As much as we may wish it didn’t, accidents can always happen. Knowing first aid could potentially save not only your life but another individual.
While you don’t need to be a qualified doctor, there are a few skills that will allow you to act quickly in dangerous situations. Below we are going to talk about just five of them that everybody should know.
Sound interesting? Then keep on reading!
Management of Heavy Bleeding
Whether you’re accidentally injured at work or happen to pass by someone that needs your help, learning how to manage heavy bleeding is essential. In fact, a person can bleed out in just five minutes.
The first step is to apply pressure to the wound. This can be with whatever you have handy, including a t-shirt, blanket, or towel. If the individual has been stabbed, leave the item in! Removing it will only cause them to lose more blood.
Wound Management
If you hurt yourself, you must know how to take care of the wound. Even a tiny cut can get infected, leading to further complications.
It’s always a good idea to have a first-aid kit in your car, just in case you need to treat an injury. Make sure to stock up on high-quality supplies, including medipore tape, bandages, and alcohol wipes.
Burn Treatment
When an individual is burned, the first few minutes are critical. If you know what to do, you can significantly reduce the amount of damage to the skin.
Just remember that there are different types of burns, and they have unique ways of being treated. For example, while first-degree and second-degree burns can be treated with topical remedies, third-degree burns require a hospital visit.
How to Perform CPR
Indeed, one of the most critical first-aid skills to learn is CPR. This is short for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and provides artificial ventilation to a person that is not breathing.
Before you perform this, you must take a course by an experienced professional. They will explain the necessary steps to do it correctly. In most cases, it will be used in accordance with DRS ABCD.
D: Danger
R: Response
S: Send
A: Airway
B: Breathing
C: CPR
D: Defibrillation
Management of Choking
Choking can be deadly, especially in small children. One of the more standard forms of choking management is known as the Heimlich maneuver. This can hopefully dislodge the item from the airway.
Make sure that you are careful before performing this. Most doctors don’t recommend doing it to those that are under the age of 12. You can learn more information about choking in children here.
Final Words
And that’s it. These were just five basic first aid skills that you should know. Remember, by doing a bit of research and learning the above, you could potentially save another’s life.
A few other things that you might want to check out include:
– Snakebite management.
– Suspected heart attack management.
– Allergic reaction management.
