so you need a letter or two to remember first aid

So you need a Letter or Twoto Remember First Aid

We would all like to think we will remember our training at those critical moments in life but how

will you remember did you try an Acronyms

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What is First Aid?

• The initial care, given to a casualty, prior to the arrival of professional medical assistance.

What is your obligation to provide first aid?

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PRINCIPLES OF FIRST AID• LOOK AFTER NUMBER ONE - YOU

• Consider the danger to you, others and the casualty.

• Wear protective equipment such as gloves, masks etc.

• Be careful not to get an injury helping, such as cuts and abrasions if accessing a damaged vehicle, a back injury whilst lifting or a needle stick.

• Promote a safe environment at an accident scene, at work and at home.

ABC's and other Acronyms

ABCD: First steps in assessing a victim for life threatening conditions.

Sometimes E is added, for Exposure and Exam.

• A Airway open?• B Breathing?• C Circulation (pulse, major bleeding, and skin condition)• D Disability?

Signs vs. Symptoms

Signs

• Blood• Vomit• Bruising• Burns• Lump• Breaks

Symptoms

• “I feel sick”• “I feel a stabbing pain

in my arm”• “I feel faint”• “It felt like the bone

clicked”• “I feel pins and needles

in my arm”

RAP ABC: Sequence of action for starting adult CPR

Survey the Scene First

• R Responsive?• A Activate EMS• P Position victim on back•   A Airway open?• B Breathing• C Circulation (pulse)?

Did you LAF

LAF: Procedure used to determine injuries• L Look at the area for deformity, open

wounds, swelling• A and• F Feel for deformity, tenderness, swelling

You know that girls name

DOTS: Sign of injury• D Deformity• O Open Wounds• T Tenderness• S Swelling

RICE TherapyRestReduce regular exercise or activities of daily living as needed. Your doctor may advise you to put no weight on an injured area for 48 hours. If you cannot put weight on an ankle or knee, crutches may help. If you use a cane or one crutch for an ankle injury, use it on the uninjured side to help you lean away and relieve weight on the injured ankle.IceApply an ice pack to the injured area for 20 minutes at a time, 4 to 8 times a day. A cold pack, ice bag, or plastic bag filled with crushed ice and wrapped in a towel can be used. To avoid cold injury and frostbite, do not apply the ice for more than 20 minutes.CompressionCompression of an injured ankle, knee, or wrist may help reduce swelling. Examples of compression bandages are elastic wraps, special boots, air casts, and splints. Ask your doctor for advice on which one to use.ElevationIf possible, keep the injured ankle, knee, elbow, or wrist elevated on a pillow, above the level of the heart, to help decrease swelling.

RICE when it counts

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• Danger• Response• Airway• Breathing• Compression• Defibrillation

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TRIPLE A First Aid Protocol

• Assess the scene…

• Assess the casualty…

• Assess what to do next…

Triple A Protocol

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Consciousness AND COWSHow do we determine the consciousness of

a patient?

C – can you hear me?

O – open your eyes.

W – what’s your name?

S – squeeze my hand

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2+30 x 60 = 100 CPR TECHNIQUE

• 2 Breaths followed by 30 Compressions

• When performing CPR on a child, use only the air in your mouth. 100 compressions per min

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ShockShock fits into 3 categories…

–Absolute fluid loss- low blood volume

–Relative fluid loss

–Cardiac failure - Cardiogenic Shock

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Diabetes• Hyperglycaemia – is a condition of high blood sugar and

is generally a condition with a slow onset. It is not common for first aiders to be confronted with this disorder.

• Hypoglycaemia – low blood sugar is the condition that first aiders will generally be confronted with, it is a condition that causes confusion, and can cause unconsciousness and death.

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StrokeA stroke can happen when the following occurs…

• A blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain is blocked by a blood clot.

This is called an ischemic stroke. • A blood vessel breaks open, causing blood to leak into the brain.

This is called a hemorrhagic stroke. • If blood flow is stopped for longer than a few seconds, the brain cannot

get blood and oxygen. Brain cells can die, causing permanent damage.

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Stroke• To determine if a casualty has had a stroke an assessment of

three specific symptoms must be made.

