No matter what time we live in, adults and children alike are always reminded: safety is everyone’s personal responsibility. But how well do we know what actions to take when a person has lost consciousness? What to do if a bee stings your tongue? And what are the best methods at school to remember and reinforce vital knowledge? About how to involve teenagers and adults in the study of modern principles of first aid tells the head of the Training Center for Tactical Medicine, doctor Artem Katulin at an open lecture of the “Parents’ University: PRO-Parents”.

Sudden situations can happen to a person in front of witnesses who are not always ready to help – due to lack of confidence or fear of being punished for incorrect actions. But we have only two tasks to solve: to remove fear, return the understanding of the value of human life, and to add first-aid skills – there are not many of them. According to the order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia, first aid includes only eleven activities.

In What Situations Are First Aid Skills Necessary?

Federal Law No. 323 prescribes eight conditions in which first aid should be provided. These include loss of consciousness, lack of breathing, lack of heartbeat, frostbite, poisoning, and burns. The law also prescribes 11 measures for first aid, which – and this is a very important point – does not include drug therapy.

Unfortunately, it has been historically proven that the range of first aid skills needs to be expanded. It is important that people know how and can provide first aid, that they are not afraid to approach an injured person.

What To Do If A Person Is Lying Unconscious?

Make sure the building or outdoors is safe – no cave-ins, fire, or other emergencies. Check for a pulse by feeling it on the neck or wrist. Check to see if the person is breathing. If the pulse and breathing are normal, the person is unconscious. Try to put the victim’s legs on an elevated position, such as a chair. This is necessary to restore the disturbed cerebral circulation. Wait for the ambulance.

If you have not yet been able to find out whether it is fainting or not, it is better to turn the person on his side. But be careful – the victim should have no injuries. Bend your right arm and bring it to your left ear so that the bend of the elbow is near the face – this way you will fix the cervical spine when you turn on your side. Bend your right leg at the knee and gently turn the person onto your left side. Do the same with the left side of the body if it is more comfortable to turn the victim on the right side. These manipulations are necessary so that the tongue and vomit do not block the airway. Wait for an ambulance.

What Should I Do If The Person’s Heartbeat And Breathing Suddenly Stop?

First, make sure that the person does not have, for example, jammed food in his or her mouth that could have blocked his or her breathing. Press on the area between the jaws on both sides, which is a point about the middle of the cheek. The mouth will open and you can examine the airway.

If the airway is clear, begin chest compressions. Do 30 strong strokes with your arms straight, placing your hands in the middle of the victim’s chest. It is important that your arms are at a right angle. Squeeze the chest by 5-6 centimeters. Carry out the procedure all the way until the ambulance arrives. Stop the massage if breathing and heartbeat are restored.

How To Behave In The Water? What To Do If The Person Has Drowned?

Swim to the person who is drowning from behind so the person can’t accidentally hit or scratch you. Gently wrap your arms around their chest and pull them to shore. If the person has choked on water, lay him on his side as described above and try to lift him by his stomach several times in this position, standing directly over him to get the excess water out of his stomach. Another option is to get down on one knee, lean the victim down with his stomach on your leg (you will need help from other people to do this) and hold that position for 10-15 seconds.

How Is Anaphylactic Shock Defined And Can It Be Stopped?

Anaphylactic shock is an allergic reaction of the body to a substance. It is accompanied by difficulty breathing, choking, and swelling of the larynx. Edema can start slowly, and then it is important to track it in time and prevent shock. Or it can develop lightning fast – literally within a few minutes. Usually in such cases, health workers administer adrenaline. The main task in case of anaphylactic shock is to ensure airway patency.

What To Do If A Bee Stings Your Tongue?

To prevent swelling of the respiratory tract, the doctor must perform a craniotomy. To do this, the victim’s head is thrown over, a notch between the thyroid and metacarpal cartilages is felt on the neck, it is incised (not deeper than 1.5-2 cm) and an instrument is inserted like a cocktail tube – so that air can flow freely into the lungs.

Performing a conicotomy if the person is not a medical professional is prohibited by law. Here we can return to our dilemma: Is it possible to save the person yourself when only seconds remain, or wait for the ambulance, which may not make it in time?

How to competently practice first aid skills with children and adolescents?

