It occurred to me to make this post because my school girl died in front of their peers. The girl died of heart attack, nothing could be done ... but I got to thinking ...
Why not teach school first aid? It is much more important than millions of things we teach is how to save a life in an emergency.
It can happen to anyone, I hope we never have to resort to them, but we know that this is not true, and so if this post serves to guide someone, hopefully you can enjoy it.



What is first aid?



First aid techniques and procedures are an immediate, limited, temporary, not a person receives professional, victim of an accident or sudden illness.

Are immediate because they are the first victims will receive assistance in an emergency situation.

Are limited because of all the techniques, procedures and concepts that exist in emergency medicine and disaster, only uses a small part of them, so the rescuer should never pretend to replace the medical staff can be of first or second instance.

Are temporary and not professionals because in no way a fairly serious accident can be solved using First Aid, should be considered a single patches until the specialist medical staff.
First aid emerged during the war, where soldiers were taken to small tents where they were cared for until they can be taken to the hospital.

It is important to understand these concepts, not to know first aid are made bastard "I save lives", because that really is the doctor saves lives, but they can boast that maybe not for you, the victim had not had a chance to survive. In fact, it is estimated that 50% of victims die before reaching the hospital, if they had applied first aid, could have had a chance.




Before the guide, you have to know.

Before applying first aid, we must consider the following two parameters: VITAL SIGNS CARE and SEQUENCE



Vital Signs:


Vital signs are all those who show signs of life in a human being, these are: pulse, respiration, temperature, blood pressure, pupillary reflex. Four factors are standardized Body Temperature, Pulse (or heart), blood pressure and respiratory rate. I explain most out there.

Body Temperature: Children and adults 36.5 ° 37.5 ° is taken with a thermometer, there is another, equally used hand because ... who walks with a termóetro in your pocket?

Pulse (or heart rate): contraction and expansion caused by blood to pass through arteries indicating heart rate; children 140 cu. / Min. 70-80 adult lung. / min. elderly 60-0 cu. / min.
Usually count how many pulses are there in 6 seconds and multiply by ten.

Pupillary reflex: by reflecting light expands or contracts the pupil, if the zoom the light the pupil dilates or contracts are not ... forget it ... most likely be dead

Respiratory rate: the act of inhaling and expelling air through the respiratory system, children 20-30 resp. / Min adults 16-20 resp. / Min. aged 14-16 resp. / min.

Fracture: partial or complete break in a bone usually caused by a sharp blow, or by violent contraction of a muscle.

Closed fracture: one in which the skin and tissues lining the broken bone has not been injured by it. by it.

Open fracture: When the tip of the broken bone has pierced the soft part of muscles, nerves, tendons and skin and goes out.

Multiple fracture: the bone is broken into several fractions.

Choking on food: occurs when a person fails to swallow too large a particle of food, and gets stuck in his windpipe unable to breathe, which can cause death. Proceed with the Heimlich maneuver.



Sequence of operation:


1. Assessment of area

Segurity
Scene
Situation

Is it safe?
How many injuries are there?
Consult
Do I need protective equipment?

For example, to find a person unconscious and suspected of receiving an electric shock or electrocution. The person who will care must be sure that there will be another victim. If safe, provide care. Otherwise, you must call in aid personnel, without exposing themselves.



2. Initial Patient Evaluation

Assessment of consciousness: the victim is asked as it is, how it is. If you answer is unequivocal symbol of breathing and pulse. If you do not answer pinch slightly at the shoulders, if it reacts, following the previous behavior, if not, call the emergency services as soon as possible.

A quick way to assess the awareness is whether or not to respond:

Alert. Is awake, talking
Verbal. Answer the call, when we raise our voices and call it How are you?!
Pain. Responds to pain, pinched him and reacts to gestures or grunts
Unconscious. No answer



3. Seek help from emergency personnel

The phone number 911 is virtually universal to request help (in the U.S. is 911, in Mexico, Mexican Red Cross 065; in Colombia Red Cross 132; National Police of Peru, 105; Volunteer Fire Peru, 116; In Guatemala, Fire Municipal volunteers 122 and 123, National Emergency Service of Venezuela, 171; In Paraguay, Volunteer Fire Department of Paraguay, 132; Extrahospitalares EMS, 141, Argentina National Police, 911)



4. Pulse assessment.

There are many places to look are divided into two groups:

Central Pulse: The carotid arteries on both sides of the Adam's apple in a small depression in the throat, to feel it pressing slightly with index and middle fingers, never with the thumb (feel our own pulse). Femoral artery, located in the inguinal region at the root of the thigh. Feel the pulse in your fingers.

