PERFORM BASIC FIRST AID PROCEDURES

1. Unit Code: D1.HRS.CL1.12 D1.HOT.CL1.12 D2.TCC.CL1.15 PERFORM BASIC FIRST AID PROCEDURES

2. Perform basic first aid procedures This unit comprises three Elements: • 1. Assess the situation • 2. Apply basic first aid techniques • 3. Communicate details of the incident.

3. Assessment Assessment for this unit may include: • Oral questions • Written questions • Work projects • Workplace observation of practical skills • Practical exercises • Formal report from employer/supervisor.

4. Assess the situation Performance Criteria for this Element are: • Identify physical hazards to own & others’ health and safety • Minimise immediate risk to self & health and safety of the casualty by controlling hazard/s in accordance with accepted practice • Assess casualty’s vital signs & physical condition in accordance with accepted practice.

5. Identify physical hazards First aid can be defined as: • Any care given to an injured or ill person (called a 'casualty') before professional medical assistance (ambulance, paramedics, nurse, or doctor) arrives on the scene to take control of the situation.

6. Identify physical hazards When providing first aid always: • Protect yourself and others at all times against injury or harm • Casualty must be protected against further harm or injury • Arrange for professional help to be called • Wear protective gloves.

7. Identify physical hazards Assess all first aid situations to identify hazards to self & others: • Workplace and incident-specific hazards • Hazards sometimes associated with casualty management • Bodily fluids – always wear protective gloves • Risk of further injury to the casualty.

8. Identify physical hazards Ways to identify hazards : • Use common sense • Use your sense of sight • Use your sense of hearing • Use your sense of touch • Use your sense of smell.

9. Minimise immediate risk • Take action to address identified risk • Do not move casualty unless they are in immediate danger of more harm • Ask bystanders to move to safety, if necessary • Call fire brigade if there is fire, smoke or escaping gas • Contact electricity supply company if there is hazard from electricity. Get a staff member to turn power off.

10. Minimise immediate risk What might you do • If there is a fire near the casualty? • If the casualty’s situation is being made worse by rain or sunshine? • If gas is leaking from a damaged appliance? • If unstable items are nearby and posing a risk of falling on the casualty? • If the casualty is in a position where they are likely to be run over by vehicles?

11. Minimise immediate risk Always protect the neck when moving casualty: • Keep the casualty still • Kneel behind the head and place your hands on either side to supportit • Put rolled up towels, blankets, or clothing on each side of the casualty’s head to keep it from moving.

12. Minimise immediate risk Be prepared to ask others for help: • Other staff • Members of the public • Passers by & bystanders • Customers/guests • Management • Friends and/or family of the casualty.

13. Minimize immediate risk • The ‘Fireman’s Carry’ should be used to move unconscious people or casualties who are unable to walk • DO NOT USE the Fireman’s Carry if the casualty has an injured: • Arm • Ribs • Leg • Back.

14. Assess vital signs & physical condition of casualty DRABC is an acronym to describe the procedures used by first aiders when providing first aid: • D for Danger – Assess the situation • R for Response – Check consciousness, check on vital signs • A for Airway – Open airway • B for Breathing – Check respiration rates • C for Circulation – Give chest compressions.

15. Assess vital signs & physical condition of casualty ‘D’ stands for ‘Danger’. ‘D’ means you must: • Assess the situation • Check for danger.

16. Assess vital signs & physical condition of casualty ‘R’ = ‘Response’ from the casualty: • Try to get a response from the casualty – do not shake them • Get a history • Identify how the casualty feels • Check the physical condition of the casualty • Be alert to possibility of shock.

17. Assess vital signs & physical condition of casualty ‘A’ = ‘Airway’: • Check airway is free of obstructions • If casualty is not breathing, open airway • Remove visible obstructions from mouth & nose • Obstructions prevent breathing impede provision of rescue breathing.

18. Assess vital signs & physical condition of casualty ‘B’ = ‘Breathing: • Check breathing by looking, listening & feeling for breathing for up to 10 seconds • If casualty is not breathing, administer rescue breathing/mouth-to-mouth resuscitation/EAR • If casualty is breathing then monitor them.