Of course, diagonal reading of notes will be of no interest to either children or adults. You should go from eventfulness – try to turn training into a game or even hold it in a tournament format.

A course in first aid should be conducted in all educational institutions – from school to university – and, of course, the learning process should be well-organized and interesting. But here it is necessary to organize the work of psychologists – because children and teenagers can be seriously impressed by what they see – even if it is a mannequin with artificial blood in front of them.

First Aid For Poisoning

Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the most dangerous that one encounters in life. This gas is colorless, odorless, and heavier than air. It spreads easily through barriers, walls, windows, soil, and even respirators may not save it from spreading.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can be acute or chronic, with acute poisoning being particularly dangerous.

Carbon monoxide binds firmly to hemoglobin and affects red blood cells. Normally, hemoglobin carries oxygen throughout all tissues and organs. Bound to hemoglobin, carbon monoxide prevents the supply of oxygen to the body, oxygen starvation or hypoxia develops. Such a condition is life-threatening and in severe poisoning can be fatal.

The first symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, rapid pulse, disorientation, shortness of breath, seizures. Fainting, euphoria, and confusion may occur.

In carbon monoxide poisoning, neuropsychiatric symptoms may develop over several weeks. Small concentrations of carbon monoxide cause choking and headache, while significant concentrations cause paralysis and loss of consciousness. If a person stays in such a concentration of gas for 25-30 minutes, a fatal outcome is quite possible 1.

Acute poisonings go away within a few hours, but if the acute poisoning was severe, hospitalization is necessary.

What You Can Do

When carbon monoxide poisoning occurs, first aid should be given before the ambulance arrives. The following measures should be taken:

• Remove or carry the victim from the source of carbon monoxide ;
• Provide oxygen supply to the body. Take off outer clothing, tie, pressurizing elements of clothing (belt, scarf, etc.)  ;
• lay the victim on his/her side, ensure that he/she is at rest;
• if the person is conscious, give them hot, sweet tea or coffee;
• sniff a cotton swab dipped in ammonia to regain consciousness 1;
• if necessary, give the victim indirect heart massage and provide artificial respiration.

The sooner the victim is treated, the better the chances of recovery.

Prevention Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

In order to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, simple rules should be followed:

1. Do not spend the night in the garage;
2. Do not use a gas or kerosene burner to heat an enclosed space;
3. do not leave your car in the garage with the engine running;
4. Do not sleep in a car with the engine running.

Food Poisoning

If you vomited inside out from eating at the station pie of dubious quality, then you are likely to deal with food poisoning.

Such a situation is faced by many, but not everyone knows what to do. Food poisoning is a digestive disorder associated with the consumption of low-quality or toxic foods and beverages.

There are two types of food poisonings:

• Food toxicosis associated with the consumption of food contaminated with pathogenic microbes, such as stale food. It can also be caused by non-compliance with hygiene and sanitary rules, such as eating unwashed fruits and vegetables, etc. 2.
• Toxic non-infectious poisonings – develop when various toxins enter the body, such as chemicals or poisonous mushrooms and plants 2.
• Symptoms usually develop quickly. If not taken in time, intoxication of the body increases and can be life threatening. 

Characteristic symptoms of food poisoning include:

1. abdominal cramps;
2. abdominal pain;
3. nausea, vomiting;
4. diarrhea;
5. weakness, general malaise 2.

In addition to these symptoms, the temperature may rise to 39 ° C or higher, pulse rate, and salivation may develop. These symptoms are signs of severe intoxication 2. If this happens, you need to see a doctor.

How To Properly Provide First Aid To A Person In The Institution

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What You Can Do

First aid for food poisoning should include:

• Gastric lavage. When food poisoning occurs, it is necessary to remove toxic food from the stomach. To do this, you need to prepare a soda solution (1 tablespoon of soda per 1.5 – 2 liters of warm boiled water) 2. You must drink some of the solution and then induce vomiting by pressing two fingers on the root of the tongue. Repeat several times.
• Taking sorbents. Sorbents include drugs that actively absorb toxins, preventing them from being absorbed into the blood. The most well-known sorbents include activated charcoal. The number of charcoal tablets to be taken is calculated by body weight (1 tablet per 10 kg of body weight). Other, more modern sorbents include Enterosgel, Lactofiltrum, Smecta and others. They should be taken according to instructions.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Vomiting and diarrhea contribute to the loss of large amounts of fluid. With poisoning, you need to drink 2-3 liters of boiled water per day. It is advisable to salt water, adding 1 tablespoon of table salt per 1 liter of water. You can also use special rehydration saline solutions, such as Rehydron.
• Compliance with the regimen and diet. In case of severe poisoning and rejection of food by the body, you should give it up on the first day. The next day it is allowed to eat breadcrumbs, kissels, liquid mashed potatoes, herkules porridge cooked in water.

