What does the individual need to consider in administering first aid?

1. What does the individual need to consider in administering first aid? While having the knowledge and skills to deliver first aid in various situations is important, this is only one aspect of first aid. The first aider should always be looking for ways to: 1 promote a safe environment 2 preserve life 3 prevent the condition or injury from worsening 4 promote recovery and provide comfort.

2. Physical environment As already mentioned in this option, the safety of the first aider, the victim and any bystanders is of paramount importance in a first aid situation. The physical environment can pose a number of threats to safety, and the first aider should analyse the various safety issues associated with common physical environments to enable the formulation of protective strategies.

3. -Traffic accidents Traffic accidents are a dynamic environment; danger, in the form of oncoming cars, fi re, chemicals, unstable trees or power lines and damaged vehicles, is always present. The first aider needs to look for ways that the traffic accident site can be made safe for all involved and ensure that no further accidents occur.

4. -Traffic accidents Things that can be done to reduce danger include: -Ensuring any assisting cars are parked safely off the road with hazard lights on. -Setting up warnings for oncoming cars a fair distance from the accident, in both directions, by, for example, asking a bystander to warn cars to slow down or placing warning markers on the road. -Using headlights to illuminate the accident area. Turning off the ignition of any cars involved in the accident, applying the -handbrake and, if on a slope, chocking the wheels of the vehicles. -Stopping people from smoking at the scene. -Not moving victims from the scene unless they are in immediate danger. -Checking around the accident site for victims who may have been thrown from the vehicle/s. -Avoiding any wires or power lines. -Treating any injuries, giving priority to unconscious and bleeding casualties -Calling emergency services.

5. -water environment Water environments have a number of inherent risks and every year there are several cases of a rescuer drowning while trying to save someone else. The personal safety of the first aider is paramount, and assessing a water environment should always involve considering ways to get a person to safety without the rescuer actually entering the water. If the casualty is conscious, the first aider can first talk to the person and encourage them to move to safety.

6. -water environment Reaching out to the casualty with a broom, branch or other rigid item may be a way of pulling them to safety. It may also be possible to throw the casualty some sort of floatation device such as a ball, body board or Esky, or a rope to tow them in. If the casualty is too far away for these methods to be useful, it may be necessary to wade, swim or row out to them. Care should always be taken when approaching a casualty in the water, as they will be panicking and may pull the rescuer under if they get too close. The first aider should try to reassure the person and, in the first instance, use a towel or rope to tow them back to shore rather than making physical contact with them. If the casualty is unconscious, the fi rst aider should use the DRABCD Action Plan and get the person to shore as quickly as possible. Deep-water resuscitation is an advanced skill that should not be attempted by an untrained person.

7. - Electricity Electricity has an immense potential for danger because it is not visible. We know it is in electrical wires. When the wires are exposed through circumstances such as frayed or cut electrical insulation or fallen power lines, electricity is conducted through any metallic material that is in contact with the wires. By touching the conducting material, such as a car body, electrocution occurs. The voltage in most wires is sufficient to cause severe burns and instant death. The rescuer needs to: • be aware of the deadly nature of electricity and how it is conducted • examine the situation and assess the potential for harm. Protective strategies include: • not touching cars or objects that are in contact with fallen power lines • turning the power off at the source (light switch or main switch) in the case of a domestic accident • removing live power cords with nonconducting material such as a stick if the power cannot be turned off immediately.

8. infection control and protection It is essential for the first aider to ensure they undertake good hygiene practices by assuming that every situation is potentially infectious, in order to prevent transmitting diseases or infections. Controlling infection is achieved by protecting both the first aider and the injured person from the transmission of: • droplets—nasal, airway or throat secretions • bodily fluids and blood—vomit, saliva, urine, faeces or pus • infected needles of sharp objects. Common diseases may be transferred to the first aider during treatment; however it is rare that diseases, such as hepatitis, is passed on. There has been no proven case of HIV (AIDS) being transferred. Precautionary methods prior and after treatment include: • wash hands before giving treatment, if possible •cover any exposed wounds •avoid touching potentially infected material (dressings) with bare hands

9. infection control and protection •use disposable gloves (if they tear during treatment, remove, wash hands and put on a new pair) •if available, use a resuscitation mask if EAR has to be administered (disinfect after use) •dispose of all treatment materials in a secured plastic bag •wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water •clean contaminated surfaces with detergent and water •remove any personal protective clothing (apron, mask, eye protection or gloves).

10. -HIV/AIDS The HIV virus (human immunodeficiency virus) that causes AIDS can be transmitted only through the exchange of blood and, in some cases, body fluids, from an infected to a noninfected person. Although this is unlikely in the administration of first aid, it is best that appropriate precautions be taken. Highest concentrations of the HIV virus are in blood. To pass the virus from one person to another during first aid, both the casualty and the rescuer need to have cuts or wounds that are open and the blood of the infected person needs to mix with the blood of the noninfected person. This situation, although possible, is highly unlikely. It is important to realise that this type of infection must pass from the bloodstream of one person and into the bloodstream of another for transmission to take place. Although HIV exists in saliva, the quantity exchanged during CPR would not be sufficient for effective transmission and, in any case, the virus would be destroyed by the stomach juices.

11. -Blood-borne viruses (hepatitis B and C) Blood-borne viruses are those that are carried in the blood and cause disease. The viruses can be spread from person to person regardless of whether they are showing symptoms of a particular disease or not, so safety precautions should be used in all instances. Hepatitis B is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world. The hepatitis B virus causes inflammation of the liver and is found in blood and body fluids. It is generally contracted by infected blood passing into an open cut or wound. Hepatitis B can be prevented with a vaccination, and there are a number of treatments for those with the disease. Hepatitis C is a virus that also causes liver inflammation and disease. It too is spread through contact with infected blood. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C; however, treatments are available.