries
such as sprains,
strains and muscle
tissues

RICER regime
 The first 48 hours are
vital with soft tissue
injuries

Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation
Referral

Minor injuries:
Bumps and bruises that do not impact
performance

Give words of encouragement

Monitor any such injuries

Minor injuries should also be managed
using the RICER regime

Crisis management
● It is important for the first aider to be aware of how to promote a safe environment,
preserve life, prevent any further injury or ilness, promote recovery and provide
comfort to the ill and/or injured.
● Acting calmly and confidently in a crisis will held the first aider to asses and manage
situations that may arise

CPR
● In cases where danger has been removed, the patient has been rolled into recovery
position and the airway checked for materials that maighy cause obstruction , there is
still a chance that the breathing will not commence.
● In these situations cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) must be administered
● Rate of about 100 per min
● The depth of compressions should be about one-third of the depth of the chest for all
age groups
● For infants use two fingers, for children use one or two hands
● Thirty compressions, two breaths
● Rescue breathe: tilt head back, pinch nose, cover their mouth firmly with yours and
breathe in to patients mouth, turn your head towards the patient’s stomach and place
an ear close to the patient’s mouth to check for breathing.
● If patient isn’t breathing, the head-tilt chin-lift needs to be done again to ensure there
is no obstruction to the airway. Then provide the second rescue breath.

Bleeding
● Bleeding is the loss of blood from any of the body’s blood vessels. By observing a
wound, it is possible to determine the type of vessel that is damaged.
 ● If the blood comes from an artery it will be bright red and may spurt. If the blood is
from a vein it will be darker and the low is not as forceful. If the blood is from a
capillary it will tend to ooze.

Internal bleeding External bleeding

- Also known as hemorrahaging and - Bleeding outside the body

occurs inside the body
- Occurs when a blood vessel is
damaged
- Very minor hemorrhages such as
small ruptured blood vessels near
the surface of the skin are common
and only cayse bruising
Management procedure
- Ensure to rest and control the
symptoms by keeping a close eye
while the swelling goes down
- Ensure it isn’t some place serious
like the head
(lacerations)
Management procedure
- Use the DRSABCD action plan
- Apply direct pressure by holding a
pad or dressing irmly over the site
- Lay the casualty down and elevate
the injury
- Rest the injured area
- Do not give anything to the patient
by mouth, particularly aspirin, as this
tends to increase the rate of
bleeding
- Loosen tight clothing
- Seek medical advice.
The acronym PER is helpful in
remembering what to do in the case of
bleeding. It stands for:
- Pressure
- Elevation
- Rest.

Shock
● A condition where the body closes off the blood supply to the extremities (arms, legs
and skin) to ensure enough oxygen reaches vital organs (heart, lungs and brain).
● May lead to the collapse of the circulatory system.
● The causes of shock include
- loss of blood from a wound
- loss of luid, as happens with dehydration, burns and bleeding
- heart attack
- being involved in an accident.
● Symptoms:
- paleness
- rapid, shallow breathing
- nausea and faintness.

Management procedure:
● Use the DRSABCD action plan.
● Reassure the patient.
● Seek medical advice.
 ● If there is no evidence of fracture to the person’s limbs, raise the legs above the level
of their heart.
● Dress any wounds or burns.
● Loosen any restrictive clothing, particularly around the neck.
● Keep the casualty comfortable (not too hot or cold), but do not give them any food or
drink.

Neck and spinal injury

● Symptoms
- pain at or below the site of the injury
- loss of movement
- lack of movement below the site of the injury
- tingling in the hands or feet.
● Management procedure:
If the casualty is conscious:
- reassure them
- loosen any tight clothing
- do not move them. Support their head and apply a cervical collar if one is
available.
- seek medical attention
- monitor the casualty closely.
- If the casualty is unconscious, treat them as if they have a spinal injury and
use the DRSABCD procedures. Be careful when turning the patient onto their
side. Apply a brace to the neck if possible and try to minimise all neck
movement.

Moving the casualty

Unless absolutely essential, a casualty should not be moved. However, there may be some situations
where it is necessary to move a casualty quickly → fire, rising water, buidling collapse

Management procedure:
● Work through the DRSABCD regime.
● Work with the patient and tell them what you intend doing. Seek their help when you
move them.
● Ensure that fractures have been immobilised and other injuries such as burns or
punctures treated.
● If you need to lift the injured person, use your leg muscles and keep your back
straight.
● Hold the patient firmly and communicate with them frequently so that you become
immediately aware of any problems when you are moving them.
● Stop as often as is necessary.
● Minimise movement of the neck and spinal cord.

Medical referral
The patient needs to be sent to hospital if any of the following happened:
 ● CPR was required
● The patient was unconscious at some stage
● Conditions such as a heart attack or spinal injury were suspected.

Care of the unconscious casualty

Proper care of an unconscious person includes
● Rolling them to the recovery position when breathing returns supporting their neck to
ensure that it remains extended and allows a passageway of air to the lungs
● If outdoors, protecting them from the weather
● Keeping them warm
● Not giving them food or drink until a medical oficer gives approval. This is particularly
important where surgery may be required.
● Collecting details about the history of the injury.

Critical Question 2
How should the major types of injuries and medical conditions
be managed in a first aid situtaion?

MAJOR TYPES OF INJURIES AND MANAGEMENT

Syllabus dot points:
Students learn about
● Management of injuries
- Cuts and lacerations
- Fractures
- Dislocations
- Head in injuries and concussions
- Eye injuries
- Nasal injuries
- Burn injuries
- Teeth injuries
- Electrocution
- Chest injuries
- Abdominal injuries
● Management of medical conditions
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
- Asthma
- Anaphylxis
- Poisoning
- Bites and stings
- Exposure to heat and cold
Students learn to
● Identify the signs and symptoms and primary management for each injury
● Apply bandages, slings and splints appropriately in the treatment of particular
injuries
 ● Explain the nature of the identified medical conditions

● To sucessfully manage an injury, it is essential to be able to identify the signs and

symptoms of a wide variety of injuries and apply a current primary management
techniques

Management of Injuries

Cuts and lacerations

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Fractures

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Dislocations

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Head in injuries and concussions

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Eye injuries

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Nasal injuries

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Burn injuries

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Teeth injuries

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Electrocution

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Chest injuries

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Abdominal injuries

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Management of medical conditions

Heart attack

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Stroke

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Diabetes

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Epilepsy

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Asthma

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Anaphylxis

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Poisoning

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Bites and stings

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures

Exposure to heat and cold

Signs and symptoms Management prodecures