Prevention Of Food Poisoning

In order to prevent food poisoning it is necessary to:

• Wash hands before eating;
• Properly store food;
• Follow cooking techniques;
• Boil water;
• carry antiseptic and wet wipes;
• Drink plenty of fluids, preferably water;
• wash fruits and vegetables well (it is best to wash them in warm water or rinse them with boiling water). Remember that germs can get from fruits and vegetables to other foods (bread, cheese, etc.);
• for children, make sure that most foods are heat-treated;
• Pay special attention to foods that spoil quickly: milk, eggs, meat. Store in the refrigerator and check the expiration date. Do not drink raw milk;
• treat foods and use them in different dishes: separately raw, separately cooked; separately cheese, separately meat, separately fish;
• try to choose fruits and vegetables carefully if you buy them on the road.

Chemical Poisoning

Chemical or chemical poisoning is the most dangerous. Such intoxication is possible during cleaning with household chemicals, as well as medications, paints, and chemical compounds used in production.

The symptoms of such poisoning depend on the substance itself and how it entered the human body. Chemicals can enter the body with inhaled vapors, through the esophagus, and through the skin and mucous membranes. Let’s look at the symptoms typical of each type of poisoning.

Chemical vapor poisoning develops symptoms characteristic of respiratory system damage, such as:

1. dyspnea and shortness of breath;
2. acute respiratory failure, up to and including respiratory failure;
3. chemical burns of the upper respiratory tract;
4. acute pallor and blueing of the skin;
5. loss of consciousness, hallucinations.

When poisoning with chemicals through the esophagus, the following symptoms are observed:

• Severe pain in the throat, esophagus, and stomach as a result of mucosal burns;
• nausea;
• Vomiting, including black clots of coagulated blood;
• diarrhea, including black stools from intestinal bleeding;
• Dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea.

Symptoms of chemical poisoning to the skin and mucous membranes depend on the nature of the chemicals. Acids and alkalis leave burns, or penetrate the skin and are absorbed into the blood and affect internal organs. This type of poisoning is characterized by the following symptoms:

• Burns of varying degrees to the skin at the site of contact with the chemical
• severe pain;
• allergic reactions: itching, redness, rash;
• In severe poisoning – disorders of breathing and heart rhythm.

What You Can Do

In chemical poisoning, time is always precious, so the sooner you start first aid, the better the chances of recovery for the victim. In all cases of poisoning it is necessary to call an ambulance immediately. Before the ambulance arrives, you should give pre-medical aid yourself:

• In cases of poisoning by chemical vapors, immediately remove the victim from the room to the air.
• It is desirable to determine exactly what substance the poisoning occurred. This may affect the kind of help that can be given. Open vials, boxes, packages of medicines can help determine the nature of the substance. The discovery of these should be reported to medical or forensic personnel.
• If a poisonous substance has been ingested you should:
• Flush the stomach with a soda solution and induce vomiting;
• Give the victim an enveloping agent such as Almagel, protein, and starch. This is necessary so that toxins are not absorbed through the mucous membrane of the stomach;
• give adsorbents – activated charcoal, Enterosgel, Lactofiltrum;
• Get the victim to a hospital as soon as possible.

Prevention Of Chemical Poisoning

In order to prevent chemical poisoning it is necessary to follow certain preventive measures:

• Be careful when storing, using and transporting them;
• Keep away from children, keep first-aid kits, vinegar, alcohol, gasoline in special closed places. Never pour chemicals into drink bottles that children can drink by mistake;
• Read the instructions for use before handling hazardous substances and observe the recommendations.

Alcohol Poisoning

Ethanol is known to break down in the liver to form toxic products that have narcotic effects. When alcohol is consumed in large quantities, the formation of these substances increases dramatically, which can lead to severe intoxication and poisoning.

