6 rules that are important to know when administering first aid

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How to do no harm when giving first aid?

First aid is a very important skill. There is nothing more noble than the desire to help a person in a dangerous situation. But, as they say, the underworld is full of good intentions, and heaven is full of good deeds. A person’s life equally depends on your actions and inactions. And this influence is not as obvious as it may seem. What mistakes can entail first aid? In what cases should not provide it until the arrival of specialists?

Do not move the victim

Only recently saw a series of domestic TV series, in which the heroine after the injury was taken in her arms, thrown a little to intercept conveniently, and carried further. In real life, such actions are simply impossible. Without a critical need to move, turn, move the victim can not. Changing the position can aggravate the damage already done, lead to irreversible consequences.

Monitor the current condition of the victim, take care to call an ambulance or rescue team.

Do not resuscitate if there is a pulse

Probably the most widely publicized first aid technique is indirect cardiac massage and mouth-to-mouth breathing. However, widespread recognition, as practice shows, does not indicate knowledge of the correct technique. But even if you are familiar with it, before you panic and rush to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), check whether the person’s heart beats and whether the pulse is palpable. If so, do not perform CPR!

Nor should you beat the victim violently in the chest. Start the heart with a precardiac blow is also very dangerous – the efficiency is zero, but the ribs to break – quite real.

Do not remove anything from the wound

It is also not a good idea to remove objects from wounds. The exception, perhaps, may be a small splinter. In other cases, this can lead to bleeding, which will be extremely difficult to stop.

Any wound caused by anything other than a sterile scalpel in the operating room is infected. So don’t worry about bacteria getting into the wound – it’s already there.

Don’t give the injured person alcohol

Neither warming nor anesthetizing the injured person with alcohol is not allowed. Not only is it hard for doctors to communicate with an intoxicated patient, it’s also hard to subdue him. Decreased sensation and unnecessary motor activity can aggravate existing injuries. For the same reason, diagnosing injuries is difficult. And even if the diagnosis is correct, not all medications are designed to work with alcohol at the same time.

Be careful with tourniquets

Tourniqueting in general is a thankless business. A lot depends on the time of year, duration and place of tourniquet application. Violation of the technique is fraught with loss of limb. Therefore, look for an actual alternative: the place of bleeding can be clamped with fingers or a tampon, put a pressure bandage above the wound. There are many options, and they are much safer than a tourniquet.

Do not be guided by personal experience

To correct dislocations, give drugs that helped you yourself – not the best tactics. Such “intuitive” treatment often goes wrong for everyone involved. If you are unsure of what is happening to the injured person, call in the professionals. Unreasonable use of medications or performing medical procedures can end up costing more than the time spent waiting for an ambulance or rescuers.

What is the proper way to administer first aid?

Here are 10 steps that the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations advises you to take.

• Assess the situation and ensure safety.
• Determine if the victim is conscious.
• Restore the patency of the respiratory tract – remove from the victim’s mouth anything that may interfere.
• Call for an ambulance and other services.
• Start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (if the casualty has no pulse).
• If there are signs of life, make sure the person can breathe freely.
• Examine the casualty and stop bleeding if necessary.
• Inspect the person in detail for injuries, poisoning, and other life-threatening conditions.
• Position the casualty as comfortably as possible. Remember, do not move the person unless absolutely necessary.
• Constantly monitor the person’s condition and provide psychological support. Stay close.
• Transfer the injured person to emergency medical personnel.

How to provide first aid to yourself, if you stepped on the glass on the street, read in the material at the link.