Lesson 2 - Safety, Emergency Scene Management, Level of Consciousness, Shock

Safety

In the second session of the course, you will cover "Safety and first aid", ESM (Emergency Scene Management), assessing LOC (level of consciousness), and shock.

The number one rule in giving first aid is, "Give first aid safely." Emergency scenes can be dangerous and you have to make sure your actions don't put you or anyone else in danger. Take time to look for hazards and asses the risks of any actions you take.

There is a very simple rhyme to remember when checking for hazards in an emergency situation: Fire Wire Gas Glass Thugs Drugs. Meaning, is there a fire or a flammable source nearby? Are there any loose, dangleing wires? Do you smell gas? Is there falling glass or glass on the ground within your intended path? Is there any danger from the people in your immediate surroundings? Are drugs in play (are the casualties or bystanders under the influence)? Are there used needles? ... All these things are considered hazards, and can be dangerous to your well being.

Another hazard you should always be aware about while administering first aid is the chance of infection. Disease is most commonly transmitted through bodily fluids and airborne infections. The most common fluids to be transferred while administering first aid are blood and vomit. For this reason it is always recommended to use gloves while administering first aid. Cleanly removing and safely disposing of afterwards. An effective measure in the prevention of airborne infection is the use of a face mask or shield with a one-way valve. Risk of infection is low, but with the use of gloves and face masks can be prevented even further.

Emergency Scene Management

Imagine a busy restaurant at lunch - people eating quickly and serves hurrying to get them on their way as fast as possible. Suddenly there is a commotion, and you see a women lying on the ground... what happens now?

Emergency scenes like this usually begin with a lot of confusion as people realize that there is an emergency unfolding in front of them - no one knows what to do first, who should be in charge or how they can help. In this situation, the first aider needs to follow a sequence of actions that ensure that safe and appropriate first aid is given and everyone's safety is protected. ESM (Emergency Scene Management) is activated.

Four steps of ESM:

- scene survey - here you take control of the scene and find out what happened before helping any casualties. (Check for hazards, find out what happened)

- primary survey - here you assist each casualty for life-threatening injuries or illnesses and give life-saving first aid.

- secondary survey - During this step the first aider performs a more thorough check for injuries and illnesses that were not revealed in the primary survey, but would benefit from first aid.

- ongoing casualty care - here you stay with the casualty until medical help arrives and takes over

These steps are always done in the order above, though sometimes you don't do the secondary survey (if medical help is en-route within 20 min).