Category: Life Support

Real Emergency or not – think before you call

FirstAidMike
  • Ambulance with blue lights for real emergency

Getting treatment

We’re all worried by the thought of not getting prompt emergency treatment because of Covid-19.

With pressure on the emergency services mounting due to the pandemic, you need to be sure what help you need, before calling an 999.

We all think our needs are greatest, but by checking the obvious, before we call, can help everyone in a real emergency.

But before we do anything, you need to do is make sure everyone’s safe, and that all dangers are under control.

Is it a real emergency?

Is the situation life-threatening?

  • Are they breathing?
  • Are they conscious?
  • Are they bleeding and how much blood are they losing? Is it spurting from the wound?
  • Is it a child in trouble?

Anyone unconscious and not breathing is in cardiac arrest and clinically dead. This is a real emergency, you must act now to try and save their life. Now is definitely the time to call 999

What can you do?

Unconscious and not breathing

Knowing CPR will help but it’s only a temporary solution you need access to an AED defibrillator. This is a real emergency.

The call handler at 999 will tell you where the nearest AED is and the code to access the cabinet.

They will also stay on the line until the paramedics take over and will talk you through everything from CPR to using the defibrillator.

Help with using a defibrillator is rarely necessary because it will tell you what to do.

We recommend putting your phone on speaker, so you can stay in contact, whilst using two hands.

Unconscious but breathing

You need to make sure their airway is unobstructed and they are breathing freely. This could be a real emergency but may just be a faint.

If so leave them where they are, unless they are in danger or a risk of the airway becoming compromised.

You only need to put the person on their side in the recovery position if there’s a real danger of the airway becoming blocked.

Choking

Hopefully you can expect the emergency services to react quickly. Yes a real emergency but try these steps first.

  1. Ask them if they’re choking – they’ll probably nod frantically and point to their throat
  2. Support them and ask if they can cough – if not
  3. Tell them you are going to slap them between the shoulder blades 5 times – if this works reassure them
  4. If not tell them you’ll give them 5 abdominal thrusts
  5. Still nothing NOW call the ambulance and be prepared to start CPR if they stop breathing

Bleeding

Slipped carving the turkey and there’s a lot of blood.

If it’s just the hand involved you can probably deal with it and take the person to hospital. Call 111 if you need reassurance

If necessary take the person to hospital after you’ve controlled the bleed, but this is unlikely to be a real emergency.

You can normally control bleeding with pressure. A relatively simple cut from a knife should respond well.

Ideally use a clean sterile dressing an apply pressure to the source of the bleed for 10 minutes

After that, try to elevate the limb above the heart.

Could be they’ve slipped, with the cut to the neck or groin, the blood is spurting out of the wound in time with the heartbeat, this is life-threatening and needs an ambulance. Call 999

Maybe there’s something embedded in the wound, glass or metal, don’t try to remove it

Above all keep pressure on the sides and get the person to hospital.

Treating cuts and grazes

Burns and Scalds

All types of heat can potentially cause burns.

To be clear burns can be hot or cold, wet or dry. Wet burns are usually called scalds.

Touching an iron or oven tray quickly, leaving the skin unbroken red, inflamed and tender, is a superficial burn, like sunburn, painful, but not a reason to call 999

Any burn that breaks the skin or forms a blister is serious and is called a partial thickness burn. Very often burns result in shock, which can be life-threatening. If you’re worried call 111, they may decide you need an ambulance.

Because liquids and steam, flow, scalds are more likely to affect a larger area. So tell the call handler the size of the burn. It’s a good idea to relate the size to how big the palm of the person’s hand is.

Someone with severe burns or full thickness burns where clothing has melted into the flesh or the skin is like cooked meat, is definitely 999

 

 

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Fetch the AED

FirstAidMike # # #

Where’s the AED (Automated External Defibrillator)

When someone has a cardiac arrest and isn’t breathing, you should start CPR immediately, then send someone to fetch the AED.AED unit

Not all AEDs have locked cabinets, so you may be able to just pull open the door.

Some of the locked units have quite a lot of writing on them and you could be in panic mode, so may not see, “Call 999 for the access code”

Once you’ve dialed 999/112, you’ll be able to open the door. If you’re not by the cabinet, they’ll tell you if there’s a unit within a few minutes of where you are.

Take the AED out of the cabinet.

Defibrillator ON switch
Switch ON
Defibrillator PULL bar
PULL to activate

Once you’re back with the casualty, open the unit, unzip, pull the lever, switch it on if necessary.

Follow the voice instructions and do whatever they say.

Remove Clothing

Remove all clothing from the casualty’s chest, cutting it off if necessary.

Most AED packs include a set of heavy-duty shears, these will easily cut through cloth and underwired bras.

If there are bystanders, get them to hold up a blanket, rug or towel to preserve the casualty’s dignity.

Once you’ve removed the clothes, wipe dry the skin.

