First Aid/Bandaging

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 National Red Cross).
 Objectives of First Aid

• To alleviate suffering.
• To prevent further injury or danger.
• To prolong life.
 Role and Responsibilities of
the First Aider
1. Bridge that fills the gap between the victim and the
physician.
– It is not intended to compete with, or take the place of the services
of the physician.
– It ends when the services of a physician begin.
2. Ensure personal safety and that of patient/bystander.
3. Gain access to the victim.
4. Determine any threats to patient’s life.
5. Summon more advanced medical care as needed.
6. Provide needed care for the patient.
7. Assist Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and medical
personnel.
8. Record all assessment and care given to the patient.
 Characteristics of a
Good First Aider
GENTLE – should not cause/inflict pain.
RESOURCEFUL– should make the best use of
things and hand
OBSERVANT – should notice all signs.
- aware of what is happening and
what may happen.
• TACTFUL – should not alarm the victim with
utmost care and in a calm manner.
• EMPATHETIC – should be comforting
• RESPECTABLE – should maintain a professional
and caring attitude
• Planning
-established based on anticipated needs and
available resources.

Example: getting to know where the first aid kit

are located as well as other emergency
equipment such as fire extinguishers, fire alarm
switches and fire exits. It also includes
emergency numbers such as ambulance,
hospital ER, fire department and police stations.
Hindrances in Giving First Aid
1. Unfavorable Surroundings
– Nighttime.
– Crowded city streets; churches; shopping malls
– Busy highways
– Cold and rainy weather
– Lack of necessary materials or helpers
2. The Presence of Crowds
– Crowds curiously watch, sometimes heckle,
sometimes offer incorrect advices.
– They may demand haste in transportation or
attempt other improper procedures.
– A good examination is difficult while a crowd
looks on.
3. Pressure from Victim or Relatives
– The victim usually welcomes help, but if he is
drunk, he is often hard to examine and handle,
and is often misleading in his responses.
– The hysteria of relatives or the victim, the
evidence of pain, blood and possible early death,
exert great pressure on the first aider.
– The first aider may fail to examine carefully and
may be persuaded to do what he would know in
calm moments to be wrong.
TRANSMISSION OF DISEASES AND THE FIRST
AIDER
1. How Diseases are Transmitted.
– Direct contact transmission – occurs when a
person touches an infected person’s body fluids.
This type of transmission presents the greatest
risk of infection for the first aid provider.
 Comparison of Transmittable Disease
DISEASE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS MODE OF INFECTIVE
TRANSMISSION MATERIAL
Herpes is a viral infection Lesions, general ill feeling, Direct contact Broken skin, mucous
that causes eruptions of the sore throat membrane
skin and mucous
membranes.
Meningitis is an Respiratory illness, sore Airborne, direct and Food and water, mucus
inflammation of the brain or throat, nausea, vomiting indirect contact
spinal cord caused by a viral
or bacterial infection
Tuberculosis is a respiratory Weight loss, night sweats, Airborne Saliva, airborne
disease caused by bacteria. occasional fever, general ill droplets
feeling

Hepatitis is a viral infection Fluke, jaundice Direct and indirect Blood, saliva, semen
of the liver contact feces, food, water, other
products

