Basic 1st Aid and CPR advice

I wanted to just write a small piece on 1st aid, how to perform CPR and just basic 1^st aid advice. It's only a few tips but If people read this post and are faced with a situation in the future, hopefully they can recall the advice featured in this post. Everyone should learn basic first aid techniques. You never know when you might need them - you could be at home, at work, at school or on holiday.

Whether it's a minor situation or something more serious, first aid knowledge will give you the confidence to act. You could be the difference between life and death.

Worrying 1st aid statistics!

• A survey conducted by DK for First Aid Awareness Week found there was a severe lack of knowledge and confidence about performing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Only one in ten people were willing to do it if they found a child on the street lying unconscious and not breathing.
•  In October 2010, the Resuscitation Council UK issued guidance that advised untrained bystanders they could perform chest compressions only on cardiac arrest victims.
• Fifty-six percent of those surveyed stated they would be more willing to perform CPR if they didn't have to give mouth-to-mouth and could perform chest compressions only.

CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a first aid technique that can be used if someone is not breathing properly or if their heart has stopped.
Chest compressions and rescue breaths keep blood and oxygen circulating in the body.
If someone is not breathing normally and is not moving or responding to you after an accident, call 999 or 112 for an ambulance. Then, if you can, start CPR straight away.

Hands-only CPR

If you have not been trained in CPR or are worried about giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a stranger, you can do chest compression-only (or hands-only) CPR.
To carry out a chest compression:

1. Place the heel of your hand on the breastbone at the centre of the person’s chest. Place your other hand on top of your first hand and interlock your fingers.
2. Using your body weight (not just your arms), press straight down by 5–6cm on their chest.
3. Repeat this until an ambulance arrives.

Try to give 100 chest compressions a minute.
When you call for an ambulance, telephone systems now exist that can give basic life-saving instructions, including advice on CPR. These are now common and are easily accessible with mobile phones.

CPR with rescue breaths

Adults

1. Place your hands on the centre of the person's chest and, with the heel of your hand, press down by 5–6cm at a steady rate, slightly faster than one compression a second.
2. After every 30 chest compressions, give two breaths.
3. Tilt the casualty's head gently and lift the chin up with two fingers. Pinch the person’s nose. Seal your mouth over their mouth and blow steadily and firmly into their mouth. Check that their chest rises. Give two rescue breaths, each over one second.
4. Continue with cycles of 30 chest compressions and two rescue breaths until they begin to recover or emergency help arrives.

Children (over one year old)

1. Open their airway by placing one hand on the child’s forehead and gently tilting their head back and lifting the chin. Remove any visible obstructions from the mouth and nose.
2. Pinch their nose. Seal your mouth over their mouth and blow steadily and firmly into their mouth, checking that their chest rises. Give five initial rescue breaths.
3. Place your hands on the centre of their chest and, with the heel of your hand, press down by one-third of the depth of the chest using one or two hands.
4. After every 30 chest compressions at a steady rate (slightly faster than one compression a second), give two breaths.
5. Continue with cycles of 30 chest compressions and two rescue breaths until they begin to recover or emergency help arrives.

Babies (under one year old)

1. Open the baby's airway by placing one hand on their forehead and gently tilting the head back and lifting the chin. Remove any visible obstructions from the mouth and nose.
2. Place your mouth over the mouth and nose of the infant and blow steadily and firmly into their mouth, checking that their chest rises. Give five initial rescue breaths.
3. Place two fingers in the middle of the chest and press down by one-third of the depth of the chest. After 30 chest compressions at a steady rate (slightly faster than one compression a second), give two breaths.
4. Continue with cycles of 30 chest compressions and two rescue breaths until they begin to recover or emergency help arrives.

The advice below is provided by St John Ambulance.
Basic first aid

Stay safe
If there's been an accident, check that you're safe and that there is no further danger to the victim or anyone nearby. Don’t move the victim unless they're in immediate danger (i.e. not breathing).
Get help
If the person is seriously injured, seek emergency assistance first. Dial emergency services, or ask a bystander to call. 
Check for unconsciousness
Make sure the injured person can breathe properly. Gently shake the person’s shoulders and shout, “Can you hear me?” If they don’t respond, follow the ABC sequence:

• Airway
  Place one hand on the victim’s forehead and gently tilt their head back. Check their mouth for obstructions and lift their chin using two fingers only.
• Breathing
  Look to see if the chest is rising and falling, listen for breathing and feel for breath against your cheek. If they aren’t breathing, give two rescue breaths.
• Circulation
  Spend 10 seconds checking for signs of blood circulation, including movement of their eyes, attempts to swallow, and the colour of their skin and lips. If there is no breathing and no sign of life, they may have had a heart attack and need heart compression. If there are signs of life but they're not breathing, give the kiss of life. 

Control severe bleedingWithout sufficient blood, our brains don’t get the oxygen they need. To control external bleeding, first apply immediate, direct and firm pressure to the wound and elevate it above the heart, then wrap firmly with a dressing. Try to keep the injury elevated and keep it at rest as this helps to stop bleeding. Internal bleeding always requires urgent surgical attention: call an ambulance.
Look out for shock
The signs of shock include: disorientation; restlessness; trembling; pale, bluish-tinged, cool or clammy skin; fast and shallow breathing; and a reduced level of consciousness. Call emergency services or get someone else to do so and follow the ABC sequence above. It's important that the victim makes the best use of their blood supply. For this reason, do not pile blankets on the injured person: one is enough. If you can, raise the victim’s legs. Do not give anything to the victim by mouth.
Stay cool
It may sound simple, but panic won’t help the victim and could make their condition worse. So what can you do? Reassure the victim. Ask their name and tell them yours, and tell them you are going to get help. Don’t give them anything to eat or drink. 
Know the recovery positionWhat can you do if the victim is unconscious but still breathing and has a pulse? Turn them on their side, lift the chin forward to keep their airway open and place their hand under their cheek. This is known as the recovery position.