First Aid & CPR Assessment

Always check the scene to make sure it is safe to approach an accident victim

Never move an injured victim unless the victim is in a dangerous area.

Since biological death occurs 8 to 10 minutes after clinical death, it is important to start CPR as soon as possible.

If a victim is choking and coughing, give abdominal thrusts.

If a finger is cut off, pack the finger in ice and transport it with the victim.

For a snakebite, wash the wound and immobilize the injured area, positioning it higher than the level of the heart if possible.

If chemicals splash on the skin and cause burns, use large amounts of water to wash the skin and dilute the chemicals for 15–30 minutes.

A dislocation is treated the same way a fracture is treated.

To treat a nosebleed, place the victim in a sitting position with the head tilted backward.

A cerebrovascular accident can be caused by either the presence of a clot in a cerebral artery or hemorrhage from a blood vessel in the brain.

If a diabetic is unconscious and you are not able to determine that the condition is insulin shock, put granulated sugar under the victim’s tongue.

The adult defibrillator dose and adult electrodes should be used for any child older than 8 years.

If a tick is embedded in the skin, use the edge of a rigid card, such as a credit card, to scrape the tick away from the skin.

Immediate medical care during the first 3.5 hours after a cerebrovascular accident can help prevent brain damage.

A health care provider should give aspirin to any individual who may be having a heart attack.