HIV (human immune Fever, night sweats, weight Direct and indirect Blood, semen, vaginal
deficiency virus) is the virus loss, chronic diarrhea, severe contact fluid
that destroys the body’s fatigue, shortness of breath,
ability to fight injection. The swollen lymph nodes, lesion
resultant state is referred to
as AIDS (acquired immune
deficiency syndrome)
• Indirect contact transmission – occurs when a
person touches objects that have been
contaminated by the blood or another body
fluid of an infected person. These include soiled
dressings, equipment, and vehicle surfaces with
which an infected person comes in contact.
• Airborne transmission – occurs when a person
inhales infected droplets that have become
airborne as an infected person coughs or
sneezes.
• Vector transmission – occurs when an animal
such as a dog or an insect, such as tick transmits
a pathogen into the body through a bite.
3. Body Substance Isolation (BSI).
Precautions are taken to isolate or prevent
risk of exposure from any other type of
bodily substance. Regardless of the type of
exposure risk, you must follow basic
precautions and safe practices each time you
prepare to provide care. Basic Precautions
and Practices are as follows:
– Personal Hygiene – maintaining good personal
hygiene habits, such as frequent hand washing
and proper grooming, are two important ways to
prevent disease transmission regardless of any
personal protective equipment you might use
– Protective Equipment – it includes all equipment
and supplies that prevent you from making direct
contact with infected materials. This includes
disposable gloves, gowns, masks and shields
protective eyewear and resuscitation devices.
– Equipment Cleaning and Disinfecting – it is
important to clean and disinfect equipment to
prevent infections. Handle all contaminated
equipments, supplies, or other materials with the
utmost care until they are properly cleaned and
disinfected.
1. FIRST AID EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
Basic Equipment
– spine board
– short board/Kendrick’s Extrication Device.
– Sets of splints
– Poles
– Blankets
2. Suggested First Aid Kit Contents (Basic)
– rubbing alcohol
– povidone Iodine
– cotton
– gauge pads
– tongue depressor
– penlight
– band aid
– plaster
– gloves
– scissors
– forceps
– bandage (triangular)
– elastic roller bandage
– occlusive dressing
3. Clothe materials commonly used in First Aid
 Dressing or Compress – any sterile clothe materials used to
cover the wound.
 Other uses of a dressing or compress:
» Control bleeding.
» Protect the wound from infection.
» Absorbs liquid from the wound such as blood plasma, water and pus.
• Kinds of dressing:
» Roller gauze.
» Square or eye pads.
» Compress or adhesive
- Occlusive dressing.
- Butterfly dressing.
• Application
» Completely cover the wound.
» Avoid contamination when handling and applying.
 Bandages – any clean cloth materials sterile or not use to hold
the dressing in place
 Other uses of bandages:
» Control bleeding.
» Tie splints in place.
» Immobilize body part.
» For arm support – use as a sling.
• Kinds:
» Triangular
» Cravat
» roller
» four-tail.
» Muslin binder.
» Elastic bandage.
• Application:
» Must be proper, neat and correct.
» Apply snugly not too loose not too tight
» Always check for tightness may cause later swelling
» Tie ends with a square knot.
GETTING STARTED
• Plan of Action
• Gathering of Needed Materials
• Remember the Initial Response as Follows:
– A – Ask for help
– I – Intervene
– D – Do not Further Harm
 EMERGENCY ACTION PRINCIPLES
• Survey the Scene
• Activate Medical Assistance (AMA) or Transfer
Facility
• Do a Primary Survey of the Victim
• Do a Secondary Survey of the Victim
 SURVEY THE SCENE
• Take time to survey the scene and ask these
questions:
• Is the scene safe?
• What happened?
• How many people are injured?
• Are there bystanders who can help?
• Then, identify yourself as a trained first Aider
 ACTIVATE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (AMA) OR
TRANSFER FACILITY

• Phone First
– first aider is alone
– Unconscious
– 8 yrs old/older
– Unconscious, infant or child known to be at high risk for heart problem
• Phone Fast
– First aider is alone, provide one minute of care
– Unconscious victim less than 8 years old
– Victim of submersion or near drowning
– Victim of arrest associated with trauma
– Victim of Drug overdose
DO A PRIMARY SURVEY OF THE VICTIM
• Check for consciousness
• Check for airway
• Check for breathing
• Check for circulation
DO A SECONDARY SURVEY OF THE VICTIM

