First Aid Techniques, Uncategorized

CPR “Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation” Adult & Child, What to Know About CPR “Part 1 of 3”

Over the past 4 years our school has provided training in the basics of CPR or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation techniques, we have learned that once you get the hang of it, its a skill that can stick with you for a lifetime giving you the ability to save a loved one when tragedy strikes. Many people are also unaware of the fact that some day, somewhere, “Someone is going to do CPR ON YOU“!! Once we tell our students this many questions start to pop up like “What are my chances of surviving CPR without brain damage? What if I have a DNR “Do Not Resuscitate”, Can I kill someone by doing CPR? Will I hurt them? Can I get sued by doing CPR incorrectly? Is it performed differently for different age groups?

Lets go through those questions one by one before we get the basics of CPR put into your mind, just remember that “Anyone Can do it” The first question of “What are my chances of surviving CPR?” is always the first one put forward, but to keep your stats up to date the chances have gone “UP“, 5 years ago we normally heard the average chance of about 4%-7% chance of survival “Without Brain Damage”, however after only 5 years of study and practicing of new techniques the resuscitation rate is now actually 22%-26%. We are teaching it the best way possible and its working!


Those with DNR’s will also have CPR performed on them weather they wanted it or not, its simply said like this “Will a Paramedic look through your Freezer for your DNR? Will they go through your wallet to find it?” The answer being NO means that if a Paramedic or even someone in the general public finds “You” and “You are NOT” breathing and have no pulse… “We will Start CPR on you” DNR’s are for Doctors, Lawyers and Hospice Facilities.

Can you kill someone by performing CPR on them? Well if you think about how the skill is designed the answer should be quite easy. CPR is designed to help push or supply blood and oxygen to the organs that need it if the heart has failed. The CPR technique of Compression’s “Building Blood Pressure to force blood through the body” & Breaths “providing the main fuel the body uses to support life”. CPR is designed to save your life, not stop it, the chance of you doing more harm than good once someone has stopped breathing is “Minimal” CPR SAVES LIVES, don’t worry “Anyone Can Do It”.


Can you hurt someone by doing CPR? Simply put its life over limb, which means don’t worry about breaking a rib “the ribs will NOT” puncture the lungs. Paramedics have had a slogan for many years “If the ribs POP, Don’t Stop!! But if you hit the Spine, that’s NOT fine!! Depth is something to consider as you need to push Hard & Fast on ALL age groups, if you break a rib DON’T STOP, just DON’T Bottom out, you want to use hard pressure just not enough to crush them.


Can you get sued by performing CPR? Depending on where you live the answer is almost always NO. When someone’s life is in danger and you attempt to save their life you are doing what you thought was necessary to save a life. Alberta. Canada has what is known as the Emergency Medical Aid Act also known as the Good Samaritan Act which helps protect First Aid providers from Liability issues and allows them to act in the victims best interest to preserve their life. Don’t hesitate just do what you can!


To avoid any liability issues just remember to:

  • a) Get Consent / Permission /Cooperation
  • b) Stick within your level of training “Do what you KNOW”
  • c) Don’t make it worse “Help them don’t hurt them”

Last and final question, about the difference between the age groups and how we perform CPR. As previously stated in other posts age groups are separated like this:

  • Infants – Age 0-1 “Or toddlers”
  • Children – Age 1-Puberty “normally found from age 8 and up”
  • Adult – Any sign of puberty

For the General public we will always refer to the “Skill” of CPR as being performed “The Same” on all age groups, its the technique we modify for the smaller size of the victim we are rescuing. For our general public CPR is performed by providing 30 Chest Compression’s and Giving 2 Breaths, this skill is the same for “All Age Groups“.


Just Remember in Any Emergency: Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!
Swoop into First Aid and give a Breath of Life, Let First Aid Training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.

First Aid Techniques

How to Roll A Person Over “H.A.IN.E.S Technique”

There are many different ways to help a victim during an emergency, but what can we do if we find someone unconscious and laying face down? If the victim is “Unconscious without Spine Injuries but laying face down” rolling the victim over using the “H.A.IN.E.S technique” is designed to help keep the victims airway open as well as keeping the Head, Neck & Spine in a relatively strait line so that we can avoid possible “Head, Neck or Spine injuries“. If you’ve ever wondered “How do I roll a person over? What risks are there to rolling a person over? is there any technique in rolling a person over? what does the H.A.IN.E.S Technique stand for?” this is a tutorial for the best known way to roll a person over from face down and prevent further injuries.


