Preface

This course is designed to empower the layperson who might face an emergency in the course

of their daily lives so they can feel comfortable handling many common conditions. As a

layperson, you might feel afraid to dive in and help in the case of an injury or illness you

encounter. With the help of this course, you will have the knowledge and skills to help

strangers and loved ones alike who need help. The course isn’t intended to take the place of a

medical professional’s advice but will help you participate in an individual’s care before

advanced help arrives.

Chapter one covers safety basics. Safety starts with injury prevention, which is something you

can influence. Should an injury happen, however, you need to be prepared. This chapter talks

about scene safety and infection prevention—things that are paramount when caring for a

person in the field. It also talks about what your approach to the victim should be as well as the

primary and secondary surveys that should occur when approaching the victim. Part of your

job is to check for medical alert information on the victim and to get help when necessary.

These important safety issues are covered in this chapter.

The focus of chapter two is incident management, and covers what you need to do when you

are faced with an emergency when no Emergency Medicine Services (EMS) are available. We’ve

talked about getting help already; however, you need to know that there are things you can do

as a bystander that can make the difference between life and death in an emergency situation.

Auto accidents, water accidents, and fires are possible incidents you may encounter. In rare

instances, you might be asked to help in a mass casualty incident. This is where your first aid

skills could be very helpful. Finally, you could be in a survival situation while camping or hiking

where your knowledge of first aid could save your life or the life of others.

Chapter three talks about first aid kits. As a first responder to an incident or as part of your

home equipment, you should have a first aid kit and should know how to use it. This chapter

will cover what’s in a first aid kit and what things you might have handy to deal with an

emergency or first aid situation. You should know more than what’s in the kit. You should

evaluate your kit, keep it stocked, and know how the items in it can be used in a first aid

setting.

The topic of chapter four is cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR. Most of what you’ll learn

will come directly from the American Red Cross and American Heart Association guidelines for

emergency bystanders. They’ve done a lot of work in determining which interventions can truly

make a difference in saving the life of a person who has had a cardiopulmonary arrest. The use

of the Automatic External Defibrillator is also covered because these are available in public

places and can save lives if you know how to use one.

Chapter five examines common respiratory issues. There are several actions that a first

responder or bystander can take to help the person with respiratory distress or a respiratory

problem. Some emergency situations may be the result of preexisting problems like asthma or

croup. Other may be due to the sudden onset of a respiratory problem, such as choking, fume

inhalation, penetrating chest wound, or drowning. The common problem of hyperventilation

and what to do about it is also covered in this chapter.

The focus of chapter six is circulatory problems. The function of the heart and blood vessels is

covered as well as the management of external bleeding, internal bleeding, impalement, and

shock. These are situations that a bystander can manage and that can improve the victim’s

outcome. Amputations are rare but can be life-threatening if not managed properly by the

bystander or first responder.

The care of the unconscious and head-injured victim is the main topic of chapter seven in the

course. Unconscious victims can have many different causes for their problem that can be

divided into traumatic and non-traumatic causes. The victim may have breathing and

circulation problems, which need to be treated. Concussions are extremely common and can

lead to a brief period of unconsciousness. Head-injured victims are also discussed in the

chapter. Finally, we will discuss spinal precautions, which are those actions a first responder

can take to protect an unconscious trauma victim from also becoming paralyzed from a neck or

back injury.

Chapter eight covers the basics of wound care. There a number of minor injuries that you might

be asked to care for, such as bruises, blisters, cuts or lacerations, puncture wounds, scrapes,

and “road rash.” Injuries to the eyes can lead to the need for emergency management. The

care of crush injuries in the field is covered as well as what you can do in order to identify and

treat infected wounds.

The musculoskeletal system and musculoskeletal injuries are the topics of chapter nine. The

victim may have spinal injuries, fractures of the face, fractures of the ribs, or fractures of the

extremities that may need management in the field. Sprains and strains are common injuries

that may not need to be seen by a doctor or hospital and that you can treat at home. Muscle

cramps are generally not due to a traumatic injury but, after recognizing this problem, you can

decide whether or not to seek further medical attention.

Chapter ten covers the different injuries caused by excessive heat or cold exposure. These can

be as simple as sunburns or as complex as severe burns. Exposure to excessive heat can lead to

problems like heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. Cold exposure can cause as many problems as heat exposure can, including hypothermia and frostbite. Injuries to the skin and/or

eyes can happen because of chemical burns. Electrical burns are a special kind of burn that can

cause severe internal health problems because of the special nature of these types of injuries.

The care and management of foreign body injuries, stings, and bites are the topic of chapter

eleven. A foreign body can be a splinter or a fishhook. Foreign objects can be swallowed, stuck

in the eye, or trapped in the external ear. You may need to apply first aid for insect, tick, or

animal bites. Depending on where you live or vacation, you might have to apply first aid to

marine stings, snake bites, or marine-related puncture wounds. Each of these is covered in this

chapter.

The focus of chapter twelve is the first aid management of common medical conditions. There

are several medical problems you may have to handle, including poisoning situations, low and

high blood sugar symptoms, heart attacks or chest pain, and stroke. These are all emergencies

where first aid can make a difference. Fever, especially in children, may require emergency

management. There are several other medical problems, including the possibility of having to

attend to an emergency childbirth, which are also covered in this chapter.