• Interview the victim

– Ask the victim’s name
– Ask what happened
– Ask the SAMPLE history
• Check the Vital Signs
• Do head to toe examination
 Basic First Aid Resources
• First aid is the care initially provided to a person
when an injury or illness occurs. It is typically
performed by people who are not medical experts
but have studied or been taught how to deal with
certain injuries or illnesses. The main purposes of
first aid are to preserve a person's life, prevent
further harm, and promote recovery. Examples of
first aid include performing cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR), helping choking victims, taking
a person's vital signs, and cleaning and applying
bandages to minor cuts and wounds.
• It is important to know first aid because it can prevent
injuries or illnesses from progressing in severity, and it can
save lives. There are certain first aid skills that are critically
important to know.
• First aid kits are important to have because they can help
you be better prepared to help yourself or a loved one
when an injury occurs. By just having the standard
bandages, ointments, dressings, and medications in a first
aid kit, bleeding can be stopped, infection can be
prevented or lessened, and heart attack victims can have a
greater chance of survival. Most people are aware of how
important it is to have a first aid kit at home, but it is
equally important to carry a first aid kit with you in your
car so that it is available in case of an accident.
FIRST AID EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
1. Basic Equipment
– spine board
– short board/Kendrick’s Extrication Device
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrvcc1B5CJE
– Sets of splints
– Poles
– Blankets
2. Suggested First Aid Kit Contents (Basic)
– rubbing alcohol
– povidone Iodine
– cotton
– gauge pads
– tongue depressor
– penlight
– band aid
– plaster
– gloves
– scissors
– forceps
– bandage (triangular)
– elastic roller bandage
– occlusive dressing
3. Clothe materials commonly used in First Aid
 Dressing or Compress – any sterile clothe materials used
to cover the wound.
 Other uses of a dressing or compress:
» Control bleeding.
» Protect the wound from infection.
» Absorbs liquid from the wound such as blood plasma, water
and pus.
• Kinds of dressing:
» Roller gauze.
» Square or eye pads.
» Compress or adhesive
- Occlusive dressing.
- Butterfly dressing.
• Application
» Completely cover the wound.
» Avoid contamination when handling and applying.
 Bandages – any clean cloth materials sterile or not use to hold
the dressing in place
 Other uses of bandages:
» Control bleeding.
» Tie splints in place.
» Immobilize body part.
» For arm support – use as a sling.
• Kinds:
» Triangular
» Cravat
» roller
» four-tail.
» Muslin binder.
» Elastic bandage.
• Application:
» Must be proper, neat and correct.
» Apply snugly not too loose not too tight
» Always check for tightness may cause later swelling
» Tie ends with a square knot.
Triangular Bandage
»Usually made from a 45-50 inch
square piece of cloth, cut from
one corner to the opposite to
form a triangle.
»Can be folded to from cravats
(broad cravats or narrow cravats)
 GETTING STARTED
• Plan of Action
• Gathering of Needed Materials
• Remember the Initial Response as Follows:
– A – Ask for help
– I – Intervene
– D – Do not Further Harm
 EMERGENCY ACTION PRINCIPLES
• Survey the Scene
• Activate Medical Assistance (AMA) or Transfer
Facility
• Do a Primary Survey of the Victim
• Do a Secondary Survey of the Victim
 SURVEY THE SCENE
• Take time to survey the scene and ask these
questions:
• Is the scene safe?
• What happened?
• How many people are injured?
• Are there bystanders who can help?
• Then, identify yourself as a trained first Aider
 ACTIVATE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (AMA) OR
TRANSFER FACILITY
• Phone First
– first aider is alone
– Unconscious
– 8 yrs old/older
– Unconscious, infant or child known to be at high risk for
heart problem
• Phone Fast
– First aider is alone, provide one minute of care
– Unconscious victim less than 8 years old
– Victim of submersion or near drowning
– Victim of arrest associated with trauma
– Victim of Drug overdose
 ACTIVATE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE (AMA) OR
TRANSFER FACILITY
• Information to be Remembered in Activating
Medical Assistance
• What happened?
• Location
• Number of persons injured
• Extent of injury and first aid given
• The telephone number from where you are
calling
• Person who activated the Medical Assistance
must identify him/herself and drop the phone
last
DO A PRIMARY SURVEY OF THE VICTIM

• Check for consciousness

• Check for airway
• Check for breathing
• Check for circulation
DO A SECONDARY SURVEY OF THE VICTIM