Look at the pads to see where they need to go, if the casualty has a lot of chest hair, be prepared to shave it.

There’s a razor in the pack, use it to clear the areas where the pads are to go.

Remove the pads from the backing and place them as shown in the diagram on the reverse side.Defib Pad placement

Don’t worry if you get them mixed up, they’ll work just as well in either position.

Before placing the pads, make sure they’re not touching any metal or jewellery, including piercings.

Remove all patches and plasters and avoid placing the pads over existing internal pacemakers or defibrillators. (If there’s an internal defibrillator beneath the skin, it has failed, so continue with pad placement adjacent to it)

Attach the Pads

Once the pads are attached, the AED should now be giving you further instructions.

If you’ve already been performing CPR it will tell you to stop and not touch the casualty, while it analyses their heartbeat.

Following a cardiac arrest, the heart won’t be beating normally, it will be quivering or fibrillating.

The AED will detect this, but if someone is touching them it will detect their pulse and stop the defibrillator from shocking.

When the AED has stopped analysing, having failed to find a heartbeat, it will tell you the patient needs a shock.

Deliver a shock

Some AEDs deliver this automatically, but others require the person using it to press a button to deliver the shock.Defib SHOCK button

When you’re told the shock’s been given, if the heart hasn’t restarted, you’ll be instructed to begin CPR again.

The unit will give you the option to follow instructions for this and give you a rhythm to follow for the correct rate of compressions.

You should follow the audible instructions from the unit, administering CPR and shocks as directed.

Always continue this until medical professionals tell you to stop, the casualty comes round and makes definite signs of life, or you’re just too exhausted to carry on and there’s nobody to take over from you.

If the casualty comes around, never remove the pads, they could easily have another arrest. Because they’re single use they can’t be reattached.

Myths about defibrillators.

  1. They start the heart – defibrillators stop the heart from quivering or fibrillating. This allows the heart to naturally “reboot” into a normal rhythm.
  2. The casualty can be harmed by an AED – The person is clinically dead, you can only help them
  3. You can be shocked by an AED – You can only shock someone if there is no heartbeat, this why it’s important not to touch them when the device is analysing.

 

 

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The choice is yours

FirstAidMike # # #

Dead or alive, which would you rather be?Ambulance with blue lights

The choice of being driven slowly and respectfully to the crematorium or fast with blue lights flashing, should be simple.

Unfortunately, fear could make that choice irrelevant.

We all react to events in different ways, and how a bystander reacts could make the difference.

The very definition of an adrenaline response poses the option, “flight or fight”.

Which will it be?

Fear, by the person first on the scene of your cardiac arrest.

Or will they fight for you? Confidently beginning resuscitation and using a defibrillator

In too many instances, the answer is flight, where fear overcomes the ability to help.

In an attempt to confront this fear, we need to consider, what makes you fearful.

Many people worry that they will do more harm than good

Sadly, the fact is, if that person has suffered a cardiac arrest and isn’t breathing – they are DEAD

You cannot harm them.

People also worry about using a defibrillator.

The type of defibrillator available to the public is the automated external defibrillator (AED).

Simply applying the pads to the casualty will start the process of analysis.

It checks for circulation, if there’s a pulse, it will tell you no shock is required and will stop it being delivered.

This is why it’s important you shouldn’t touch the person, if the defib detects your pulse because you’re in contact, it won’t give a shock.

It also tells you when to start CPR and even gives you the correct rate and rhythm as well as when to give rescue breaths.

Why would you be fearful in the words of footballer, Glenn Hoddle

“I never thought I’d be grateful to have seven ribs broken”.

After sound engineer Simon Daniels saved his life with CPR and a defibrillator

If you’d like the confidence to fight rather than flee, learn basic life-saving skills – book now

 

 

 

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Dying for a holiday?

FirstAidMike # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Christmas Eve

Why is 10pm on Christmas Eve a dangerous time for Swedes.

Swedish research led by Dr David Erlinge, from the Department of Cardiology, Clinical Sciences, at the Lund University  looked at the frequency of heart attacks at holiday times.

They have concluded that, the average daily number of heart attacks increases from 50 to 69 a on Christmas Eve massive 37% increase. Most of these occur around 10pm, following a day of too much food and excessive drinking

You may ask why Christmas Eve? The simple answer, in Swedish culture they celebrate on the 24th of December, not Christmas Day as we do in the UK.Christmas lights

Christmas Day

Therefore, it’s not unreasonable to suppose that, 10pm on Christmas Day in the UK, may be the most likely time for Brits to be having heart attacks, too.

Seemingly it doesn’t get much better on Boxing Day either, the increase remains high at 22%.

But the big surprise was New Years Eve, with no appreciable increase, and heart attack symptoms probably masked by alcohol.Paper chains

New Year

However, New Year’s Day the heart attacks again rose by 20%. Put down to after effects of too much alcohol and food, sleep deprivation and cold weather.

