Notes for First Aid

1. FIRST AID
1.- INTRODUCTION
FIRST AID DEFINITION:
First Aid is the assistance given to a any person who suffer a sudden illness or injury in
the place everything happened until the professional medical help is available.
FIRST AID AIMS:
1. Prevent the person from worsening.
2. Preserve person´s life
3. Ensure the professional medical help arrival.
GENERAL PROCESS TO DO:
1. GET SAFE: We must get safe the place where everything happened not
to cause a new accident.
2. ALERT: We must alert the professional medical help as quickly as we
can (112). We must tell them the detailed place, the type of the
accident and the number of injured people.
3. ASSIST: We must do the different processes quickly, but calmly. We
must follow the action priorities.
* If we are alone, we would firstly assist and then we would alert.

2. 2.- INJURED FIRST ASSESSMENT.
2.1.- VITAL SIGNS:
Vital signs are the objective signs of our vital functions. Our vital functions are:
1. Consciousness ( Nervous system): Shake and talk to the injured. We will know
if they are conscious or unconscious.
2. Breathing ( Respiratory system): We must see, hear and feel the breathing. We
will know if the injured breaths on their own or not.
3. Pulse ( Circulatory system): Take the pulse on the carotid artery (neck). We will
know if the heart is on or off.
2.2.- FIRST ASSESSMENT STEPS:
1. FIRST EXAMINATION: We must do a vital signs examination to identify the lifetime risk
situations. If it is necessary, we will start restoring them at the same time. Priority
planning:
1. Consciousness.
2. Open the airway with a neck hyperextension and a jaw rising. In case there can
have been a spine fracture, do not do this airway opening. Remove any odd
object from the mouth to get the airway clear.
3. See, hear and feel the breathing. If they do not breath on their own, start with
the rescue breathing.
4. Take the carotid pulse and take under control deadly bleeding. Start rescue
defibrillation or chest compressions if necessary.
2.- RESCUE STEP: The rescue process will be developed at the same time as the first
examination.
3.- SECOND EXAMINATION: We will do it after taking under control the vital functions.
• Nervous system: legs and arms sensitivity
• Head: injuries and hits
• Neck: Hits
• Thorax: Injuries, hits and pains
• Abdomen Injuries, hits and pains
• Limbs (lower and upper limbs): Injuries, hits and pains
4.- PROFESSIONAL TREATMENT: It will be developed in the hospital.

3. 3.- CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR).
1. CARDIOPULMONARY ARREST
It is the injury cost by the sudden failure of the heart contractions and the breathing.
2. CPR DEFINITION
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure to preserve brain function
trying to carry oxygen to the brain.
3. HOW TO ACT
1. Protect the place where the accident happened.
2. Check if the person is conscious or not. You can do this by shaking and talking to the
injured. If he gives a sign, he is conscious. Lay down the person adopting the safety
lateral position. If he is unconscious, follow next steps.
3. Alert: Phone 112 as fast as you can.
4. Victim position: Laying down facing up on a hard area.
5. Rescuer position: Get on your knees close to his shoulders.
6. Open the airway with a neck hyperextension and rise his jaw. Remove any object from
his mouth to clear the airway. If you think he can have suffered a spine fracture do not
open the airway.
7. Check the breathing. See, hear and feel the breathing. If he is breathing, lay down
adopting the safety lateral position. If not follow the next steps.
8. Artificial breathing. Mouth to mouth breathing. Cover his nose with two fingers and
breath out deeply on his whole mouth twice. The rhythm is 1 breathing every 5
seconds.
9. Check the pulse. Take his pulse on carotid artery. If his heart is working, keep on
artificial breathing, if not follow the next step.
10. Cardiac massage. Put the heel of your hand on the sternum, and the other hand over
the first hand. Start hitting the sternum 30 times with a rhythm of 100 compressions
in a minute.
11. Alternate two artificial breathings with 30 compressions till emergency services arrive
or the victim recovers the breathing and pulse.
 If there are two rescuers, you should alternate when you get tired.

4. 4.- BLEEDINGS
4.1.- DEFINITION:
Bleeding is the break of any capillary, artery or vein.
4.2.- TYPES OF BLEEDINGS:
EXTERNAL BLEEDINGS: The blood goes off our body through the skin.
INTERNAL BLEEDINGS: The blood stays in our body cavities.
BLEEDINGS THROUGH NATURAL WHOLES: The blood goes off our body through natural holes:
 Rectal bleeding: by the anus.
 Hematemesis and haemoptysis: by the mouth.
 Epistaxis: by the nose.
 Metrorrhagia: by the vagina.
 Hematuria: by the penis.
 Otorrhagia: by the ear.
4.3.- HOW TO ACT
 EXTERNAL BLEEDINGS:
 Clean the wound using a sterile gauze. Use disposable gloves if possible.
 Apply direct pressure to the bleeding wound using a sterile or clean gauze.
 Raise the injured area to reduce blood flow to the injured area.
 If there is a severe bleeding, press the arm or leg artery if it is possible, to
decrease the blood arriving to the wound.
 If a foreign body is embedded in the wound DO NOT remove it but apply a
gauze on the wound.
 Seek medical assistance 112
 INTERNAL BLEEDINGS: You cannot see it, so you can only suppose.
● Seek medical assistance 112.
● Check the pulse and breathing every 5 minutes.
● Assist the patient into the anti-shock position (laying down facing up raising his
knees).
● DO NOT allow the patient to eat or drink.

