First aid guide

United Kingdom - 999 or 112

European Union - 112

Australia - 000

USA - 911

Canada - 911

One of the most basic and useful things you can learn is CPR. CPR can be done with 30 chest compressions in the centre of the chest followed by two recovery breaths for adults. The chest should be compressed 2 - 3 cm. Recovery breaths are performed by making an airtight seal over the mouth, pinching the nose and blowing steadily into the mouth not too hard. With babies it is the same with the exception that CPR should be performed with only two fingers. Remember if any person is not breathing you must always call an ambulance. CPR should be used only for patients who aren't breathing. You can check if a person is breathing by listening for breathing noises and looking at the patients chest.

Recovery position
Another very basic thing that you can do is the recovery position. Here is a simple easy to follow guide. The recovery position should be used for casualties who are unconscious.

Step 1: Place the arm nearest to you at a right angle

Step 2: Move the other arm across the casualty around the neck not to tightly so the back of the arm is touching the cheek opposite to the arm.

Step 3: Get hold of the knee furthest from you and pull up until foot is flat on the floor

Step 4: Pull the knee, you just moved, towards you keeping the persons hand pressed against their cheek. Position the leg at a right angle.

Step 5: Ensure the airway remains open by tilting the head back and lifting the chin. Check breathing until ambulance arrives.

Signs
1. Fast breathing
2. Known asthmatic
3. Complaining of severe chest tightness
4. Wheezing.

Actions
1. Call an ambulance (999) / (112) / (911)
2. Help to use inhaler
3. DO NOT put in recovery position, Prop them into a seat and rest their hands on something allow them to slump but keep them awake, do not let them fall asleep.
4. Try to calm them, this can help with breathing
5. Tell them to use their inhaler again every 10 minutes until an ambulance arrives or symptoms stop.

Diabetic collapse

Signs
1. Giddy nature
2. Collapse
3. Blindness
4. Faint
5. Fruity breath

Actions
- First diabetic collapse ever - call an ambulance
- Known diabetic
1. Check blood sugar
2. If it is low give a sugary drink ( CAUTION: wait until casualty is conscious or this could provoke choking)
3. If high, call ambulance and be prepared to administer CPR
4. If the diabetic was high, call an ambulance.

Elevate the legs of the casualty above the head at around 30 degrees angle. Make the casualty comfortable. Call an ambulance as shock will only occur in serious injuries. Stay calm and treat other injuries. Keep talking to the casualty. Shock can be a result of many things, burns, severe bleeding or other medical emergencies.

Minor burns

This type of burn is smaller that a 50 pence piece. You should run cold water over the affected area for no less than 10 minutes. Do not use ice as this could cause discomfort through cold burns. If the burn seems very bad or the casualties condition deteriorates drive them to hospital, or if the casualty becomes unconscious treat for shock and call an ambulance without delay. Wrap the affected area in cling film to prevent infection. IF water is not available according to NHS advice milk can be substituted as long as it has been pasteurised correctly and the wound is not open aka skin has not pealed otherwise you could cause infection. For large shallow burns a cold shower on a small setting could be used. Burns on the mouth or throat are potentially life threatening, so dial (999)/(911)/(112), loosen collar, take off any tie and be prepared to resuscitate. Get cool, tepid water to treat the burn

Bad or serious burns
For extremely severe burns dial (999)/(112)/(911) immediately.
IF the patient does not seem to be in serious pain and is responding well to the cold water which should be applied for no less than 10 minutes, wrap the burn in cling film and drive to hospital. If the patient is in serious pain or has gone in to shock, call an ambulance and treat for shock. While cooling the area which is burned cover other areas with blankets to prevent hypothermia from the cooling process. For EXTREMELY large burns get a sterile bandage and dampen it, cover the injury with the bandage and do not immerse the burn in cold water. Never use home remedies, butters, oils etc for burns, advising others to do so is a crime under European law.

Remember when travelling anywhere in the European union
(112) will get you through to local emergency services

Choking is a serious and life threatening problem. You should know what to do if someone is choking.

Adults and children

Step 1 : Encourage the person to cough hard.

Step 2 : If this doesn't work look in the mouth for a visible obstruction and attempt to remove the obstruction

Step 3: If this doesn't work, use hard back blows to the centre of the back.

Step 4 : If this doesn't work after 2 cycles of 5 blows, it is time to use the Heimlich Manoeuvre. This can be done by standing behind the casualty and then thrusting upwards. Do this is in one cycle of 5 attempts.

Step 5 : If this hasn't worked its time to call (999)/(911)/(112). Continue the cycle of 5 back blows and 5 thrusts until the emergency services arrive on the scene.