H.A.IN.E.S – “Stands For” High – Arm – In – Endangered – Spine
The H.A.IN.E.S technique is designed to keep the head, neck and spine in a relatively strait line as you roll the person over avoiding further damage or spinal injuries. As we may not know what caused the person’s injuries or emergency once the person is face down remember its often difficult to breath face down on the ground, rolling them over secures the airway and makes it possible to perform CPR or other life saving techniques.

To Roll a Person Over using the “H.A.IN.E.S Technique”

  1. Kneel Beside the victim and place the victims furthest arm from you above their head.”High – Arm” In Endangered Spine.
  2. Place the arm closest to you against the victims side.
  3. Cross the legs using the leg that is closest to you to overlap hooking the ankles. 
  4. Place a hand under the victim’s jaw using your thumb and index finger to grip the jaw firmly letting your last three fingers rest against the side of the neck. Slip your forearm under the victims shoulder to act as a lever.
  5. Grip the victims belt by the hip with your remaining hand, if the victim is not wearing a belt grip the pant material firmly
  6. Check the Airway to make sure the person is still breathing. If they are not breathing “Start CPR“ 30 Compression’s, 2 breaths for all age groups.

We never know what can happen, its always good to be prepared and have the knowledge we need to help those who need it.


Just Remember in Any Emergency:Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!


Swoop Into first aid and give a breath of life, let first aid training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.

First Aid Techniques

Deadly Bleeding & How to Stop it

Deadly Bleeding or Severe bleeding that ends with large amounts of Blood being lost has the potential to end a victims life very quickly. Either “Internal” or “External” bleeding depending on the volume of Blood being lost can become life threatening and must be controlled as soon as possible. Many of our students have asked great questions including, how much blood can you lose before its too much? How much Blood do we have? Whats the difference between internal and external bleeding? How can I tell if its an Arterial bleed or venous? Are there any tricks I can do to help stop the bleeding? Should I use a tourniquet?

On “average” many people have about 5 to 6 liters of blood within their body, of course size, gender, age and athleticism play factors on this volume as we are all unique. The “average” blood loss that many people can sustain is about 2 cups / 500 ml or 1/2 liter, this volume is much less than many people are aware of and indeed has the potential to become life threatening. So whats the best way to stop the bleeding? As we are not able to do very much for Internal bleeding “Bleeding trapped under the skin” other than seeking medical attention right away, lets focus on external bleeding.

EXTERNAL BLEEDING “Blood is coming out of their body”

There are 2 types of external bleeding, Arterial & Venous, the best way to describe them is not to focus on the Blood itself but the volume that is being lost. Arterial bleeds or “From the Artery” will have a “HIGH” volume and may spray, Venous or “From the Vein” will have a “LOW” volume and will steadily bleed out.

The 3 P’s to STOP External Bleeding
1) Pressure… 2) Pressure….. 3) Pressure………

Of course each of these moderate pressures are different and have a different skill that we as rescuers can use to help “Slow the Blood-flow” so that it can stop itself. “Never use a tourniquet” or hard pressure as tourniquet’s STOP blood-flow and any body part deprived of blood & oxygen will eventually die. This can lead to severe complications when the victim arrives at the hospital to receive further medical care. As first response rescuers lets focus on how to “Slow the Blood-flow” so your own body can stop the bleeding itself, this skill will be invaluable for anyone who has external bleeding from either an artery or vein.

