First Aid Tips for Adults
Jessica Gitre - Garza Online Health
Head, Neck, or Spinal Injuries
- Call 9-1-1
- Minimize movement of the head, neck, and spine
- Stabilize the head
-Safety Tip-
When stabilizing the head, keep it in the position which it was found. Provide support by placing your hands on both sides of the person's head.
Checking an Injured or Ill Adult Who Appears to be Unconcious
-Safety Tip-
Use disposable gloves and other personal protective equipment and obtain consent whenever giving care.
- Tap the shoulder to check for responsiveness
- Call 9-1-1
- Open the airway by tilting the head and lifting the chin
- Check for breathing (for no more than 10 seconds)
- Scan for severe bleeding
- Respond appropriately based on responsiveness and breathing
Stroke
F. A. S. T.
- Face - ask the person to smile. If their face droops, they've had a stroke.
- Arm - ask the person to raise their arms. If one arm drifts downward, they've had a stroke.
- Speech - ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. If they slur or if they can't repeat the sentence properly, they've had a stroke
- Time - if you've seen any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately. Try to determine the time the first signs appeared.
Poisoning
Always call a poison control hotline or 9-1-1 and give care on the conditions found
Burns
- Remove from the source of the burn
- Cool the burn with cold running water until pain is relieved
- Cover loosely with sterile dressing
- Call 9-1-1 and care for shock
External Bleeding
- Cover the wound with sterile dressing
- Apply direct pressure until bleeding stops
- Cover the dressing with bandage
- Apply more pressure and call 9-1-1
-Safety Tip-
Wash hands with soap and water after giving care
Conscious choking - cannot cough, speak, or breathe
- Give 5 back blows
- Give 5 abdominal thrusts
- Repeat steps one and two until the object is forced out, the person can breathe, or the person becomes unconscious.
- If the subject becomes unconscious, call 9-1-1
Unconscious Choking
- Give rescue breaths
- Give 30 compressions
- Look for and remove object if seen
- Give 2 rescue breaths
- Repeat steps 2 through 4 if breaths do not make the chest rise
-Safety Tip-
The person must be on a firm, flat surface for compressions. Remove the CPR breathing barrier when giving chest compressions
CPR
- Give 30 chest compressions, 2 inches deep, 100 compressions per minute
- Give 2 rescue breaths
- Repeat steps one and two.
-Safety Tip-
Do not stop CPR unless you find an obvious sign of life (e.g. breathing), an AED is ready to use, another trained responder will take over, you are too exhausted to continue, or the scene becomes unsafe.