Do You Know the 3 Aims of First Aid?
You already know the importance of first aid being the first line of treatment for any injury or illness. Assessing the entire situation beforehand will put you in a better situation to give the required first aid and also take other necessary steps concerning the patient and the immediate surroundings.
The following 3 aims of first aid will put things in proper perspective for you while administering the initial treatment.
– Preserving Life: During a medical situation whether your actions fall in the purview of first aid or involves a more advanced treatment, ultimately the aim of any kind of medical care is to preserve life. Naturally this should be your prime concern when administrating first in any kind of situation. You must do a quick evaluation of the victim as well as the surroundings and proceed with the required treatment immediately. Your actions and the stages of treatment must be according to priority which will depend on whether the victim is conscious or unconscious and also on the nature, extend and seriousness of the sickness or injury.
– Preventing Further Harm: The second aim of first aid is an equally important one where you have to ensure that the victim is not exposed to further harm or danger and may involve moving the victim away from the place of mishap. You should take all the necessary actions to prevent any complications. While giving first aid you must pay special attention to stop bleeding and make sure the patient is breathing normally. Treatment may vary from applying ice packs to reduce pain or immobilizing the victim in case of broken bones or serious injuries, and may include keeping the person warm or dry. Also you must take special care of trauma victims and not move them unless absolutely necessary. And always remember that if you are unsure about what is required to be done in a certain situation then it is best not to take any action to ensure that you don’t worsen the situation.
– Promoting Recovery: Besides avoiding further injury it is the aim of first aid to stabilize the victim and promote recovery. In case of minor issues, for example cuts, scrapes, minor burns and small wounds, administrating first aid can actually conclude the treatment without any need for further medical intervention. But in more serious situations you will have to ensure that the patient’s condition is evenly maintained till professional medical help arrives.
In addition to the main aims above, you must keep in mind some other principles of first aid too. Besides putting the patient away from harm’s way you should ensure your own safety as well as that of your team. At times the bystanders may have to be pushed back from a potentially hazardous scene to prevent further accidents. While administrating first aid you must always be calm as any panic at your end will end up agitating the victim too. Furthermore you must provide adequate reassurance to the victim which will not only help in better response to the treatment but will also make your work easier.
For more information, please visit our first aid website.
For more information, please visit our first aid website http://www.firstaidexams.com .
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Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: medical,importance of first aid ,first aid treatment