The 3 P’s to STOP External Bleeding Stand For
1) Direct Pressure 2) Pressure Bandages 3) Pressure Points

What to Do:

  1. Make sure its safe for you to help the victim before you approach them. If safe to do so check the victim.
  2. If the bleeding looks high in volume or you are not comfortable with care call 911 for further medical aid.
  3. With the wound in view, expose the wound “rinse with cool clean water if needed“
  4. Apply direct pressure with a bandage to the wound “Slow the Blood-Flow” If bleeding persists always add more bandages never take away blood soaked bandages as your wound is beginning to clot.
  5. Apply a Pressure Bandage, to secure a direct pressure bandage use either roller gauze or a triangular bandages to secure your direct pressure bandages in place with a “Moderate pressure” always make sure that circulation is maintained distally or “after the wound“, to do this try pressing on the skin past the wound, if the blood flow is normal the skin will blanch then return to its original color quickly.
  6. For persistent bleeding and Arterial bleeds add the use of pressure points, to do this use an object like a roll of gauze or bandages and place them in the Joint “Arm Pit, Groin, elbow” above the wound then have the victim bend the joint pressing the object in. This will create a pressure on the veins and arteries above to the wound thus slowing the blood flow even more. The addition of Cool packs and elevation may further increase your ability to slow the blood-flow and achiever our goal of having the bleeding stopped.
  7. Combined the 3 Pressures, Direct Pressure, Pressure Bandage & Pressure Points have been shown to greatly increase survival rate of victims experiencing blood loss. Just remember to continue care and seek medical aid for any bleeding that has the potential to be severe.

In any Emergency Remember To:
Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!

Swoop into first aid and give a breath of life, let first aid training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.

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Stroke VS TIA “Transient Ischemic Attack”

During our instruction of “Cardiovascular Disease” or CVD for short we get many questions on weather or not Stroke’s or TIA’s are closely related to “Heart Attack’s or Angina“. For this reason we normally teach them at the same time to help our new rescuers understand what to look for and how to react during an emergency caused by a Stroke or a TIA “Transient Ischemic Attack“. Some of the more basic questions asked would be: Is a Stroke or TIA life threatening? Can a person suffering a Stroke regain their lost abilities? Is a Stroke or TIA permanent? What are the symptoms of a Stroke or a TIA? What are some of the risk factors that lead to a Stroke or TIA? We will do our best to help you understand the basics and know what to look for.

TIA “Transient Ischemic Attack”
TIA’s have been termed as a “Mini Stroke” with symptoms that mimic that of a full blown Stroke but are short lived and will subside within a few minutes. TIA’s much like Strokes are mainly caused by similar disorders like Cardiovascular Disease CVD, Atherosclerosis or Hereditary defects. The easiest way to explain what TIA’s are is to picture a clear tube in your mind that lets blood flow through it perfectly, now pinch the tube slightly so that the flow of blood is restricted. If this was within your Brain the Brain Tissue that has the restricted flow of blood would starve for Blood & Oxygen causing symptoms that mimic that of a Stroke this is called a “TIA or Transient Ischemic Attack“. Much like a Heart attack is to Angina the similarities are uncanny. Just like Angina the symptoms of a TIA will be short lived and will normally go away once Blood & Oxygen demand has been reduced or assisted with medication

STROKE
A Stroke takes place when the Brain or Specific Brain tissue within the Brain is cut off from Oxygenated Blood. This can lead to the death of the Brain tissue leading to a life threatening emergency known as a Stroke. As previously stated any tissue within the body that has a lack of oxygenated blood will eventually begin to decay and die. Using the same description of a plastic tube with blood flowing through it in your mind, now pinch the tube completely off so that no blood can pass through it, the blockage stops the flow of Oxygen rich blood to the Brain leading to the eventual death of the tissue termed as a “Stroke“.

Much like a Heart attack and Angina the difference between a Stroke or a TIA “Transient Ischemic Attack” isn’t much more than an Artery or blood vessel “tube” being restricted and an Artery or blood vessel “tube” being blocked. For many people a TIA is your “Wake Up Call” as your body is now telling you that there are some risk factors that you need to take care of before the TIA “BECOMES” a Stroke.

Symptoms of a Stroke or TIA:
-(4 Suddons) Sudden Headache “Migraine” ,Sudden Weakness “One side of the body more than the other” ,Sudden Speech Problems “Aphasia” , Sudden Anxiety – Slurred or hard to understand speech with jumbled words – Facial Droop “One Side” – Loss of motor skills “One Side“.

Risk Factors:
-Smoking -High Blood Pressure -Poor Diet “Processed Foods” -High Cholesterol -Obesity -Lack of regular Exercise -High Stress -Gender -Heredity -Age.

