First Aid Basics

When you sustain an injury there is a window of time you will have before you are seen from a physician. If your injury is non-life threatening may your way to your nearest AFC Urgent Care. Make sure you use these tips to first aid basics to help yourself & those around you when injuries occur.

Protect Yourself From Pathogens

Pathogens exist in blood & are a known carrier to spreading sickness & disease. When dealing with blood make sure to always cover your hands with gloves if possible. If gloves are not available, use extra gauze or cotton from a shirt to add a protective layer. Make sure to stay away from blood when possible to avoid contamination. If you do come into contact with someone else blood make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap & water; if blood has come into contact with your clothes wash them with bleach.

Stop Any Bleeding & Treat Shock

If the victim falls unconscious or is found unconscious the first thing you should do is check to see if they have a pulse. After determining that they are breathing, check to see if the victim is bleeding. Shock occurs when a victim suffers a significant blood loss. To stop bleeding put pressure on the wound using whatever material you can find around you that’s sterile. Shock can present with some symptoms such as:

• Including clammy skin
• Dilated pupils
• Nausea and vomiting and fast breathing and pulse
• Lay the victim flat on their back, with their feet and ankles elevated up to 12 inches
• Do not move the victim if it will cause further injury or more pain

Perform CPR

In the event of the victim not breathing you will need to initiate CPR. If you are not trained or have not undergone training in over a year, perform chest compressions only at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute until help arrives. If you have undergone recent training and are confident you will be able to perform CPR correctly, you can try rescue breathing by tilting the victim’s head back at a slight angle, lightly pinching the nose and breathing into their mouth to cause their chest to rise.

Make sure to call 911 as soon as possible or in the event of the victim being stable make sure to ring them tooAFC Urgent Care Paramus. You can reach us at (201) 262-2010!