The dose of alcohol that can cause poisoning in each person is individual and depends on gender, age, health, the amount eaten and the rate at which alcohol is drunk. Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:

1. pain in the liver area;
2. hepatomegaly (enlargement of the liver);
3. jaundice;
4. dry mouth;
5. vomiting;
6. seizures;
7. respiratory impairment;
8. confusion;
9. pallor and lividity of the skin 3.

After acute symptoms, toxic hepatitis develops, i.e. liver damage of a chronic nature.

What You Can Do

It is necessary to provide first aid for alcohol poisoning. To do this, you need to:

• Flush the stomach with a soda solution;
• give activated charcoal or any of the other sorbents (Smecta, Enterosgel);
• do not let the patient lose consciousness. In order to clear consciousness, a cotton swab soaked in ammonia can be brought up to the patient’s nose. Strong tea may also be used;
• Monitor the patient’s condition and if his condition worsens – loss of consciousness, convulsions, respiratory distress, weak pulse, call an ambulance immediately 3.

What Not To Do

1. Do not leave alone to “sleep it off”;
2. do not give coffee. Coffee, like alcohol, drains fluid from the body;
3. do not induce vomiting. When vomiting, a person with alcohol intoxication can choke;
4. do not send a cold shower. The body temperature in alcohol poisoning is lowered. Cold showers can cause hypothermia in the body;
5. Do not allow the patient to continue taking alcohol.

What consequences can occur after carbon monoxide poisoning?

– It can be encephalopathy, cerebral edema, pneumonia, and hearing disorders. In severe cases, death is possible.

What should you do if you inhale smoke from a campfire?

– Smoke is based on carbon dioxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide. In severe smoke poisoning (especially often in fires) you need first aid: take out into the fresh air, make artificial respiration, put the person on his back, lift his head a little.

If one simply inhales smoke from a campfire, the danger is that the smoke, which contains simple chemical asphyxiants and irritants, can cause a person to cough. Smoke from a campfire burns out oxygen and leaves only dioxide. Symptoms: cough with soot coming out. If the condition worsens, you need to go to the hospital.

How to recover from food poisoning?

– The first day it is better not to eat anything at all, drink salted water and water with soda. From the second day, you can introduce liquid porridge, low-fat broths, vegetable soups, stewed vegetables and wheat crackers into your diet. Then you can gradually add the meat of chicken, turkey, and rice. To the usual diet to return no earlier than 2-3 weeks. You can also take pre and probiotics.

How to get rid of drug intoxication?

– Wash your stomach, drink a lot of water, take activated charcoal – one tablet per 10 kg of weight. Toxins are eliminated from the body with the help of water.

First Aid For Bleeding

Bleeding is bleeding from blood vessels into organs, tissues, natural body cavities or outside your body. Here’s what first aid should be done to prevent unfortunate consequences for the body

When severe bleeding from major blood vessels develops, the person must be treated because significant blood loss poses a major health risk and can be fatal 1.

Damage to the walls of blood vessels causing bleeding can occur for a variety of reasons:

• injuries, wounds, contusions;
• Inflammatory processes (erosions, ulcers) in the vascular wall;
• thinning of the vessel walls;
• tumor sprouting into vessels and their subsequent disintegration;
• Chemical poisoning, burns, frostbite.

Bleeding is divided into arterial (from arteries), venous (from veins), capillary (observed with superficial extensive wounds, bleeding occurs from the entire surface of the wound), internal (bleeding into internal organs or cavities) 2.

Arterial bleeding

Arterial bleeding occurs when an artery is damaged. Blood pours out in a scarlet, pulsating stream. It is one of the most dangerous types of bleeding and can bleed to death within seconds. Therefore, measures to stop the blood must be taken immediately.

What you can do

When giving first aid for arterial bleeding, you should:

• press with the thumb on the artery above the wound to stop or at least relieve the bleeding;
• put a rubber or any other self-made tourniquet (whatever you can get your hands on, such as a belt, cord, etc.) on the artery above the wound, this will reduce the loss of blood;
• leave a note indicating when the tourniquet is to be applied;
• bandage the wound;
• After assisting the victim, the victim should be sent immediately to a specialized medical facility (hospital or clinic).