How to Help:

  1. Have the Person rest in a comfortable position and try not to move as much as possible.
  2. Call 911 “You can not tell the difference between a Stroke or a TIA” the TIA will be short lived about 15 minutes, a Stroke will not as brain damage is taking place and can be permanent or even Fatal. Don’t Waste time trying to figure it out “better safe than sorry“.
  3. Keep the person calm, assist with any medications if they have them and wait for an ambulance or the symptoms to subside.

Weather your daily life or habits fall under some of the risk factors or all of them you should notice that many of these are easily fixed with some changes in personal outlook and removing of bad habits. Everyone want’s to live a long and healthy life, once you know the risks you can take charge of your own life and do what you can to avoid your body failing on you.

In Any Emergency Remember To:
Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!

Swoop Into first aid and give a breath of life, let first aid training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.

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Angina VS Heart Attack

When we teach about “Cardiovascular Disease” or CVD for short we notice that many people are a little unclear as to the difference between a Heart Attack or Angina. Can a Heart attack kill you? Can Angina be life threatening? Can Angina become a heart attack? What are the symptoms for Angina or a Heart Attack? We will do our best to explain the differences and what to look for to help you understand the potential deadly emergency when dealing with Angina & Heart Attack scenarios.

ANGINA
Angina has been termed as “chest pain or pressure that comes and goes” however it can be much more than that. Also the signs and symptoms of Angina mimic the signs and symptoms of a Heart Attack almost perfectly with only a few subtle differences. The main causes of Angina are also similar to that of a Heart Attack stemming from problems like Cardiovascular Disease, heart disorders or Anemia. The easiest way to explain what Angina is is to picture a clear tube in your mind that lets blood flow through it perfectly, now pinch the tube slightly so that the flow of blood is restricted. If this was within your heart the muscle that has the restricted flow of blood would starve for Blood & Oxygen causing symptoms that mimic that of a heart attack “Angina“. The symptoms however would go away once the demand for Blood & Oxygen has been reduced or assisted with medications. Often Angina will go away with rest in about 10 minutes and or medication assistance

HEART ATTACK
Heart Attacks happen when the heart or specific muscle tissue within the heart can’t get enough Oxygenated Blood. This can lead to the death of the heart muscle and tissue leading to a life threatening emergency, as we all know any body part that can not get enough Blood & Oxygen will eventually die. Using the same description of a plastic tube with blood flowing through it in your mind, now pinch the tube completely off so that no blood can pass through it, the blockage stops the flow of Oxygen rich blood to the heart leading to the eventual death of the tissue termed as a “Heart Attack”

As you can see the difference between Angina and a Heart Attack isn’t much more than an Artery “tube” being restricted and an Artery “tube” being blocked. Angina for many people is your “Wake Up Call” as your body is now telling you that there are some risk factors that you need to take care of before Angina “BECOMES” a Heart Attack.

Symptoms of a Heart Attack & Angina:
-Squeezing Chest Pain -Problems Breathing -Abdominal or lower back pain “More common in women” – Cold sweaty skin -Bluish or paler than normal skin tone -Nausea & Vomiting -“Denial” -Jaw Pain -Left Arm / Shoulder Pain -Feeling of Heart Burn.

Risk Factors:
-Smoking -High Blood Pressure -Poor Diet “Processed Foods” -High Cholesterol -Obesity -Lack of regular Exercise -High Stress -Gender -Heredity -Age.

How to Help:

  1. Check the Person and have them rest in a comfortable position and try not to move as much as possible.
  2. Call 911 “You can not tell the difference between a heart attack or angina” angina will be short lived about 10 minutes, a heart attack will not. Don’t Waste time trying to figure it out “better safe than sorry“.
  3. Keep the person calm, assist with any medications if they have them and wait for an ambulance or the symptoms to subside.

Weather your daily life or habits fall under some of the risk factors or all of them you should notice that many of these are easily fixed with some changes in personal outlook and removing of bad habits. Everyone want’s to live a long and healthy life, once you know the risks you can take charge of your own life and do what you can to avoid your body failing on you.

In Any Emergency Remember To:
Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!

Swoop Into first aid and give a breath of life, let first aid training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.

