Often the need for first aid finds a person who is not a specialist in first aid. Many in a critical situation are lost, do not know what exactly they should do, and whether it is necessary to do something at all. In order for people to know exactly when and how to act in a situation where they need active rescue actions, the state has developed a special document that lists the conditions for first aid and the actions in the framework of this assistance.
Ministry of Health Order
Regulatory documentation directly related to first aid is, first of all, Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development No. 477n dated 05/04/2012. It contains not only a list of conditions in which first aid is provided, but also the algorithm for its implementation is regulated.
The help process itself includes not only the actions that any untrained person is capable of performing, but also what requires a certain qualification. For example, resuscitation measures. Some conditions requiring first aid may require skilled help right on the spot. The document indicates what actions can be performed safely without risking the life of the victim.
List of conditions in which first aid is provided
The document approved a specific list of cases where a person may require immediate assistance. This list looks like this:
- The victim is unconscious.
- The victim has no signs of breathing or blood circulation.
- Signs of bleeding.
- In the upper respiratory tract a foreign body.
- Injuries.
- Thermal burns or other type of exposure to high temperatures.
- Frostbite or other type of exposure to low temperatures.
- Poisoning, including food poisoning.
This is a list of conditions for which first aid should be provided immediately. Also, a circle of people is prescribed separately in the Federal Law for whom assistance is an obligation. These are, first of all, employees of various rescue services, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, military personnel and firefighters. It also states that drivers have the right to provide first aid if they have the appropriate skills, experience or training.
First Aid Activities
Order No. 477n has applications, including one that defines an action algorithm. Not all actions will actually have to be performed. The need is determined by what, specifically from the list of conditions in which first aid is provided, I had to face.
Assessment of the situation
The first thing to do in a situation requiring first aid is to assess the security situation. Conditions in which first aid is provided are often accompanied by danger both for the victim and for those who want to help.
When assessing the situation, it is important to identify factors that can threaten the life and health of the victim and the carer. If such factors are absent, the victim should be removed from the vehicle or other place making it difficult to provide assistance.
Remember that only qualified specialists can move victims. If a person without special training is involved in the provision of first aid, then it is strictly forbidden to move or get the victim out of the vehicle!
Airway
The conditions under which first aid is provided also determines the set of actions during the provision of first aid. Far from always, the victim's breathing is disturbed, and therefore it may not be necessary to restore it.
Cases where breathing may be required are associated mainly with loss of consciousness. Respiratory recovery is usually associated with the elimination of factors that impede the normal respiratory process. To do this, it is proposed to throw back the victim’s head and move his jaw somewhat forward.
Resuscitation
Some cases from the list of conditions in which first aid is provided may require cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It includes mouth-to-mouth and mouth-to-nose artificial respiration, as well as the use of special devices for artificial respiration.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation requires specialist knowledge. Most often, rescuers or doctors have such knowledge. However, if the person providing assistance also has the necessary skills, then he can carry out such resuscitation measures.
Examination and stop external bleeding
Not always bleeding on the victim will be visible immediately. To determine their presence and place of their manifestation, a survey is carried out. In the list of conditions requiring first aid, there are both bleeding and injuries that can cause them.
If the victim has found bleeding, you need to take measures to stop: apply a tourniquet, a bandage, bend the limb in the joint or otherwise squeeze the damaged vessel.
Applying a tourniquet or dressing also requires some special skills. Dressing training is provided in specialized first aid courses.
Identification of other conditions that threaten life and health
In addition to the already major life-threatening injury, the victim may have some other injuries, which may also pose a threat to him. To identify these conditions, a detailed examination of all parts of the body is carried out. Attention should be paid to the head, neck, chest, back, stomach and pelvis, as well as the limbs. The information obtained through a detailed review will help both on-site assistance and the treatment of a person in a medical institution.
Condition monitoring and psychological support
Psychological support is especially needed in a difficult situation, as a person’s desire to survive often becomes a decisive factor in saving and recovering the victim.
It is necessary to reassure the person as much as possible, to indicate that help is already being provided, and the ambulance team is on its way.
Monitoring the condition of the victim includes observing how the patient breathes and behaves, whether he is conscious. To do this, you can use both medical equipment and determine the presence of problems visually.
Handing over the affected ambulance crew
Call an ambulance immediately after the occurrence of a traumatic situation. As a rule, doctors arrive within 10-15 minutes, depending on the severity of the patient's injuries.
According to WHO, a quarter of people die in the first minutes after an injury without waiting for help, and a third of the remaining people die in an hour. In order to be beneficial, aid must be provided in the right way, while most first aid providers are not qualified. Therefore, training in basic medical skills must be carried out everywhere, especially among residents of regions with high health risks.
The training is carried out by various organizations - both budgetary and non-governmental, in particular, the Red Cross provides first aid courses. The skills acquired in the courses must be updated periodically. At the end of the course, a certificate may be issued that confirms all the assistance skills acquired.
In addition to the Order of the Ministry of Health No. 477n, there are other documents that describe assistance in life-threatening and health-threatening situations: Federal Laws No. 68 and No. 323. All these documents have articles on first aid for victims of emergency situations. Law No. 323 also indicates who determines the content of courses on PHC. It also approves a list of conditions in which first aid is provided.
Please be aware that if assisted persons do not do this, they may be subject to criminal prosecution under the articles “Refusal of assistance” and “Leaving in danger”. For those people who are not included in the circle of persons obliged to provide first aid, punishment under these articles is rarely applied. However, such cases have occurred. Therefore, one must very carefully approach both the process of providing assistance and refusal to do so.
It should also be remembered that improper first aid can lead to additional injuries or damage, and in some cases to death. Therefore, it is advisable to provide assistance only if you are fully confident in your actions. It is best to take special courses. Or have experience helping people in emergency situations.