5. 5.- WOUNDS
DEFINITION
A wound is a skin discontinuity.
SEVERITY FACTORS
● Extension and depth of the wound
● Wound dirtiness
● Wound place
● Affectation of other internal structures, such as ligaments, tendons,…
● Victim age
HOW TO ACT
 MINOR INJURY
1. Try to stop bleeding immediately.
2. Clean the wound with cold water and soap once the bleeding has stopped.
3. Place a bandage over the wound.
 SEVERE INJURY
o First examination
o Second examination
o Cover the wound with sterile gauzes
o Seek medical assistance.
6.- CONTUSIONS
A contusion is a skin injury caused by a force, without a discontinuity of the skin.
TYPES OF CONTUSIONS
MINOR CONTUSIONS
They affect to the external layers of our skin. The skin will get reddish or light purple.
SEVERE CONTUSIONS OR BRUISES
They affect all the layers of our skin. The skin will get purple and swells. It can affect
to the muscles and bones.
HOW TO ACT
 DO NOT move the area affected
 Apply ice, not directly, on the contusion for 15 minutes.
 Seek medical assistance.

6. 7.- BURNS
A burn is a skin injury caused by heat, cold, electricity, chemicals, friction, or radiation.
There are two classifications:
1.- Depending on the depth:
● First-degree burns: red. This type of burn only burns the first layer of skin(epidermis)
is the less serious burn.
● Second-degree burns: blisters. This burn is more severe than the first-degree burn, it
makes a blister in the affected zone and affects the first and second(dermis) layer of
skin.
● Third-degree burns: Black. This type of burn affects to all of the layers of the skin
(epidermis, dermis and subcutis) and after a burn of this type you cannot feel or move
the affected zone.
2.- Depending on the extension:
Minor burns: 1% of the body skin.
Severe burns: More than 1% of the body skin.
There are 2 ways to measure the extension:
1.- The palm of the hand is 1%.
2.- 9 rule: Head=9%; 1 arm=9%; 1 leg=18%; Back=18%; Chest 18%.
HOW TO ACT
● Soak the burn in cold water for ten minutes or longer
● Cover the burn with a gauze to protect the affected area
● DO NOT puncture the blister
● Seek for medical assistance.
HOW TO ACT FOR AN ELECTRICAL BURN
1. Turn off the electricity
2. If you cannot, remove the victim from the electricity with non-conducting objects.
3. Check the breathing and pulse, and start CPR if it is necessary.
4. Cover the affected wounds with sterile gauzes.
5. Seek for medical assistance.

7. 8.- OSTEOARTICULAR INJURIES
SPRAINS
It is a sudden and momentary separation of the bones in a joint with stretching or tearing of
ligaments.
Symptoms:
● Pain
● Swelling
● Bruising
● Limited ability to move the affected joint
How to act:
1. Put ice indirectly on the area for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Elevate the injured limb above your heart whenever possible to help prevent or limit
swelling.
3. Visit the doctor
LUXATIONS
Definition: displacement of a bone from a joint.
Symptoms:
● Visibly deformed or out of place
● Swollen or discoloured
● Intensely painful
● Immovable
How to act:
1. Do not delay medical care. Get medical help immediately.
2. Do not move the joint. Until you receive help, splint the affected joint into its fixed
position. Do not try to move a dislocated joint or force it back into place. This can
damage the joint and its surrounding muscles, ligaments, nerves or blood vessels.
3. Put ice on the injured joint. This can help reduce swelling and pain.

8. FRACTURES
Definition: is a complete or incomplete break in a bone resulting from the application of a
huge force. They can be open or close fractures if there are wounds or not.
Symptoms:
● Pain
● Swelling
● Bruising
● The patient cannot move the affected area
● Deformity in the affected area
How to act:
● Don't move the person except if necessary to avoid further injury.
● Stop any bleeding.
● Immobilize the injured area.

9. 9.- LOSS OF CONSCIUSNESS
1.FAINTING
· Definition: Is loss of consciousness caused by a temporary lack of oxygen to the brain.
· Causes:
-emotional trauma
-hyperventilation
-dehydration
-low blood sugar (diabetes or for going to long without eating)
-severe pain
-hot temperatures
· How to act
- Maintain the person safe: Anti-shock position
- Loosen tight clothing
2.SYNCOPE
DEFINITION: long loss of consciousness resulting from insufficient blood flow to the brain
due to a cardiopulmonary arrest.
HOW TO ACT
The same as a fainting, but following the CPR procedure.
3. COMA
DEFINITION: It’s a state of prolonged unconsciousness that can be caused by a variety of
problems
CAUSES:
1. Traumatic brain injuries. PE: traffic accident
2. Metabolic alterations. PE: diabetes
3. Poisoning. PE: Alcohol or drugs
4. Neurological alterations. PE: Epilepsy
HOW TO ACT:
1. Safety lateral position.
2. Check breathing and pulse
3. Maintain opened the airway.
4. Take them to a hospital