First the facts............

Accidents in the home

Each year, in the UK, more than 4,000 people die in accidents in the home, and 2.8 million are injured.

Road Accidents

Between April 2005 and March 2006, approximately 3,200 people were killed on Britain’s roads, with almost 270,000 casualties in total, and 29,000 seriously injured.

Burns

Approximately 250 people die from burns and 130,000 require treatment for burns in the UK each year.

Drowning

Each year, in the UK, roughly 500 people, mainly children, die from drowning.

Electricity

Approximately 50 people are killed, and 4,000 people require treatment from electricity related injuries, every year in the UK.

Poisoning

Approximately 50,000 people require treatment for poisoning, in the UK each year. This includes accidental poisoning, particularly in children, and over-doses.

Accidents and first aid

How is it performed?

With just a little basic first aid knowledge, you could help save someone’s life in an emergency situation. Basic first aid courses are run regularly in most areas around the UK.
If someone is injured in an accident, you should:

1)Dial 999 for an ambulance (if necessary)

2)Put your safety first by dealing with any possible dangers, and
if safe....

3)... carry out basic first aid, such as checking the person’s airway is clear, controlling any bleeding, or providing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for a person who is not breathing and whose heart has stopped beating.
The following advice is not intended to replace professional instruction in first aid, but will help if you are faced with an emergency situation.

The recovery position

Putting someone who is unconscious in the recovery position will ensure that they maintain an open airway, and cannot swallow their tongue. It also ensures that any vomit or fluid will not cause choking.
Place the person on their side, ensuring that they are supported by one leg and one arm. Open the airway by tilting the head and lifting the chin.
If the person’s airway is not open and s/he is not breathing, you should begin the ABC of resuscitation.

A-airway B-breathing C-circulation

Airway

To open the airway, lift the chin with one hand, while pushing down on the forehead with the other to tilt the head back. Once the airway is open, look for chest movement and listen and feel for breathing by placing an ear close to the person’s mouth.

Breathing

If, after opening the airway, the person does not begin to breathe spontaneously CPR should be started.

Firstly start the cycle of CPR by commencing chest compressions first (see below) the carry out artificial respiration.

To carry out artificial respiration:
tilt the head back, lift up the chin, and pinch the nostrils together,
seal your mouth over the person’s mouth and, looking at the chest, take a deep breath,
breathe slowly, but firmly into the person's mouth, checking that their chest rises, and
repeat until the person starts breathing, or assistance arrives.

Circulation

If there are no signs of life, that is, no heartbeat and no pulse (circulation), and if there is no trained medical help available, you should start external chest compression.
 To do this:

For Adults

Locate the person’s sternum – the middle of the breastbone, where the rib cage divides.
Place the heel of your hand in the middle of the person’s chest (just above the sternum), and put the heel of your other hand on top of the first.
Interlock your fingers and using the heel of your hand, press downwards firmly and quickly, approximately 4-5 centimetres (1 ½ to 2 inches), while keeping your elbows straight.
After each compression, release the pressure on the chest without taking your hands off the breastbone.
The rate of compression should be about two compressions every second, or approximately 100 compressions per minute. Do 30 compressions, and then give 2  breaths. Repeat until assistance arrives.

Children and babies

For the purposes of first aid, an infant is defined as a child under one year old, and a child is between one year and puberty.
If the child’s airway is not open and s/he is not breathing, you should begin the ABC of resuscitation. You should:

Give five initial rescue breaths before starting chest compression,
perform CPR for approximately one minute before going for help (if you are on your own), and
compress the chest approximately one-third its depth.
You should use the tips of two fingers for infants under one year of age, and the heel(s) of one or both hands in children over a year.
As with adults, for both infants and children, you should give 30 chest compressions to 2 breaths at a rate of about two compressions a second (approximately 100 a minute).

Burns

Cool the burn with cold water, and then cover it with a sterile dressing of non-fluffy material, such as cling film, or a plastic bag. Do not put creams, butter, or lotions on the burn, they will only cook on the burn and increase the risk of secondary infections.

Seek medical help unless the burn very minor.

