First aid courses are excellent tools for anyone interested in gaining more knowledge about first aid, emergency preparedness, and how to respond appropriately in case of an emergency situation. The level of the course can vary greatly, but regardless of the type, all first aid courses teach essential skills that can help save lives. If you’t want to get certified but want to expand your knowledge of first aid basics, or you’re looking for an extra credit opportunity in school, then this post will give you some insight into the most common first aid techniques being taught at first aid courses in Canada.
ABCDE: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability and Exposure
The first step in any emergency situation is to assess the situation. This involves checking to see if anyone is in danger of immediate or imminent death, the extent of the injury, and the availability of assistance. This is known as the “3-2-1 rule,” and it is a great way to start any first aid course.If the victim does not have a medical ID and is not able to tell you their name, their age, or anything else that might help you identify them, do your best to assess their airway, breathing, circulation (or blood flow), disability (or inability to move), and exposure (being exposed to the elements). If you are able to assist with any of these, you can move on to the next step.
ABC: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation
Airway: The airway is the path for air to enter and exit the body. If the airway becomes obstructed, the victim can’t breathe, and will eventually die. The first step in assessing the airway is to see if the person is able to speak. If they are, then you can move on to the next step. If they aren’t, then you should check for signs of a closed airway, such as a whistling sound or a bluish colour in the person’s lips. If you are unable to clear the airway by yourself, you should call 911 and wait for the emergency assistance to arrive.Breathing: You can check for signs of a working breathing pattern by placing two fingers on a person’s neck just below the earlobe. If the person is breathing, you should feel a rhythmic rise and fall of the chest. If they aren’t breathing, you should apply the standard CPR technique (see below). If you are unable to get a person to breathe on their own, you should call 911 and wait for the emergency assistance to arrive.Circulation: This is the flow of blood throughout the body. If the flow of blood is impeded, the person will die. The best way to check for signs of blood flow is to look at the person’s nails. If the nails are blue or pale, the person is losing blood flow. If the nails are black or blue-green, the person is receiving blood flow. If the person’s nails are pink, the person is receiving blood flow and has a functioning heartbeat.
CPR: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is the process of manually providing artificial respiration to a person who is not breathing. If you are present at the scene of an accident and you are unable to get the person to breathe, you should begin CPR. There are three stages to CPR—the chest compression, the airway clearance, and the artificial respiration.
C-P: Compression-Only CPR
C-P CPR is the practice of providing chest compressions to a non-breathing person without providing artificial respiration. The theory behind C-P CPR is that if you can maintain a certain rate and depth of chest compressions, then you can re-start the heart. This is called Cardiac Co-Responses, and it is the theory behind the use of automated external defibrillators.
C-A-P: Compression-Airway-Breathing CPR
C-A-P CPR was once a standard in first aid training, but it has since been replaced with C-P CPR. The theory behind C-A-P is that when you provide chest compressions, you are providing artificial respiration as well, so the person will benefit from both. C-A-P is rarely used today, as it requires both the person providing the assistance and the person receiving the assistance to be trained in cardiac resuscitation.
Conclusion
The first step in any emergency situation is to assess the situation. This involves checking to see if anyone is in danger of immediate or imminent death, the extent of the injury, and the availability of assistance. This is known as the “3-2-1 rule,” and it is a great way to start any first aid course.If the victim does not have a medical ID and is not able to tell you their name, their age, or anything else that might help you identify them, do your best to assess their airway, breathing, circulation (or blood flow), disability (or inability to move), and exposure (being exposed to the elements). If you are able to assist with any of these, you can move on to the next step.