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Prevention of Emergencies like Stroke, Heart Attack or Angina:

Circulation emergencies like Heart Attacks, Strokes, Angina or even TIA’s “Trans Ischemic Attack’s” might seem to the person experiencing the effects like a sudden event, although the truth is that cardiovascular disease actually develops after a prolonged period of time. Many would feel that the age groups associated with such medical emergencies would only appear in the 40+ age range, when in fact it can begin as early as in your teens.

Prevention methods for these types of emergencies are well known in many groups, and everyone has a theory on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. For this prevention method we will refer to the basics like Nutrition, Weight Control, Exercise, Stress Control & Breaking Unhealthy Habits.

PREVENTION of CVD “Cardiovascular Disease“

Lets start with “Weight Control“, Body fat in an excessive amounts can lead to heart disease, diabetes, gallbladder disease & high blood pressure. As we all know loosing body fat is “NOT EASY“, as your body balances between how much you eat & how many calories you use through out the day, this balance can be tilted in the wrong direction “thus gaining body fat“. There are also other factors like thyroid problems as well as Hormonal changes that need the help of a physician. If your thinking about taking on the challenge of losing body fat there are some easy steps to help.

  1. Get your Body fat % analyzed by a Professional to see that there is a problem.
  2. “Portion Sizes” Starving yourself will “NOT” work, your body will only hoard the calories to sustain itself. However if you eat like your growing then you will. Remember your stomach should be about the size of your fist, that means you should eat that as a proportionate size per meal.
  3. “Exercise” As more and more technology makes our life simpler we see less and less people being active other than with their “thumbs“. Exercise has been something that people have been prompted to do ever sense grade school, and for good reasons. Exercise helps you by keeping your cardiovascular system fit and even burns off excessive calories, this helps you: –Cope with stress –Improves self-esteem –burns body fat –Improves sleep quality –Improves immune system –Fights Depression
  4. “Nutrition” if your body is a biological machine than what fuels you chose to put into the machine may either make it run better, or worse. Try starting off with a balanced diet, human’s are “Omnivorous” and choosing just one food group rather than all may cause long term damage to your body like iron deficiencies, diabetes, immune system defectiveness, and many other ailments that have been medically documented to appear in the absence of a balanced diet between “all” food groups. for further information check the Canadian Food Guide to give you an idea of a balanced diet. Also remember to stay hydrated, your body is mostly fluids and that amount should be kept up with water intake of about 8 cups of water a day, add more if you attend vigorous activities.
  5. “Stress” A normal part of life, however learning to cope with stress may not be easy. Do your best to reduce stress to keep your body healthy, a slogan to remember is “A Healthy mind leads to a Healthy Body” Or visa-versa depending on your goals.

Just remember to do what you can and keep realistic goals that you can achieve.

In Any Emergency Remember too:
Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!

Swoop in & give a breath of life, let first aid training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.

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Allergic Reactions, What to Look For & How to Help

What is an allergic reaction? How can I help someone having an allergic reaction? What does an allergic reaction look like? Can an allergy be fatal? What does an extreme allergy or Anaphylaxis look like? What causes allergies? These are some of the questions that we have received within our first aid courses, to begin an allergic reaction is an immune response causing hypersensitivity to substances that either contact or enter the body.

Substances causing the allergy are called Allergens, these can be almost anything from bee venom, pollen, pet dander, shell fish and many other substances. When your body comes into contact with an allergen it reacts as if the substance was a pathogen or harmful substance. This causes the body to have an immune response and release histamines, histamines are involved with the body’s immune response causing tissue inflammation or swelling at the sight of contact with the allergen. Depending on where the body begins to swell this can range from a slight irritation to extremes that may be life threatening “Anaphylaxis“.

Depending on the person’s sensitivity to the substance their body’s immune response “Allergy” may be slow to react or almost instantaneous. The severity of the reaction depends on each individuals immune system and sensitivity.