• Follow the acronym F. A. S. T.

• F… Facial weakness – can you smile?

• A… Arm weakness – can you raise both arms?

• S… Speech problems – can the casualty speak clearly.

• T… Test all three symptoms.

Sample the Patient

AVPUAVPU is a simplified version of the Glasgow Coma Scale which is easy to remember and apply to patients. It consists of four possible stages.

OPQRST• Onset of the event What the patient was doing when it started (active, inactive,

stressed), whether the patient believes that activity prompted the pain• Provocation or palliation Whether any movement, pressure or other external

factor makes the problem better or worse. • Questions can be open ended ("Can you describe it for me?") or leading• Region and radiation Where the pain is on the body and whether it radiates

(extends) or moves to any other area. • Severity The pain score (usually on a scale of 0 to 10). Zero is no pain and ten is

the worst possible pain. This can be comparative (such as "... compared to the worst pain you have ever experienced") or imaginative ("... compared to having your arm ripped off by an alien.

• Time (history)How long the condition has been going on and how it has changed since onset (better, worse, different symptoms), whether it has ever happened before, whether and how it may have changed since onset, and when the pain stopped if it is no longer currently being felt

APGAR

Five factors are used to evaluate the baby's condition and each factor is scored on a scale of 0 to 2, with 2 being the best score:• Appearance (skin color)• Pulse (heart rate)• Grimace response (reflexes)• Activity (muscle tone)• Respiration (breathing rate and effort)

TICS

TICS

• Tenderness • Instability • Crepitus

CLAPS

CLAPS • Contusions • Lacerations • Abrasions • Punctures/Penetrations• Swelling/Subcutaneous emphysema

LOCPRESS

“LOCPRESS”. “LOCPRESS” stands for:• LOC – Level of Consciousness• P – Pulse• R – Respiration• E – Eyes• S – Skin Color• S – Skin Temperature

PASTE• Provoke: Find out whether any external factor such as movement is making the situation better or worse.• Associated Chest Pain: This will elicit descriptions of the patient’s pain in and around chest area.• Sputum production (color): Is the patient coughing up sputum. Mucus-like sputum can be an indication of infection or any problem in respiratory system.• Talking & Tiredness: Is the patient talking with you? Is he/she feeling tired? If the patient is not talking or responding to your voice, perform CPR immediately.• Exacerbation: Check whether the condition of the patient is worsening with time.

Methane

METHANE• Major incident declared• Exact location• Type of incident• Hazards (present and future)• Access• Number, type, severity of casualties• Emergency services now present and those required

Chalets

CHALETS• Casualties, number, type, severity• Hazards (present and future)• Access routes that are safe to use• Location• Emergency services present and required• Type of incident• Safety

HAINES

“Modified Recovery Position” which is named as “HAINES”;High Arm IN Endangered Spine.

SOCRATESSOCRATES (assessing pain)• Site – where is the pain?• Onset – when did the pain begin?• Character – Sharp? Dull? Ache?• Radiation – does the pain go anywhere?• Associated symptoms – any other symptoms? e.g: Nausea &

Vomiting• Timing – when did the pain begin?• Exacerbating and relieving factors – anything make it better or

worse?• Severity – how bad is the pain on a scale of 0 – 10

PLASTIC

PLASTIC (signs & symptoms of a fracture)• Pain• Loss of movement• Angulation• Swelling• Tenderness• Irregularity• Crepitus

LipDust

LIP DUST (signs & symptoms of a fracture)• Loss of movement• Irregularity• Pain• Deformity• Unnatural movement• Swelling• Tenderness

PEEPS

PEEP (treatment of major bleeding)• Position• Expose• Elevation• Pressure

REDE

RED-E (treatment of major bleeding)• Rest• Expose• Direct Pressure• Elevation

CLIP GGs

CLIP GG’s (types of wound)• Contusion• Laceration• Incision• Puncture• Gunshot• Graze• Stab• Causes of unconsciousness

Fish ShapedFISH SHAPED • Fainting• Infantile convulsions• Shock• Head Injury• Stroke• Heart Attack• Asphyxia• Poisons• Epilepsy• Diabetes