19. Assess vital signs & physical condition of casualty One ‘vital sign’ is respiration rate: • Watch chest/stomach rise & fall for 15 seconds counting how many times the chest/stomach rises • Multiply figure by four • Record findings.

20. Assess vital signs & physical condition of casualty Respiration rates: • Normal range in an adult when resting is 12 to 20 respirations per minute • Below 12 respirations per minute is ‘slow’ • Above 20 respirations per minute is ‘rapid’ • Slower than 12 – or faster than 20 respirations per minute – may indicate a problem affecting the casualty's ability to get oxygen.

21. Assess vital signs & physical condition of casualty ‘C’ = check ‘Circulation’: • This will indicate if heart is beating • No pulse = no heartbeat & no circulation • If you cannot detect a pulse, begin chest compressions • If casualty is not breathing and there is no pulse, administer CPR.

22. Assess vital signs & physical condition of casualty ‘Pulse rate’ vital sign: • Normal adult pulse rate at rest is 60 to 80 beats per minute – average is 72 beats per minute • A resting pulse rate of more than 80 beats per minute is higher than normal • Causes of high pulse rate can be shock, bleeding, heat, dehydration, fever, pain or exercise.

23. Assess vital signs & physical condition of casualty Try to obtain history, signs & symptoms from the casualty to help make a more informed diagnosis – this will better indicate the first aid needing to be given. While waiting for professional help to arrive: • Provide whatever first aid is needed • Monitor the casualty & record observations • Reassure them everything is OK and they will be fine.

24. Summary – Element 1 When assessing the situation when providing basic first aid to casualties: • Protect yourself and others against injury • Protect the casualty against further injury • Look for physical & other hazards when you arrive on scene • Take action to guard against identified hazards (Continued)

25. Summary – Element 1 • Never simply rush in and start providing first aid – assess the situation first: every time • Never move a casualty until they have been assessed unless there is a risk of further or worse injury to them • Be prepared to ask bystander and others for help • Call emergency services immediately (Continued)

26. Summary – Element 1 • Implement DRABC • Check if casualty is conscious or not • Check to determine if the casualty is breathing or not • Check to determine if the casualty has a pulse or not • Apply mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, cardiac compressions or CPR as required (Continued)

27. Summary – Element 1 • Observe vital signs & physical condition of casualty & record observations • Maintain ongoing monitoring of casualty when providing first aid.

28. Apply basic first aid techniques Performance Criteria for this Element are: • Provide first aid management in accordance with established first aid procedures and available resources and equipment • Monitor casualty’s condition and respond to the casualty’s condition in accordance with accepted first aid principles and enterprise guidelines (Continued)

29. Apply basic first aid techniques • Seek first aid assistance from others in a timely manner as appropriate • Record accidents and injuries in accordance with enterprise procedures.

30. Provide first aid management Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation/EAR: • Should be given when diagnosis reveals the patient is not breathing • If the casualty is breathing, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is not required – manage bleeding & other injuries • Place breathing casualty into ‘Recovery Position’.

31. Provide first aid management To place breathing casualty into Recovery Position: • Kneel beside casualty • Place furthest arm at right angles to the body • Place nearest arm across chest • Lift nearest leg at knee so it is fully bent • Roll patient away & on to the side while supporting head/neck & keeping the leg at right angles.

32. Provide first aid management CPR (Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation): • Is necessary when casualty has no pulse and is not breathing • Ensure professional help has been called for • 30 compressions (at rate of 100/minute), then 2 breaths • CPR may be provided by two people – one gives compressions; the other gives breaths.

33. Provide first aid management Managing bleeding: • ‘Bleeding’ is loss of blood • Wear disposable gloves when treating bleeding • Apply bandage to clean wounds • If object is stuck in the wound stabilise it; do not press on it or try to move or remove it.