Babies up to 1 year old
If the baby is still able to breath, cough and cry this is not a severe case of choking, keep an eye on the baby in case the baby's condition begins to deteriorate. If this is not the case this is severe choking and you should try to remove the obstruction

Step 1 : Turn the baby face down along your forearm.

Step 2 : Give the baby 5 back blows with the heel of your hand checking for any obvious obstruction and removing if present after each blow.

Step 3 : If the obstruction is still present turn the baby onto their back and give them up to five chest thrusts with two of your fingers in the centre of their chest.

Step 4: If the obstruction has not cleared after 3 cycles of back blows and chest thrusts then it is time to call (999)/(112)/(911).

Step 5 : Continue to give the baby cycles of back blows and chest thrusts until emergency help arrives.

If you have given the baby chest thrusts, and they have recovered you still need to seek medical attention

For objects embedded in a wound

1. Make sure you are wearing gloves, these should prevent the transfer of blood born diseases. Cover any cuts in your arms to minimize the threat. Remove the clothing in the area of the injury by either pulling the shirt or cutting if there are any scissors available.

2. DON'T ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE OBJECT. If you remove the object this WILL cause more bleeding, instead call an ambulance then apply pressure to both sides of the wound with sterile bandages from a first aid kit. If blood seeps through the first dressing put another one on top, if blood seeps through this keep the pressure on but apply the dressing again. Do this until the ambulance arrives. If the bleeding is severe and the casualty stops breathing administer CPR. If the casualty appears shocked treat for shock and elevate the injured part of the body above the heart so as to slow the bleeding. If you know the casualty has haemophilia, calm them as much as possible and ask the ambulance dispatch for an air ambulance telling them all the details of the casualty's condition.

For severed body parts (fingers and toes only)
You need to call an ambulance immediately, stay with the patient and treat the bleeding by applying pressure to the wound. Ask someone else to find the missing body part and put it in a bag and then on ice, don't touch the body part without gloves on as this could cause infection. The quicker you put the body part on ice the better. Apply pressure to the wound with a sterile bandage, apply another bandage over the first one if blood seeps through. If blood seeps through the second, reapply the dressing completely. If you have no bandages to hand then use a piece of clothing to improvise, infections can be dealt with later, keeping the casualty alive is the primary concern.

Serious bleeding
Call an ambulance immediately, put on a pair of gloves from your first aid kit. Get the surgical bandages and scissors. Use the scissors to cut open trousers to find the wound, apply pressure to the wound using bandages, if blood seeps through the first bandage apply another bandage on the top, if blood seeps through the second bandage reapply the whole dressing. Go through the same process until the ambulance arrives. Treat the patient for shock. If the patient stops breathing start CPR immediately until the ambulance arrives, if possible ask someone else to keep reapplying the wound.

Leg, protruding bone injuries, back injuries, skull fractures, neck, fractures that you are concerned about

Step 1
Don't attempt to move casualties with back or neck injuries and if they take place on a road be sure to ask for police as well as an ambulance.
If your casualty has or you suspect to have any of these injuries you will need an ambulance, so your first step should be to dial the local emergency services. The emergency operator may give you specific advice for that injury if this is done it is imperative that you follow this advice.

Step 2
In the case of a neck or back injury keep the patient warm and await professional medical help. The information listed below is NOT appropriate for this type of injury considering the possibility of paralysis. This type of injury may need attending by air ambulance. The best thing you can do is to keep people away and keep the scene calm.
Complete the primary survey this consists of Airway, breathing and circulation. Tilt the head backwards (unless the injury is in the back or the neck) to keep the airway open. Check for breathing sounds by moving your cheek close to the mouth of the casualty and feeling for warm breaths. Circulation can be checked at the wrist however if you are unable to find a pulse it does not mean the patients heart has necessarily stopped. However, in this case if available use a defibrillator to restart the heart in case. The machine will take you through the process of restarting the heart. Remember not to touch or let anyone else touch the casualty whilst you are using the defibrillator or it could electrocute you. If the patient is still conscious keep talking to the patient to avoid them going into shock.

Step 3
Treat for other injuries. Stop bleeding if applicable. Wait for emergency services to arrive and Keep talking to the casualty using reassuring words

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This information is no substitute for proper first aid training. Contact the your local branch of the Red Cross for more information about first aid training courses. I'm not a professional so use this information at your own risk though all the information should be correct to UK NICE Guidelines it is possible that there are better courses of treatment. NICE is the UK government's clinical practice body, they advise the government on issues pertaining best clinical treatments.