Dr. Erlinge said, “The peak is very pronounced, exactly on Christmas Eve and the following two days, so, I think it is something specific about the way we celebrate these holidays.

“We do not know for sure, but emotional distress with acute experience of anger, anxiety, sadness, grief, and stress increases the risk of a heart attack. Excessive food intake, alcohol, long distance travelling may also increase the risk.

“Interestingly, the pattern of increased risk in the morning which dominates the rest of the year was reversed at Christmas. With an increased risk in the evening, indicating that the stress and eating during the day triggered the heart attacks.

“People could avoid unnecessary stress, take care of elderly relatives with risk of heart problems and avoid excessive eating and drinking.”

Beliefs

The researchers believe that the emotional pressure of Christmas. Stress, anxiety, sadness, anger, grief, family disputes, financial worries and memories of lost relatives and friends, all contribute.

Of course, environmental issues such as the “flu” season will pay a part. Over 65s being most liable to succumb, especially if they have heart problems.

“People need to be aware of the increased cardiovascular risk associated with emotional distress and excessive food intake that may occur during large holidays. We also need to care more about our elderly and sicker friends and relatives,” added Dr Erlinge.

Read about this research in the British Medical Journal

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Will you stand out from the crowd?

FirstAidMike # # # #

Stand out from the crowdGreen grass sheep

You’re in a training workshop and the facilitator asks if anyone has any questions. But no one wants to stand out from the crowd.

You know that you didn’t quite understand something, but nobody else has put their hand up and asked the “dumb question”.

So, you just sit there, in sublime ignorance, possibly never knowing the answer.

Psychologists call it “pluralistic ignorance”. Typically, the only person being hurt by not asking the question is you.

But could “following the crowd”, become a matter of life or death?

The British Heart Foundation carried out a survey discovering that 1 in 3 people wouldn’t attempt Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on somebody who collapsed in front of them.

Some even admitted, they wouldn’t even call an ambulance, expecting someone else had already done so, a situation described as “diffusion of responsibility”.

Therefore, because nobody else is doing anything, bystanders assume, it can’t be that serious, so they needn’t get involved, either – “pluralistic ignorance”.

They frequently lack the confidence to help or feel under qualified to do anything at all.

The bystander effect

This inability to act, is commonly known as the “bystander effect”

However, in the cold light of day, following the incident, you’re likely to be overwhelmed with guilt, horrified and embarrassed that you failed to help.

Psychologists studied this bystander effect, and now believe that simply knowing that it happens, may well overcome its effectiveness.

With knowledge of this effect, they may now react differently and come to the aid of someone in trouble.

If you were on your own and someone collapsed, you’d probably help.

Being in a crowd you become immune to their distress, prepared to be a spectator.

So now you know – what are you afraid of?

There’s no shame in looking a bit silly if you’re the only one reacting.

Just stand and watch and you may feel guilty at not saving a life, learn what to do and you could do just that.

Find out what to do and have confidence to act in an emergency – join one of our First Aid courses and step out from the crowd.

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The Chain of Survival

FirstAidMike # # # # # # # # # #

The Chain of Survival.metal chain

Understanding the, “chain of survival”, can make the difference between life and death.

Firstly, nobody goes into work or school, with the expectation of one of your colleagues suffering a major illness or having a serious accident.

Secondly, Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is indiscriminate, it can affect any of us, even children and babies.

Sadly, it happens too often, and how you react, can make the difference to their chances of survival.

By learning the basic life support skills you will be in a much better position to help

Early Recognition

This is essential. If you suffer a sudden cardiac arrest, every minute that passes reduces your chance of survival by 10 percent.

Therefore, if they’re, unconscious and not breathing in a normal way, don’t hesitate, call 999 or 112 for an ambulance immediately.

In an ideal world, UK ambulance response times are about 8 minutes, but clinical pressures can probably increase that.

So, by failing to act immediately, their chance of survival will be seriously compromised, by the time they arrive.

Early Resuscitation

Start CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) immediately, it makes a critical difference.

By maintaining circulation and ventilation, the chances of significant brain damage are reduced.

And don’t worry about hurting them, a few cracked ribs in return for life, seems a reasonable exchange.

Early Defibrillation

Most importantly, early defibrillation is the third link of the chain.

Therefore, having a defibrillator close at hand, changes their survival chance, from 5 percent with CPR alone, to a convincing 75 percent.

Because people fear doing harm, or hurting the casualty by using an AED defibrillator, they fail to act.

The fact is you can’t hurt them, the technology prevents you shocking someone who doesn’t need it.

Therefore, you’ll give your casualty the best possible chance of a successful outcome by using it.

Early Hospitalisation

Finally, get them to professional medical care quickly. No matter how good the immediate care at the scene, you will need to get them to hospital, and the sooner the better.

By having an understanding of this chain of survival, you will be more confident to do something.

Resuscitation Council Chain of survival
Resuscitation Council Chain of survival

To book one of our courses click here

 

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