Chapter 1

Everyone should know first aid

Fast Facts

Over 40 million injury related visits were made to U.S. Hospitals emergency departments

Injuries resulted in more that 160,000 deaths in the U.S.

More than 70 million people in the U.S have cardiovascular disease. Causes about 700,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, this accounts for over 33% deaths annually

You and the emergency medical system

Step 1: Recognize that an emergency Exists

Step 2: Decide to ActStep 3: Activate the EMS SystemStep 4 Give Care Until Help Arrives

Step 1: Recognize that an Emergency Exists

Your senses – hearing, sight, and smelling may help recognize an emergency– Unusual sights– Unusual appearances or behaviors– Unusual odors– Unusual Noises

Step 2: Decide to Act

After you recognize that there has been an emergency , you need to act

Most people don’t act do to:– Presence of other people– Unsure of the ill or injured person’s

condition– Type of injury or illness– Fear of catching a disease

Step 2: Continued

Most people don’t act do to

– Fear of doing something wrong

– Fear of being sued– Being unsure of when to call

9-1-1

Step 3: Activate the EMS System

By calling 9-1-1Local emergency number

– Some places you have to dial 9 before calling out(schools, hotels, offices, etc.)

Step4: Give Care Until Help Arrives

If you are prepared for unseen emergencies, you can ensure that care begins as soon as possible for

Always get permission to give care – Yourself– Family– Fellow citizens

If you are trained first aid, you can give help right away

– First aid can be the difference between life and death– Always get permission to give care, this is referred to as

consent

Good Samaritan Law

NJ is a GOOD SAMARITAN law State Law usually protects citizens who act the same way

that a, – RESONABLE and PRUDENT person would

Move a person only if the persons life were in danger Ask a conscious person for permission before giving care Check the person for life threatening conditions before giving

care Continue to give care until more highly trained personnel arrive

Good Samaritan Law

Laws were developed to encourage people to help others in emergency situations

Require the GOOD SAMARITAN to use– common sense – reasonable level of skill– Provide only the type of emergency first aid for

which he or she is trained

HIV, AIDS, and YOU

Acquired Immune deficiency syndrome– Conditioned caused by HIV

When HIV gets in to the body it damages the Immune systems that are supposed to fight infections.

Virus can grow quietly for months or even years People with HIV might not feel or look sick People with AIDS eventually develop life threatening

infections, which can cause death There is no current vaccine for HIV, prevention is the

best tool

Transmission of HIV During First Aid

2 ways for HIV to be transmitted during first aid care– Unprotected direct contact with infected blood

Responder can contract HIV if they directly touched the infected person’s body fluids

– Unprotected indirect contact with infected blood HIV can be transmitted the responder picking up a blood

soaked bandaged with the bare hand and the blood could enter through a cut

First Aid Precautions with HIV

HIV transmission during first aid situation is very low

Always protect yourself from disease transmission– See page 6 in the book

Cleaning up a blood spill

Clean up spill immediately Use disposable gloves Wipe up the spill with Paper towels After area has been wiped up flood the area

with solution, and allow it to stand for at least 10 minutes

Dispose of all contaminated materials, try to put it into a labeled biohazard container

Be prepared

Keep medical info about you and your family in a handy place

Keep all emergency numbers in a handy place

Keep a first aid kit handy Learn and practice CPR Learn and practice how

to use an AED

Removing Gloves

Refer to page 12 and 13