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Chapter 1. Everyone Should Know First Aid. Emergency Medical System (EMS). Your role in the EMS system includes 4 basic steps Recognize an emergency exists Decide to act Activate the EMS system Give care until help arrives. Step 1 Recognizing an emergency. Unusual sights
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Chapter 1 Everyone Should Know First Aid
Emergency Medical System (EMS) • Your role in the EMS system includes 4 basic steps • Recognize an emergency exists • Decide to act • Activate the EMS system • Give care until help arrives
Step 1 Recognizing an emergency • Unusual sights • Unusual appearances or behaviors • Unusual odors • Unusual noises
Step 2 Decide to Act • In order to help in an emergency you must act • Most common reasons why people don’t help • The presence of other people • Being unsure of the ill or injured person’s condition • Type of injury or illness • Fear of catching a disease • Fear of doing something wrong • Fear of being sued • Being unsure of when to call 911
Step 3 Activate the EMS System • Call 9-1-1 • Know your local emergency numbers
Getting Permission • Before giving care to a conscious adult you must permission “consent” • Identify yourself • Tell them what you are trained in • What you think is wrong • What you plan on doing • If they refuse care at least notify 9-1-1 • If they are unconscious or can not respond consent is implied
Step 4 Give Care Until Help Arrives • Examples • CPR/First Aid • Making victim comfortable • Meet EMS out at the curb • Direct traffic • Keep onlookers away
Getting permission • Conscious Child or infant you need permission from a parent or guardian. • If a parent refuses notify 9-1-1 • If a parent is not present and the situation is life threaten consent is implied
How Disease Spreads • Infectious diseases spread from person to person by bacteria and viruses • Bacteria can live outside the body • Viruses live on other organisms, once in the body they are hard to remove • They are spread through touching breathing and biting
If you touch an infected person blood or bodily fluid with an open wound, cut, or cracked skin, you can be infected • Common cold • Breathing in droplets in the air, someone sneezing • Touching objects that have been exposed to droplets
Animal or human bites • Getting a disease this way is rare • Some may give you flu a like disease • Can create discomfort but often temporary • Usually not serious for healthy adults
Others are more Serious • Hepatitis B (HBV) • Hepatitis C (HCV) • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) • Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) • These are not easily transmitted • Blood to blood contact
HIV, AIDS and You • AIDS is caused by HIV • Damages the immune system • Many don’t know they have it • They don’t look or feel sick • AIDS eventually develops into infections which lead to death • Currently there is no vaccine
Transmission During First Aid • Unprotected direct contact with infected blood • Blood splashes in responder’s eye • Touching infected person’s body fluids • Unprotected indirect contact with infected blood • Touching contaminated objects
Precautions • Risk of transmission during first aid is low • Give care in ways that protect you and the victim • Wash hands before and after giving care • Wear protective gear and use barriers • Avoid contact with blood and other body fluids • Dispose properly of all material used in giving care
Cleaning up Blood Spills • Clean up immediately • Use disposable gloves and protective equipment • Use paper towel • Use a chlorine/water solution to clean • Wait 10 minutes • Dispose of all contaminated material
Good Samaritan Laws • All 50 states have it • Protects people who provide care without accepting anything in return • Protects citizens who act the in a reasonable and prudent manner
Examples • Move a person only if their life is in danger • Ask permission before giving care • Check for life-threatening conditions before giving further care • Call 9-1-1 • Continue to give care until trained personnel arrive
Protection in Lawsuits • Non-professional who responds to emergencies (lay responder) is rarely sued for helping in an emergency • Good Samaritan laws protect responders from financial responsibility
You are not protected • Abandoning a victim after starting care • Reckless responders • Taking unnecessary measures to give care • Negligent responders • Moving a person without cause