Principles of first aid

PRINCIPLES OF FIRST AID

1- Immediate action:

Quick action is necessary to preserve life. If quick effective first aid is provided, then the casualty has a much better chance of a good recovery. It is important that quick action does not lead to panic. Try to remain calm and think your actions through. A calm and controlled first aider will give everyone confidence that the event is being handled efficiently and effectively.

2- Getting help:

Remember, as an aidee, you are not a doctor, so you need to get help. To get expert medical assistance, call an ambulance as early as possible. If you are attending to a casualty, get a bystander to telephone for help. If you are on your own you may have to leave the casualty momentarily to make a call. There are 3 important things to remember when calling for help:

1. State which emergency service you want; Ambulance, Fire, or Police.
2. Stay on the line until connected with the emergency service operator as they will need to talk to you before sending assistance.
3. Give as much information as you can about the emergency, including:

• exact address or location
• landmarks
• caller’s name
• phone number from where the call is being made
• what happened - eg. car accident
• number and condition of the casualties

3- Reassurance:

The psychological value of reassurance is as important as the treatment that you give. A calm approach by the first aidee, and keeping the casualty informed of what is happening will also assist in the reassurance process.