Cygnette S. Lumbo, R.N., M.N.,Ph. D.

First Aid
• Is an immediate care
given to a person who
has been injured or
suddenly taken ill. It
includes self-help and
home care if medical
assistance is not
available or delayed
(Philippine Red Cross)
Objectives of First Aid
1. To alleviate suffering
2. To prevent added/further injury or danger
3. To prolong life.
 PRINCIPLES of First Aid Management
• 1. STAY CALM. Do not take risks for yourself,
the injured person or any witnesses.
• 2. MANAGE the situation to give safe access to
the person.
• 3. Manage the person. (physically and
emotionally)
• 4. Do things step by step.
• HINDRANCES IN GIVING FIRST AID
1. Unfavorable surroundings.
2. Presence of crowds.
3. Pressure from victim or relatives.
Transmission of Diseases and the First Aider
1. Direct contact-occurs when there is physical
contact between an infected person and a
susceptible person.
2. Indirect contact-occurs when there is no direct
human-to-human contact.
3. Airborne-commonly transmitted through small
respiratory droplets
4. Vector-transfer of microorganisms from an
infected animal to another
 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENTS(PPEs) in EMERGENCY
NURSING
1. GLOVES
2. MASK
3. RESCUE GOGGLES
4. RESCUE HELMET
5. SAFETY SHOES
6. HAZ MAT/PPE CLOTHING
 Suggested First Aid Kit Contents:
• Rubbing alcohol • Gloves
• Povidone Iodine • Scissors
• Cotton • Forceps
• Gauze pads • Bandage (Triangular)
• Tongue depressor • Elastic roller bandage
• Penlight • Occlusive dressing
• Band aid
• Plaster
4 STEPS for First Aid
1. ASSESS safety at the scene and the condition
of the person
2. PLAN first aid interventions based on
assessment
3. IMPLEMENT first aid and psychological
support
4. EVALUATE the effect of the first aid and
monitor the person
 Foreign Body Airway Obstruction
Management (FBAO)
Causes of Obstruction:
 Improper chewing of food
 Excessive intake of alcohol
 Presence of dentures
 Running while eating
 Bleeding, vomitus or other
secretions
 Children hand to mouth stage
left unattended
People at increased risk of FBAO include those with
any of the following conditions or characteristics:
a. Altered level of consciousness;
b. Drug and/or alcohol intoxication;
c. Neurological impairment, with reduced
swallowing and cough reflexes (for example,
stroke)
d. Respiratory disease
e. Mental impairment
f. Dementia
g. Poor dentition
h. Children in Oral stage/ Older age
The most common signs and symptoms of
choking are:
a. Coughing
b. Struggling to breathe or talk
c. Cyanosis
d. Grasping or reaching for the throat
**The patient may go silent and hold or point to
their throat.
**If the obstruction to the airway is only partial,
the patient may be able to speak, cough and
breathe
Management:
 Classification of Obstruction
MILD AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION (effective
cough): patient able to talk and has an effective
cough
Management:
1. A patient with mild airway obstruction should
remain under continuous observation until they
improve as a severe obstruction may
subsequently develop.
2. Aggressive treatment with back blows and chest
and abdominal thrusts at this stage is
unnecessary – it may cause harm and could
exacerbate the airway obstruction.
SEVERE AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION (ineffective
cough): Typically, patient responds “YES” by
nodding their head without speaking; unable
to cough effectively
Management:
• Call for help/pull the emergency buzzer
immediately and encourage the patient to
cough;
• Stand at the patient’s side, slightly behind them;
• Support the patient’s chest with one hand and lean
them forward – if this dislodges the foreign body, it will
hopefully fall out of the mouth instead of slipping
further down the airway;
Heimlich Maneuver (Adult)
 Heimlich Maneuver Video Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOTbjDGZ7
wg
 Infant and Children
(Back blow and Heimlich Maneuver)
-It is the removal of a limb by trauma,
medical illness, or surgery.
WOUNDS WITH MILD TO
MODERATE BLEEDING
NOSE BLEEDING
Common causes of nosebleeds include:
1. Foreign object stuck in the nose
2. Chemical irritants
3. Allergic reaction
4. Injury to the nose
5. Repeated sneezing
6. Picking the nose
7. Cold air
8. Upper respiratory infection
Other causes of nosebleeds include:
1. High blood pressure
2. Bleeding disorders
3. Blood clotting disorders
4. Cancer
BURNS
 Burn Injuries
• Cell destruction of the layers of the skin and
the resultant depletion of fluid and
electrolytes
• Mortality rates are higher for children less
than 4 years of age, particularly in the birth to
1-year age group and for clients over the age
of 65 years
 Burn Injuries
• Debilitating disorders, such as cardiac,
respiratory, endocrine and renal disorders
negatively influence the client’s response to
injury and treatment
• Mortality rate is higher when a client has a
preexisting disorder at the time of burn injury
 Burn Injuries
Burn Size:
1. Small burns
2. Large or extensive burns

Burn Depth
1. Superficial thickness burn
2. Partial thickness superficial burn
3. Full thickness burn
4. Deep full thickness burn
 Superficial Partial-thickness Full-thickness Deep, Full
(First-degree) (Second-degree) burns (Third-degree) burns Thickness (Fourth
burns Degree Burns
 TYPES OF BURN INJURIES

1. Thermal Burns 2. Chemical Burns 3. Electrical Burns

Estimating the extent of injury
Estimating the extent of injury
Types of Burns:
1. Thermal Burns
- Caused by exposure to flames, hot liquids, steam
or hot objects
2. Chemical Burns
- caused by tissue contact with strong acids, alkalis
or organic compounds
3. Electrical burns
- caused by heat generated by an electrical energy
as it passes through the body
Types of Burns:
4. Radiation burns
- caused by exposure to ultraviolet light, x-rays or radioactive
source
5. Scalding
- caused by hot liquids (water or oil) or gases (steam), most
commonly occurring from exposure to high temperature tap
water in baths or showers or spilled hot drinks.
6. Inhalation Injury
Steam, smoke, and high temperatures can cause inhalational
injury to the airway and/or lungs
Classification of burns by severity (American Burn Association)
Major burns are defined as:
• Age 10-50yrs: partial thickness burns >25% of total body
surface area
• Age <10 or >50: partial thickness burns >20% of total body
surface area
• Full thickness burns >10%
• Burns involving the hands, face, feet or perineum
• Burns that cross major joints
• Circumferential burns to any extremity
• Any burn associated with inhalational injury
• Electrical burns
Major burns:
• Burns associated with fractures or other trauma
• Burns in infants and the elderly
• Burns in persons at high-risk of developing complications

Moderate burns are defined as:

• Age 10-50yrs: partial thickness burns involving 15-25% of
total body surface area
• Age <10 or >50: partial thickness burns involving 10-20%
of total body surface area
• Full thickness burns involving 2-10% of total body surface
area
Minor burns are:
• Age 10-50yrs: partial thickness burns <15% of total
body surface area
• Age <10 or >50: partial thickness burns involving
<10% of total body surface area
• Full thickness burns <2% of total body surface area,
without associated injuries