First aid hints
These first aid hints are meant as a general guide only. It is recommended that you complete a first aid course or at least learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Queensland Ambulance Service offers a variety of classes at various locations throughout Queensland. Completing a first aid course means that you not only learn the skills and techniques, but it also gives you a chance to practice them.
What is first aid?
First aid is the initial care for a person in distress. In extreme cases, it could mean the difference between life and death.
The aim of first aid is to:
- preserve life
- protect the unconscious
- prevent a casualty’s condition from becoming worse
- promote the recovery of a casualty.
Emergency action plan
In any emergency situation, it is important to initially confirm it is safe to approach a casualty, and assess the casualty’s condition for any life threatening conditions. This is called the emergency action plan. This requires the first aid provider to check each of the following:
- surveying the scene
- determining whether the scene is safe
- phoning for help
- assessing for life threatening injuries
- conducting a secondary survey.
Surveying the scene
A scene survey is an overall evaluation of the situation that is made by a first aid provider before any action is taken to help a casualty. It is important to determine what has happened, how many casualties are involved and the nature of their injuries
Determining whether the scene is safe
After identifying an emergency situation, prior to making direct contact with the casualty, it is important to assess the scene for danger to yourself, bystanders and the casualty. If it is safe to do so, remove the danger. If not, remove the casualty and bystanders away from the danger.
Phoning for help
The third step in the emergency action plan is phoning for help. In any emergency situation involving sudden illness or injury, it is essential that emergency service organisations be contacted as soon as possible. Call triple zero (000) immediately to activate the emergency services.
When a call is made to Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) for ambulance assistance, a trained QAS Emergency Medical Dispatcher will ask the caller a number of questions. The questions are likely to include the following:
- What is the exact location of the incident/accident?
- What is the phone number from which you are calling?
- What has happened?
- How many people are sick/hurt?
- What is the nature of the casualty’s injuries?
- Are you with the casualty now?
- How old is the casualty?
- Is the casualty conscious?
- Is the casualty breathing?
Remain calm while answering these questions and ensure that your responses are clear and concise. The QAS Emergency Medical Dispatcher will provide you with first aid instructions and dispatch the paramedics. Do not end the call until you are told to do so by the QAS Emergency Medical Dispatcher.
Assessing for life threatening injuries
The fourth step in the emergency action plan involves the assessment of life threatening conditions. This part of the emergency action plan requires the first aid provider to check the casualty’s:
Response - Determine the casualty’s level of consciousness. Do not shake casualties, particularly if they are children or infants. The talk and touch process of checking for a response should incorporate gentle touching and loud talking.
The acronym COWS is used to remind first aid providers of some simple steps that will help to determine a casualty’s ability to respond. It is designed to prompt the following specific questions and directives:
C-can you hear me?
O-open your eyes.
W-what’s your name?
S-squeeze my hands.
Where there is more than one casualty, always give priority to the unconscious casualty.
Airway - Check the casualty’s airway by carefully tilting their head backward and looking in the mouth for foreign bodies such as food, toys, loose dentures or fluid. Dentures should only be removed if loose or if they could possibly cause an airway obstruction. If secure, leave in place as it will help to ensure a good seal if rescue breathing is necessary.
Unless a casualty’s airway is obstructed by water, vomit, blood or other fluid, checking the airway should be conducted while the casualty is on their back. If a casualty’s airway is obstructed by water, vomit, blood or other fluid, place the casualty in the lateral (side) position.
Breathing - once the casualty’s airway is open and clear, check if they are breathing. This is done using the look, listen and feel technique:
- look - for the rise and fall of the chest
- listen - for the movement of air by placing your ear near the casualty’s mouth and nose
- feel - for the movement of air from the nose and mouth against your cheek, and place your hand on the casualty’s chest to feel for the rise and fall.
If the casualty is breathing (and if they are not already on their side), place them in the lateral (side) position and maintain neck stability. The first aid provider should recheck the casualty’s airway and breathing regularly then look for other injuries while waiting for the ambulance paramedics to arrive.
For any severe bleeding - identify and immediately control any severe bleeding. This simply requires the casualty to be scanned from head to toe to detect signs of external bleeding. Bleeding is considered severe when it is spurting or cannot be controlled. Such severe bleeding is a life-threatening condition that must be addressed as quickly as possible.
Secondary survey
Once a casualty has been assessed and managed for any conditions that immediately threaten their life, a first aid provider can begin a secondary survey.
The process of a secondary survey involves three steps:
- questioning the casualty and witnesses to the incident
- continuing to check the casualty’s vital signs
- conducting a head-to-toe examination.
First aid kits
One way of being better prepared for responding to accidents and emergency situations is to keep an appropriate first aid kit on hand. First aid can be performed using whatever equipment is available, but using proper, sterile supplies is recommended wherever possible. A first aid kit should be airtight and contain a variety of dressings and bandages depending upon the environment in which they are to be used.
Queensland Ambulance Service has a number of different first aid kits available for use in environments ranging from the home to industrial sites. Enquiries to QAS regarding first aid kits can be made on 1300 369 003.
QAS recommends the following items for a first aid kit in the home:
- 1 packet of plastic strips
- 1 roll of non-allergenic tape
- 2 sterile eye pads
- 4 triangular bandages
- 1 conforming gauze bandage (10 cm)
- 1 conforming gauze bandage (7.5 cm)
- 1 conforming gauze bandage (5 cm)
- 1 hospital crepe bandage (10 cm)
- 1 sterile combine dressing (9 x 10 cm)
- 1 sterile combine dressing (20 x 20 cm)
- 1 medium wound dressing (#14)
- 2 non-adhesive dressings (5 x 7.5 cm)
- 1 non-adhesive dressing (10 x 7.5 cm)
- 1 pair stainless steel scissors (sharp/blunt)
- 2 square gauze swabs
- 1 pair forceps
- 1 pack (10) latex gloves
- 1 resuscitation mask
- 2 bottles eye irrigation (15 mL)
- 1 bottle antiseptic cream (50 g)
- 1 wound closure steri-strip
- 1 stainless steel splinter remover
- 1 bottle antiseptic solution (30 mL)
- 5 alcohol swabs
- 1 first aid hints booklet.
First Aid Hints booklet
Click here if you would like to download a QAS First aid hints booklet.
Last updated 13 May 2008
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