34. Provide first aid management Responding to a casualty with clothes on fire: • Cover with fire blanket • Roll on ground until flames go out OR • Tell casualty to drop and roll to put flames out.

35. Provide first aid management Treatment of burns: • Place burn under cold running water for 10 minutes • Cut/lift away clothing covering the burned area • Leave clothing that sticks to burned area • Remove jewellery from burned limb • Apply a sterile dressing • Raise the limb to reduce swelling (Continued)

36. Provide first aid management • If burned area is large, use cleanest material available to cover the burned area • Do not clean burned area before applying dressing • Do not apply ointments or medications • Do not break any blisters • Be alert to shock setting in.

37. Provide first aid management Electrocution: • Do not touch electrical wire or casualty • Find electricity source & turn it off • If you cannot turn off electricity: • Protect self by standing on dry & non-conductive item • Push casualty away, or push source of the electricity away from the casualty, with non-conductive pole • Check breathing • Find and dress entry & exit burn wound.

38. Provide first aid management Snakebite: • Apply firm crepe or elastic bandage over bite, then rest of limb • Stop arm or leg from moving • Do not allow the casualty to move • Monitor breathing • Watch for shock.

39. Provide first aid management Animal bites: • Clean the bite thoroughly with soap or antiseptic • Wash the bite with water • Cover the bite with a sterile dressing • Immobilise injured arm or leg • Take casualty immediately to a medical facility.

40. Provide first aid management Insect bites/stings: • Remove any stingers • Wash bite or sting site • Apply ice or cold compresses • Treat serious reactions the same as snakebite • Monitor breathing • Be alert to allergic reaction • Look for MEDIC ALERT tag or emergency insect bite treatment kits on the casualty.

41. Provide first aid management Anaphylaxis/anaphylactic shock: • Summon professional medical help • Search for rescue medication - EpiPen® • Inject into outer thigh • Do not inject intravenously • Do not inject into buttock • Prepare to administer CPR.

42. Provide first aid management Choking: • Use heel of hand to give up to five blows between the shoulder blades • Check casualty’s mouth quickly after each blow & remove anything there • Give up to five abdominal thrusts if casualty is still choking • Check mouth after each abdominal thrust.

43. Provide first aid management Treating fractures: • Remove jewellery on injured limb • Dress open wounds or burns before applying splint or sling • Cover exposed bone with a dressing • Do not try to push bone back under skin • Do not try to straighten or ’put together’ injured limb • Place the fractured arm in a sling or splint.

44. Provide first aid management Placing a sling on a fractured arm: • Place sling under injured arm so it is centered, base of sling is beyond the elbow and top corner is over the shoulder of the injured side • Position forearm with the hand slightly raised • Bring lower portion of material over injured arm and over shoulder of the uninjured side • Tie the two corners in a knot on the side of the neck on the uninjured side • Twist pointed end of sling and tuck it in at elbow.

45. Provide first aid management Applying a splint: • Place one splint on each side of the arm or leg • Aim is to immobilise joints above and below the fracture • Secure splint above and below fracture site with little movement to the injured areas • Use chest wall to immobilise a fractured arm • Use good leg to immobilise the fractured leg if nothing is available.

46. Provide first aid management Treating sprains: • Use RICE • R = Raise the limb • I = Ice the area • C = Compress the area • E = Elevate the injury.

47. Provide first aid management Managing possible head or spinal injuries: • Do not move casualty • Obtain medical help immediately • Keep casualty still – tell them not to move • Support head & neck • Use rolled up towels/blankets to keep head still • Cover to keep warm.

48. Provide first aid management Signs of shock: • Sweaty but cool skin, pale color, or bluish skin around the mouth • Shallow, fast breathing • Rapid pulse that becomes weaker.

49. Provide first aid management As shock progresses casualty may: • Display signs of anxiety • Have unusual thirst • Yawn and sigh • Become nauseous.

50. Provide first aid management Treat shock by: • Calling an ambulance • Treating major wounds or stop heavy bleeding • Positioning casualty on their back with blanket • Keeping the casualty calm • Reassuring them (Continued)