What is the First Aid training in? You will be able to assist individuals in need if you have a basic understanding of first aid.
We discussed basic first aid training in the previous chapter, now we learn more about first aid.
You’ll learn how to respond to specific circumstances in our first aid certification training, which will help you care for people in distress while they wait for medical help.
When responding first aid to an emergency you should reconcile both the emotional and physical needs of all involved, including your own. You should look after your own psychological health and be able to recognize stress if it develops.
A calm, considerate response from you that facilitates trust and respect from those around you is fundamental to you being able to give or receive information from a casualty or witnesses effectively.
This includes being aware of. and managing. your reactions, so that you can focus on the casualty and make an assessment.
By talking to a casualty in a kind, considerate. gentle but firm manner, you will inspire confidence in your actions and this will generate trust between you and the casualty. Without this confidence he may not tell you about an important event, injury is a symptom. and may remain in a highly distressed state.
The actions described in this chapter aim to help you facilitate this trust minimize distress and provide support to promote the casualty’s ability to cope and recover. The key steps to being effective.
First Aider is:
•Be calm in your approach.
•Be aware of risks (to yourself and Dithers)
•Build and maintain trust [from the casualty and the bystanders).
•Give early treatment, treating the most serious (life-threatening) conditions first.
•Call appropriate help;
•Remember your own needs.
BE CALM
It is important to be calm in your approach. Consider what situations might challenge you, and how you would deal with them. In order to convey confidence to others and encourage them to trust you, you need to control your emotions and reactions.
People often fear the unknown. Becoming more familiar with first aid priorities and the key techniques in this book can help you feel more comfortable. By identifying your fears in advance, you can take steps to overcome them.
Find out as much as you can, for example. by going on a first aid course, asking others how they dealt with similar situations or talking your fears through with a person you trust.
STAY IN CONTROL
In an emergency, the body responds by releasing hormones that may cause a ‘fight, flight or freeze” response. When this happens. your heart beats faster, your breathing quickens and you may sweat more.
You may also feel more alert, want to run away, or feel frozen to the spot. If you feel overwhelmed and slightly panicky, you may feel pressured to do something before you are clear about what is needed. Pause and take a few slow breaths.
Consider who else might help you feel calmer, end reminds yourself of the first aid priorities (opposite). If you still feel overwhelmed. take another breath and say to yourself “be calmer” as a cue. When you are calm, you will be better able to think more clearly and plan your response.
The thoughts you have are linked to the way you behave and the way you feel. If you think that you cannot cope, you will have more trouble working out what to do and will feel more anxious: more ready to fight, flee, or freeze.
If you know how to calm yourself, you will be better able to deal with your anxiety and so help the casualty.