• Interview the victim

– Ask the victim’s name
– Ask what happened
– Ask the SAMPLE history
• Check the Vital Signs
• Do head to toe examination
 SHOCK
• Is a depressed condition of many body
functions due to the failure of enough blood
to circulate throughout the body following
serious injury.
 Basic Causes
1. Pump failure – Poor pump function occurs when disease
or injury damages the heart. The heart does not generate
enough energy to move the blood through the system.
Causes: Heart attack, trauma to heart
2. Hypovolemia – Blood or fluid loss from blood vessels
decreases blood volume, usually a result of bleeding and
results in inadequate perfusion. Causes: trauma to vessels
or tissues, fluid loss from GI tract (vomiting/diarrhea can
also lower the fluid component of blood).
3. Blood vessels dilate – The blood vessels can dilate enough
that the blood within them , even though it is of normal
volume is inadequate to fill the system and provide
efficient perfusion. Causes: Infection, drug overdose
(narcotic) and spinal cord injury.
 Causes
• Severe bleeding
• Crushing injury
• Infection
• Heart attack
• Perforation
• Anaphylaxis
• Shell bomb and bullet wound
• Rupture of tubal pregnancies
• Starvation and disease may also cause shock
 Factors which contribute to Shock
• Pain
• Rough handling
• Improper transfer
• Continuous bleeding
• Exposure to extreme cold or excessive heat
• Fatigue
 Dangers of Shock
• It can lead to death
• Predisposes body to infection
• It can lead to loss of body part
 Signs and Symptoms of Shock
1. Early Stage
• Face – pale or cyanotic in color
• Skin – cold and clammy
• Breathing – irregular
• Pulse – rapid and weak
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weakness
• Thirstiness
2. Late Stage
• If the condition deteriorates, victim may
become apathetic or relatively unresponsive.
• Eyes will be sunken with vacant expression.
• Pupils are dilated.
• Blood vessels may be congested producing
mottled appearances.
• Blood pressure has very low level.
• Unconsciousness may occur, body
temperature falls.
 First Aid and Preventive Management of
Shock
1. Proper Position
• Keep the victim lying down flat.
• Elevate the lower part of the body a foot or so if injury is severe,
from eight to twelve inches high.
• Place the victim who is having difficulty in breathing on his back,
with his head and shoulder raised.
• Head injury – apply pressure o the injury and keep the victim
lying flat. Do not elevate head or lower extremities. When the
color of the face returns to normal, elevate head and shoulder
and continue giving care to the injury. In chest injury, raise the
head and shoulder slightly.
• When there are symptoms of nausea and vomiting or
unconsciousness, keep the victim lying on one side preferably
opposite from his injury except for sucking wound and stroke.
The position is known as recovery, coma or lateral position.
2. Proper body heat
• Maintain body temperature and victim
must not be neither perspiring nor
chilling.
• If the weather is warm, the victim need
not be covered.
• If the victim is cold, in spite of the
weather, a blanket may be placed
underneath him and cover the body.
3. Proper Transfer
• Proper handling of patient would
prevent further injury to the patient.
• Refer proper techniques on transfer
method on Patient handling.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=61urGQrmeNM
 TYPES of SHOCK
Type Causes Manifestations Nursing Interventions

Anaphylactic Allergic reaction Can develop within Supply respiratory

https://www.youtube. (most severe form) seconds. support.
com/watch? Burning skin Assist ventilation.
v=WXnFW7GHfLk Vascular dilation Determine cause.
Transport promptly.
Generalized edema
Profound coma
Rapid death

Cardiogenic Inadequate heart Chest pain Position comfortably.

function Irregular pulse Assist ventilation.
Disease of muscle Weak pulse Transport promptly
tissue Low blood pressure
Impaired electrical Cyanosis ( lips, under
system nails)
Disease or injury Anxiety
 Type Causes Manifestations Nursing Interventions

Hypovolemic Loss of blood or fluid Rapid, weak pulse Secure airway

Low blood pressure .Assist ventilation.
Change in mental Control external
status bleeding.
Cyanosis ( lips, Elevate legs.
undernails) Prevent aspiration.
Cool, clammy skin Transport promptly
Metabolic Excessive loss of Rapid, weak pulse Secure airway.
fluid and electrolytes Low blood pressure Assist ventilation.
due to vomiting, Change in mental Determine illness.
urination or diarrhea status Transport promptly
Cyanosis ( lips,
undernails)
Cool, clammy skin
Neurogenic Damaged cervical Bradycardia (slow Secure airway.
spine, which causes pulse) Assist ventilation
blood vessels to Low blood pressure Conserve body heat.
dilate widely. Sign of neck injury Maximize circulation.
Transport promptly
 Type Causes Manifestations Nursing Interventions

Psychogenic (fainting) Temporary, generalized Rapid pulse Determined duration of

vascular dilation Normal or low blood unconsciousness.
Anxiety, bad news, sight pressure Record initial vital signs
of injury/blood, prospect and mental status.
of medical. Suspect head injury if
patient is confused or
slow to regain
consciousness.
Transport promptly.
Septic Severe bacterial Warm skin Transport promptly.
infection Tachycardia Provide full ventilatory
Low blood pressure support.
Elevate legs.
Keep patient warm.
• https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLfFYFr7sWY
• https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lJxhqB6r8o
• https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WueGqL58tlo
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=myq7NBgsMD0&t=89s