Unexpected injuries can occur at any and in any situation. Being prepared for emergencies is the best way to handle them and prevent them from becoming more serious. Even after emergency services get contacted, there is still time between their arrival and the injury that can be crucial to a patient’s condition. There is knowledge and preparations that everyone can have ready for an emergency indicine that can save lives.
Emergency Situations
While not everyone is well suited for treating injuries in medical settings, basic first aid knowledge is essential. It can become ingrained and quickly recalled like second nature if an emergency strikes. First aid can be helpful in any injury situation, including when you are injured and alone. Those with children, pre-existing conditions, or elderly friends or family should learn first aid to become an asset for those individuals.
First Aid
While waiting for the emergency services to arrive or on the way to an urgent care center, first aid can help get the injured patient more stable. Specific scenarios will require this first aid treatment.
CPR
CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation helps to restore breathing and heart function. If a patient is unconscious or appears to have stopped breathing, CPR can be done without any equipment and save a patient’s life. It involves breathing air into a patient’s mouth and using the hands to pump the patient’s chest to maintain circulation in the brain, heart, and lungs.
Bleeding
If someone has been injured and is bleeding badly, first aid needs to be applied. Stopping or slowing the bleeding with pressure or a tourniquet can help keep a patient conscious and from suffering from severe blood loss.
Splint
A splint is necessary if a patient experiences a fracture or broken bone. The splint can be made of any available items to stabilize the injury. A splint is a firm brace like a stick and a wrap or ties like a shirt. The splint is tied to protect the broken bone before trying to move.
Heimlich Maneuver
The Heimlich is employed for a patient that is choking. If someone demonstrates they cannot breathe or that something is stuck in their throat, the Heimlich should be performed. The Heimlich is done by grabbing the choking patient from behind and squeezing their midsection to try and create pressure to remove the blockage from their airway.
Concussions
A concussion occurs when someone experiences a blow to the head. This blow causes an impact between the brain and the skull, which results in a concussion. It is essential to watch for signs of a concussion if someone experiences a head injury. Symptoms of concussion include dilated pupils, dizziness, and incoherence. It is best to keep the patient’s attention and monitor them until emergency services can conduct a further examination.
Other Treatments
Other first aid treatments include managing a burn, stitching or suturing a wound, or treating a sprain. These techniques should be learned and remembered if an injury does occur to lessen the effects and ensure the patient’s well-being.
Contact an urgent care if you or a loved one has been injured. While traveling to the urgent care center, first aid can be used to help manage pain and stabilize the patient’s condition.