Choking

Adults

An obstruction can be mild (the person will be able to speak, cry, cough or
breathe), or it can be severe (the person will be unable to do any of the above) and, without assistance, will become unconscious.
If the obstruction is mild, encourage the person to continue coughing, and try to remove the obstruction from the mouth. If the obstruction is severe, give up to five back blows (between the shoulder blades), using the flat of your hand, and then check the mouth and remove any obstruction.
If the obstruction is still there, give up to five abdominal thrusts. Stand behind the person and put your arms around them, with one fist below the rib cage. Link your hands and pull sharply inwards and upwards. Check the mouth and remove any obvious obstruction.
This procedure can also be used for children.

If the obstruction does not clear after three cycles of back blows and abdominal thrusts, dial 999 (or 112) for an ambulance and consider starting CPR.

Infants

For infants, who are distressed, and unable to cry, cough, or breath, lay them face down along your forearm, with their head low, and support the back and head. Give up to five back blows, with the heel of your hand. Check the infant's mouth, using one finger to remove any obvious obstructions. If the obstruction is still present, do not do a finger sweep of the mouth.
Turn the infant onto his/her back and give up to five chest thrusts, by using two fingertips to push inwards and upwards (towards the head) against the infants breastbone, one finger's breadth below the nipple line. The aim is to relieve the obstruction with each chest thrust rather than necessarily doing all five.
If the obstruction does not clear after three cycles of back blows and chest thrusts, dial 999 (or 112) for an ambulance and consider starting CPR.

Poisoning

If the person is unconscious, put them in the recovery position, and call 999 to ask for an ambulance. Do not give the person anything to drink unless a health professional advises you to. If there are no symptoms, consult the poisons unit at your local hospital. If the poison is corrosive DO NOT MAKE THE CASUALTY VOMIT.

Electricity

Turn the electricity supply off, preferably by the fuse box ( Know where it is!), if not switch off the socket to isolate it. If the person is not breathing, carry out the resuscitation procedure (ABC) and call an ambulance. Seek medical help unless the shock is very minor.

Drowning

Once the person is on land, you should carry out the resuscitation procedure (ABC) if the person is not breathing. If unconscious, put the person in the recovery position, and call an ambulance immediately. Drowning casualties may need prolonged resuscitation to survive, particularly if they are hypothermic from being in cold water.

Bleeding

Apply and maintain pressure directly to the wound. Use a sterile (clean) dressing to bandage the wound firmly. Raise the wound (if there are no fractures) to decrease the flow of blood. Seek medical help for the bleeding unless it is minor.

Wrap any severed body part, such as a finger, in a plastic bag, cling film, or soft material, and keep it cool. If possible, place the severed body part in ice, but do not put it in direct contact with the ice.

Heart Attack

If your casualty is conscious, sit the casualty on the floor with their knees raised. Loosen clothing around the neck. Consider administering a 300mg aspirin, to be chewed by the casualty. This is one of the single most important treatments for people suffering non relieved cardiac related chest pain. It's benefits in the event of a heart attack are vital.

If a person’s breathing and heartbeat stop, call 999 for an ambulance and initiate the resuscitation procedure (ABC) immediately. If the person becomes unconscious, but is breathing, place in the recovery position.

NEVER PUT ANYTHING INTO AN UNCONSCIOUS CASUALTY'S MOUTH

Fractures

If the person is unconscious, has difficulty breathing, or is bleeding severely, these should be dealt with first. Do not move the person and gently support the injured part by hand until help arrives.

FOR ALL CASUALTIES YOU DEAL WITH:

Don't forget........ A.M.P.L.E.  Ambulance crews and hospital staff will need this information :

ALLERGIES : What is your casualty allergic to?

MEDICATION : What medicines is your casualty regularly taking?

PREVIOUS MEDICAL HISTORY : What has your casualty previouslly sufferred from?

LAST MEAL / LOCAL GP : Important to know when your casualty last ate particularly because they may be given medication by Healthcare professionals later on / The GP may be able to give further information on the casualty's condition.

EVENTS LEADING UP TO..... : What happened to the casualty before,during and after the incident?

Preparation is the key to all first aid incidents.

 Know where your first aid kit is. Know what is inside it. Know what your going to do with the kids if you need to go to hospital in an emergency.

Keep your skills up to date regularly. Many people complete a first aid course and then don't see a casualty for the 3 years their qualification lasts.

Take care and stay safe

The NP Team