ASHICE

ASHICE (handover of a casualty – normally done over the radio / phone)• Age• Sex• History• Injuries• Consciousness level/changes• Everything else / ETA

ATMIST

ATMIST (handover of a trauma casualty)• Age• Time of incident• Mechanism of injury• Injuries (top to toe)• Signs (vital signs)• Treatment given

SBAR

SBAR (handover of any critical situation)• Situation• Background• Assessment• Recommendations

SCALDS

SCALD (assessment of a burn)• Size • Cause • Age • Location • Depth • Sports first aid / injuries

SALTAPS

SALTAPS (assessment of the injured player)• Stop • Ask – questions about the injury• Look – at the injury • Touch – feel for tenderness • Active movement• Passive movement• Stand – can they weight bear?

ENAME

• Environmental hazards• Number of patients• Additional resources• Mechanism of injury• Extrication?

PENMAN

• Personal Protective Equipment• Equipment needed• Number of injured• Mechanism of injury• Additional resources needed• Need for immobilization?

MIST

• Mechanism of Injury - describe it• Injuries - describe them• Signs - vital signs, abnormal s/s• Treatment - what have you done?

CHATT

• Chief complaint• History - recent & relevant long term• Assessment - your conclusions• Treatment - include patient reactions• Transport - note changes en route

MCVITE

• Mechanism. "Fall," "MVC/MVA," "Possible MI," etc.• Chief Complaint. "Complaining of..."• Vital Signs. "Vital signs are..."• Injuries. List all known injuries with severity of

major ones.• Treatment. What have you done to treat these

conditions?• ETA. "Our ETA is 10 minutes. Do you have any

questions?"

SOAP

• Subjective information (What is the patient telling you?)

• Objective information (What are your observations and tools telling you?)

• Assessment of the patient (What do you think is happening?)

• Plan of action (What are you going to do about it?)

CHEATED

• Chief Complaint• History• Examination• Assessment• Treatment• Evaluation (Did the treatment help?)• Disposition (What was the final outcome?)

PRBELS

• Pulse• Respiration• Blood Pressure• Eyes (PERRLA)• LoC (AVPU)• Skin Signs (Color, Appearance, Temperature)

PASTMED

• Provoke, Progression• Associated Chest Pain• Sputum, color & amount• Time, Trauma• Medications• Exertion, Exercise• Diagnosis by physician

CMSTP

• Color• Motor• Sensory• Temperature• Pulse

FACTS

• Focus (What part of the body?)• Activity (Tonic? Clonic? One but not both?)• Color (Cyanotic?)• Time (How long was the episode? How much

time between episodes?)• Somnolence (Postictal state?) or Secondary

trauma (Was the seizure caused by trauma? Did the patient suffer trauma as a result of the episode?)

SLUDGE

• Salivation (Drool)• Lacrimation (Tears)• Urination (Piss)• Defecation (Poop)• Gastric juices (Heartburn)• Emesis (Vomiting)

PERRLA

• Pupils are• Equal,• Round, and• Reactive to• Light• Accommodation

Start & RPM

• Simple• Triage• And• Rapid• Transport&• Respirations• Perfusion• Mentation

VOMIT

• Vital Signs• Oxygen• Monitor• IV• Treatment/Transport

COLDERR

• Character - What does it feel like?• Onset• Location• Duration• Exacerbation• Radiation• Relief

PCMM-HLDD

• Percodan/Percocet• Codeine• Morphine• Methadone• Heroin• Lomotil• Darvon• Demerol

NAVEL

• Narcan (naloxone)• Atropine• Versed (midazolam) (May be Valium

(diazepam) in some areas.)• Epinephrine• Lidocaine

CHASHPN

The seven types of shock.• Cardiogenic• Hemmorhagic• Anaphalactic• Septic• Hypovolemic• Psychogenic• Neurogenic

CHAMPSRN

• Cardiogenic• Hemmorhagic• Anaphalactic• Metabolic• Psychogenic• Septic• Respiratory• Neurogenic

DICCCE

• Drug - correct one• Integrity - packaging intact• Color• Concentration• Clarity• Expiration

In the End

In the end it is about PATIENT Care, and trying your best as a first aider to give someone the best first aid assistance at the time based upon our knowledge and competency!