How to Spot an Allergy Mild or Severe “Anaphylaxis”

-Mild-

  • Itchy skin with raised areas, Hives or even a Rash
  • Tightness in the throat or chest, congestion
  • Dizziness , weakness or confusion

-Severe “Anaphylaxis-

  • Swelling of the face, lips, neck, ears or hands, if the tongue or throat swell this may block the airway “Dangerous”
  • Redness of the skin that may be raised with a rash, hives or blotchy.
  • Weakness or dizziness with nausea or vomiting
  • breathing difficulties, wheezing or coughing

How to Help:

  • If the scene is safe to do so “Check” the victim and make sure they are breathing.
  • If the victim’s allergy is severe “Anaphylaxis” or has trouble breathing and loses consciousness have someone “Call 911” and make sure emergency response is on the way.
  • “Care” for the Victim by offering comfort warmth & reasurance as anxiety can make symptoms worse
  • if the reaction is extreme with swelling or difficulty breathing & the victim “Has an Epi-Pen” or epinephrine auto-injector help the person use it. “Make sure to follow the 5 rights of medication assistance” and Assist “Don’t Give” the victims medication.
  • Always refer the victim to an emergency facility if the allergic reaction is severe “Anaphylaxis” and seek medical attention. Symptoms may return even after using an Epi-Pen within as little as 15 minutes.

To Assist with an Epinephrine Auto-Injector

  1. Check the 5 Rights of Medication before assisting
  2. Help the victim remove the safety cap “Blue to the sky“
  3. Tell the person to firmly place the injector tip “Orange against the Thigh” hard enough to hear or feel the needle release. “Click” and hold for 10 seconds.
  4. Remove the Auto-Injector
  5. Keep the Auto-Injector with the victim for proper disposal at the hospital.

If you have an allergy, read ingredients or labels carefully and always be sure to ask when you are eating out about what is in the food. Avoid allergens and be sure to check with your physician about childhood allergies.

In Any Emergency Remember To:
Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!

Swoop in & Give a Breath of Life, Let First Aid Training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.

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Assisting With Medications During First Aid

Should I give a medication to someone who asks for it? Should I help a person to take their medications? Should I keep extra medications in my first aid kit just in case? These questions are some of the more prominent questions we are asked in class as we instruct First Aid students on how to help with Medications during a First Aid situation.

To shed some light on Medication use in First Aid scenarios & according to the Alberta Occupational Health & Safety regulations First Aid attendants have very specific guidelines on what they can and should not do with Medications in First Aid.

To make this easy “In Alberta” First Aiders are “NOT Allowed” to diagnose, prescribe or administer “Give” any medication. However they are allowed to “Assist” individuals with their “own” prescribed medication if the casualty identifies the medication on their own & is able to take it without assistance.

What does this mean about giving medications in an emergency? Simply put “you CAN Assist” but “you can NOT Give“. The victim must take the medications on their own and be of sound enough mind to understand the risks. This includes all over the counter medications and above counter medications.

To Assist With Medications:

  • The ill or injured person must be conscious and able to understand the risks involved with taking a medication & be able to take it themselves “Self Administration“
  • The First Aiders Assistance should be limited to preparing the medication for the victim, this is restricted to but includes oral & auto-injected medications.
  • The victim should be certain that nothing will interfere or react negatively with the medication and should follow the written instructions on the label / device.
  • The Five Rights of Medications are met:
  1. Right Person – If it is a prescribed medication the names match the person taking it on the label.
  2. Right Medication – Use the appropriate medication for the situation “Read the Label”
  3. Right Amount – Follow directions on the bottle / device or package on how much the victim should receive
  4. Right Time – Help the victim “Before they hit the Floor“, the victim must be conscious and able to understand how to use medications.
  5. Right Method – There are only 4 ways a medication can get into your body “Injected / Inhaled / Ingested or Absorbed” Read the Label & follow the Directions carefully.

For medications in first aid kits just remember that medications are subject to the individual’s needs. This means that stocking a first aid kit with medications is not advised as each person has different requirements on medications and they should only take those that are prescribed for themselves or have the medication on them.

In any Emergency remember too:
Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!

Swoop in and give a Breath of Life, Let First Aid Training be your Saving Grace.

 

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Breathing Emergencies & How to Help

Breathing Emergencies or Respiratory Distress as known by many health care providers refers to a person who can’t breath properly, is having difficulty breathing or has stopped breathing “Respiratory Arrest“. Each of these breathing emergencies pose a potential threat to a persons life as once oxygen has been cut off from the brain, brain cells begin to deteriorate. On average brain cells will begin to degrade within 4-6 minutes, in essence “Don’t Waist Time” with Breathing Emergencies.

