First aid is the provision of immediate care to a victim with an injury of illness, usually effected by a lay person, and performed within a limited skill range. First aid is normally performed until the injury or illness is satisfactorily dealt with (such as in the case of small cuts, minor bruises, and blisters) or until the next level of care, such as an ambulance or doctor, arrives.
When you are treating facial wounds, whether minor or serious, your priority is to keep the patient’s airway clear at all times. Remember too that a severe facial injury may be associated with other injuries, which may also require your attention.
Trauma is tissue damage, which occurs due to transfer of different forms of energy either intentionally or unintentionally. Trauma is one of the leading causes of mortality, morbidity and disability worldwide
If a patient complains of “something in my eye” and gives a consistent history, a foreign body is usually present on the cornea or under the upper lid even though it may not be visible.
Hypothermia will occur when the core temperature of the body falls below 35°C. If the casualty is suffering from the mildest form of hypothermia, they will usually make a full recovery with professional treatment
A poison is a substance which, if taken in to the body in sufficient quantity, may cause temporary or permanent damage. Poisons can be swallowed, absorbed through the skin, inhaled, splashed in to the eyes, or injected.
Choking is a very common occurrence, and is probably one of the most useful skills you can have as a first aider. Choking can lead to tragedy if not dealt with properly.
Hyperventilation means ‘excessive breathing’. When we breathe in we take in a trace amount of carbon dioxide and when we breathe out this rises to about 4% carbon dioxide. Hyperventilation results in low levels of carbon dioxide in the blood which is what causes the symptoms of this condition.