Peripheral pulse: Other places to identify the pulse may be the radial artery on the inside of the wrist. Less desirable because in case of accident and loss of consciousness, blood is redistributed to vital organs, not limbs so this method can sometimes be misleading.

Failure to find a pulse, begin cardiac massage, ie CPR.



The mnemonic to remember the steps is very simple:

Protect: Protects the victim and other people (you included) from the outbreak that causes the damage.
Tell us: Ask for help (phone number 112)
Help: Put in place measures to maintain essential aid to the victim alive. Leave the remaining shares to the professionals. As we are not professionals, go to the next item on the post.


First Aid Basic maneuvers


Heimlich Maneuver

The Heimlich maneuver, abdominal compression is also called a first aid procedure to unblock the airway, usually blocked by a piece of food or other objects. This technique is effective in saving lives from Choking.

If the victim is on the ground (unconscious), the helper it stretches your back, standing astride his thighs with the palm of the hand above the navel and the other hand on the first. Thus downwardly and compress the head abruptly several times. The helper has to place the victim's head tilted to facilitate the exit of objects.

In all cases the maneuvers can be repeated several times in succession and accompanying search and removal of articles from the mouth.

If all this were not enough or the victim remained unconscious or take a violet color, try to breathe (blow into his mouth or inserting a pressurized gas in the mouth) in order to accommodate the possible object in the lower airway allowing partial ventilation , or will fail to improve, but at least you can breathe a little. If after removing the foreign body was not breathing CPR practicaríamos



Cleaning the mouth: The mouth cleaning has to be done manually with the "finger hook" for possible causes of obstruction objects (gum, candy). Also be removed dentures if any. Cleanse also the secretions which were in the mouth (vomiting), with the help of gauze, scarves, etc..







CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or CPR (RCR) is a set of maneuvers to ensure oxygenation of the organs when the circulation of the blood of a person is stopped (cardiocirculatory arrest). In fact, when circulation stops, the organs, including brain and heart, not get the oxygen and stop working: the brain lesions appear after the third minute, and the chances of survival are almost nil after eight minutes of circulatory arrest. The fact artificially oxygenated blood to circulate and helps prevent or retard this degradation, and give a chance of survival.

For artificial respiration (mouth to mouth) you must press the front of the víctica while her neck rises slightly, to allow air to enter it.

For cardiopulmonary resuscitation, should kneel beside the victim, placing your body at about 90 degrees and reach out and support him in between the nipples, and then press hard and relax, repeating this a few times.

The concept was invented by Peter Safar, who is owed the acronym ABC:

A for airway, opening or release of the airways.
B for breathing, artificial ventilation.
C for circulation, blood circulation by external cardiac massage.





Fractures or dislocations

Generally the affected joints are knees, hips, shoulders and elbows. In these lesions may compress or sever arteries or nerves, which can cause loss of functionality or permanent sensitivity. This is because the arteries and nerves are located in intimate contact with the joints and trauma occur therein may be compromised.

Special precautions for fractures involving the spine, which is a strict condition, not to mobilize the person without the means or the right skills as a movement of flexion, extension or rotation of the vertebrae, can injure the spinal cord causing the person an irreversible neurological injury. So if the person is stable seek medical help, if it is impossible to remember that you must move the casualty onto a hard surface (wood) and well fixed, preventing the body to rotate, flex or extend.
Always be transferred to a health center.

Treatments:



Ice (or something cold in general): to try not to swell and reduce the sensation of pain.

If after a dislocation, the bone itself back into place, apply a light pressure dressing (NOT tight). Do not attempt to relocate a dislocation or fracture. Never rub.

Do not apply ointments or gels (do not touch the area). As a reflex type sprays, should never be used on a wound or open fracture. There is no point that everyone is on top trying to see what happened.

If a dislocation, the joint is dislocated, not compressed. Do not attempt to move it. Freeze your best at the position that are left. If it occurs in the wrist or knee, keeping high.

At a break, do not charge the slightest pressure. If there is a clear deformation, no bandages applied in that area: immobilizing the member by the upper and lower than the fracture.

In open fractures, disinfect, hold a dressing without putting pressure on the wound by a bandage, immobilize and take to the hospital. Maintain the wound area as high as possible (always at a height greater than that of the heart).
The best way to immobilize a broken leg is the leg tie in several places where there are no possibilities of splinting, or medical care.