Common Causes of Breathing Difficulty:

  • Hyperventilation
  • Asthma
  • Allergic Reactions or even Anaphylaxis
  • Chest Injuries
  • Anxiety or Distress

Some common causes of Hyperventilation the upset of oxygen and carbon dioxide within the body are : Excitement, fear or anxiety, Asthma, Head / Brain injuries, exercise, severe bleeding, injury / intense pain, medical conditions & illness.

What to watch for:

  • Rapid shallow breaths
  • A suffocating feeling like they are not getting enough air
  • Fear or anxiety & confusion
  • Numbness, dizziness tingling in the fingers or toes

How to Help:

  1. Make sure the area is safe for you to help the victim “Protect Yourself!!!” If safe to do so check the victim.
  2. “Call 911!!!” or have someone like a bystander assist and Call 911 for you if there are injuries or potential underlying medical conditions while you provide care.
  3. “Don’t Waste Time!!!” Help the victim to relax in a position of comfort and breathe slowly, assist with medications if they have their own for this specific reason. Treat the cause of the breathing emergency if it is known, often hyperventilation can be slowed or stopped by simply offering comfort, warmth and reassurance.
  4. Double check and perform a secondary survey while waiting for medical aid and treat any non life threatening conditions.
  • If you are Alone and the victim becomes unconscious or the hyperventilation does not stop Call 911 yourself, get an AED if possible and then return to provide care while awaiting medical aid.

Preventing Breathing Emergencies:
Some people tend to hyperventilate with anxiety, panic disorders, stress or fatigue due to exertion. To help with these try to practice breathing exercise or relaxation techniques to help slow your breathing rate as well as relax your mind. Remember once a person has breathing trouble panic is a natural response which will increase their breathing rate. Victims with Asthma can usually breath ” IN ” but have trouble breathing ” OUT “.

For Any Emergency Just Remember Too:
Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!

Swoop into first aid & give a breath of life, let first aid training be your Saving Grace

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Choking, Larger or Pregnant Victims What to look for & How to Help

As we have mentioned in our previous posts Choking is an emergency that can affect anyone of any age, size or gender. For this post we will focus on those with unique situations like being pregnant, beings seated or just being a larger person. These special scenario’s are designed to help you gain extra knowledge to aid a variety of victims of any nature.

The most common causes of chocking include trying to swallow large pieces of food, eating while talking, walking or playing, being under the influence of an intoxicant or elicit substance while eating.

What to look for:

  • Inability to speak, cough or breath
  • Change in face color like bluish, red, or paler than normal
  • Look of panic with wide eyes “Fear”
  • One or both hands clutching the throat or flailing
  • High pitch whistle or noise when they attempt to breath or cough
  • They may suddenly attempt to rush to the restroom

For the Pregnant or Larger Person:
As mentioned in the Post “Choking, What to look for & How to Help” perform your 5 FIRM BACK BLOWS but instead of giving abdominal J thrusts perform 5 CHEST THRUSTS. Alternate between your 5 FIRM BACK BLOWS & 5 FIRM CHEST THRUSTS until the object comes free or the person begins to breath, cough or becomes unconscious.

To Perform the Chest Thrusts:

  1. Stand behind the victim and wrap both arms around the person’s chest under the armpits.
  2. Make a fist and place the thumb side of your fist in the center of the victims chest “Above the bosoms”
  3. Place your other hand over your first and pull back towards you sharply 5 Times.
  4. Continue until the object comes free or the victim becomes unconscious, if the victim becomes unconscious call 911 & Begin CPR 30 Chest Compression 2 Breaths watching for the object to come free. If you can see the object remove it, never perform a blind finger sweep!

For the Seated Victim:

  • For the person in a wheelchair “Lock the wheels in position”
  1. Kneel or crouch behind the victim
  2. wrap your arms around the victim placing a fist “Thumb side in” against the abdomen just above the belly button.
  3. Grip your fist with your other hand and pull sharply in and up in a ” J ” like motion 5 times.
  4. Move your fist to the center of the victims chest and grip your first with your other hand pulling sharply in 5 times
  5. Alternate your 5 Abdominal ” J ” Thrusts & 5 Chest Thrusts until the object comes free or the victim becomes unconscious.

In any emergency remember to:
Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!

Swoop into first aid & give a breath of life, let first aid be your Saving Grace.

A Tid Bit About Emergencies