Preface

vii

Introduction

1

PART 1

FIRST AID BASICS

3

1

Rescuer Duties

3

Deciding to Provide First Aid

3

Asking to Give First Aid

4

Supplying the First Aid Kit

4

2

Victim and Rescuer Safety

5

Assessing the Scene

5

Washing Hands

6

Universal Precautions

7

Exposure to Blood

9

Taking Off Gloves (Skill You Will Demonstrate)

9

3

Phoning for Help

10

When to Phone for Help

11

How to Phone for Help

12

4

Finding the Problem (Skill You Will Demonstrate)

13

5

After the Emergency

15

Sample First Aid Kit

16

Review Questions: First Aid Basics

17

PART 2

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

19

1

Breathing Problems

19

General Breathing Problems

19

Assembling and Using an Inhaler

20

How to Help Someone With Breathing Problems

21

2

Choking in an Adult

22

Mild vs Severe Choking

22

How to Help a Choking Adult

23

How to Help a Choking Adult Who Stops Responding

25

3

Allergic Reactions

26

Using Epinephrine Pens fSkitl You Will Demonstrate)

26

Mild vs Severe Allergic Reactions

27

4

Heart Attack

28

5

Fainting

29

6

Diabetes and Low Blood Sugar

30

7

Stroke

32

8

Seizure

32

9

Shock

34

Review Questions: Medical Emergencies

35

PART 3

INJURY EMERGENCIES

37

1

Bleeding You Can See

37

How to Stop Bleeding ("Skill You Will Demonstrate)

37

Bandaging (Skill You Will Demonstrate)

39

Using Tourniquets

40

2

Wounds

41

Bleeding From the Nose

42

Bleeding From the Mouth

43

Tooth Injuries

44

Eye Injuries

45

Penetrating and Puncturing Objects

45

Amputation

46

3

Bleeding You Can't See

47

4

Head, Neck, and Spine Injuries

48

5

Broken Bones and Sprains

50

Splinting (Skill You May Demonstrate; Optional Practice)

51

6

Burns and Electrical Injuries

52

Burns

53

Electrical Injuries

54

Review Questions: Injury Emergencies

55

PART 4

ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCIES

57

1

Bites and Stings

57

Animal and Human Bites

57

Snakebites

58

Insect, Bee, and Spider Bites and Stings

59

Poisonous Spider and Scorpion Bites and Stings

60

Ticks

61

2

Heat-Related Emergencies

61

Heat Cramps

61

Heat Exhaustion

62

Heat Stroke

63

3

Cold-Related Emergencies

64

Frostbite

64

Low Body Temperature (Hypothermia)

65

4

Poison Emergencies

66

Scene Safety for Poison Emergencies

66

Removing Poisons

66

Other First Aid for Poison Emergencies

68

Review Questions: Environmental Emergencies

69

First Aid Skills Summary

71

Conclusion

73

Index

75