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How To Save A Life

This past Summer working at a Summer Camp, we only had one serious incident all summer long. A boy had been horsing around with some of his friends in the pool, and had gotten injured. They had to take him to the hospital. It reiterated the point of knowing how to handle an emergency situation if presented with one. I was reminded of this as I was reading through Reader's Digest, and they have lists of what to do when faced with certain health issues. I thought I would post them here. If you have anything to add, please do.

CPR

1. Have someone call 911 or the Emergency Medical Service. They should also check to see if an automated external defibrillator is nearby.
2. With victim lying face up, tilt the head back by lifting the chin up with one hand, pushing down on the forehead with the other hand, to open the airway.
3. Look, listen, and feel for signs of normal breathing (chest rising and falling, breathing in your face or ear) for about five seconds.
4. If victim is not breathing, pinch the nostrils shut and give two slow full mouth to mouth breaths, making sure a good is formed and making sure you can the chest rise.
5. Check for normal breathing, moving and coughing - signs of circulation.
6. If victim begins regular breathing and regains consciousness, monitor until help comes. If he/she is breathing but unconscious, turn him onto his side and monitor until help arrives.
7. If this victim is still not breathing, moving or coughing within 5 to 10 seconds, give 15 chest compressions at a steady rhythm of about 2 per second: Place the heel of one hand with the other atop it at the center of the breastbone directly between the nipples. Lock your elbows and align your shoulders directly above your hands. Push down just enough to move the breastbone about one and a half to two inches.
8. Repeat rescue breaths and chest compressions. After four cycles, check for signs of breathing and circulation.
9. Until circulation and breathing return or help arrives, continue compressions and rescue breaths at a ratio of 15 to 2. Check for signs of circulation and breathing every few minutes.


Heatstroke

1. Call EMS.
2. Get the victim out of the heat.
3. Immediately begin cooling the victim's body by sponging with cool water or applying ice packs.
4. Monitor breathing. Proceed with CPR if need.

Heart Attack

1. Call EMS. Check for AED.
2. Encourage the victim to sit and stay calm.
3. If the victim has medication to take in the event of a heart attack, they should take it immediately.
4. Stay with the victim, monitoring her until help arrives. Proceed with steps for CPR if needed.

Burns
Mild to moderate burns
1. Running cool water over a burn may alleviate some of the pain.
2. Mild burns may be treated with burn creams. Don't use butter.
3. Any burn that encircles a body part (such as wrist or finger), or any significant burn to the face, should be evaluated by a physician.
4. Cover burns with sterile bandages to keep them clean and dry.
5. If blisters form, don't open them.
For Extensive or deep burns
1. Call EMS.
2. Do not move victim unless he's still in danger. Don't try to remove the victim's clothing.
3. Cover the burns by laying a clean sheet or blanket over the burned area.
4. Raised burned areas above the level of the heart if possible. Monitor victim and proceed with steps for CPR if needed.
5. Protect the victim from drafts and keep the victim dry.

Injured Limb

1. Call EMS. Have the victim lie down or get in a comfortable position.
2. Don't try to straighten or set the bone, or put weight on the limb.
3. Place an ice pack on the injury with a clean cloth between the skin and the ice pack.
4. Remove the ice pack every 20 minutes for 5 minutes.
If you're away from civilization with no help on the way, you can transport the victim by improvising a splint:
1. Use a pillow, foam pad, thick newspaper, wooden slats or other materials to surround the limb, providing support to keep the bones from moving. If the limb is crooked from the break, splint it that way rather than straightening it.
2. Use rope, twine, duct tape, a belt, T-shirt or other materials to secure the splint. Be sure the splint is held snugly but not too tight: You should be able to slip a finger comfortably between the binding and the splint.
3. Do not allow the victim to put weight on the limb during transport.

Bleeding

1. Call EMS. Place a clean cloth or bandage directly against the source of the bleeding and press firmly.
2. If the bleeding occurs on a limb, raise the body part so that it is higher than the heart.
3. If the bandage becomes saturated, do not remove it. Instead, add bandages on top of each other as needed. If the bandage is saturated, you may need to adjust your pressure more directly onto the source of the bleeding.

Life Save How

That's very useful information Ambria!

I have gone through several courses of CPR, but I think, at least with me, when the moment comes and I need to actually use that information, my mind goes blank, and I'll have a lot of trouble trying to go back in my memory and finding the exact thing I need to do. I would probably call 911 and wait, afraid to do something wrong and hurt the victim.

How To Save A Life History & Civil Business Politics

I have taken several CPR courses over the years and have had several opportunities to use the knowledge. I have saved a few lives when I worked in London. Not knowing how to do something properly is just as bad (if not worse) than not doing something at all. Following basic CPR training as in the first post could well mean the difference between life and death. Keeping someone's brain alive with CPR greatly improves the chance of survival once trained medical personnel can administer care. If you have the chance and opportunity try to take an approved CPR course through work or an ambulance service.