What are the basic first aid skills?

The core of the basic first aid skills that ordinary people need to master are centered on "preserving life first, and then avoiding aggravation of injuries." The most commonly used ones are cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Heimlich maneuver, trauma hemostasis bandaging, emergency treatment of burns and scalds, and preliminary fixation of sprains and fractures. There is no need to pursue too complex clinical operations. Mastering these can really save lives in emergencies.

Last month, an old man downstairs in our community suddenly suffered a heart attack while doing morning exercises. People around him were so panicked that they had to help him up and give him Suxiao Jiuxin Pills. Fortunately, a little girl who had just passed the first aid certificate squatted down first and felt that the carotid artery was not pulsating. She immediately knelt down and performed chest compressions. By the time 120 arrived, the old man was able to hum. Later, I heard that he was successfully rescued. There is still some controversy over whether ordinary people should add artificial respiration when performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. One group believes that it is difficult for non-professionals to master standard artificial respiration movements, and there is a risk of cross-infection. Only continuous chest compressions with a depth and frequency that meet the standard are enough to supply oxygen to the organs. The other group still suggests that if you have a protective mask and master the essentials of the movements, artificial respiration will be more effective. You can choose according to your own abilities and on-site conditions.

What is more common than myocardial infarction is foreign objects getting stuck in the airway, especially in the elderly and children. Bones, jelly and other things can get stuck if you are not careful when eating. A while ago, my friend took her child to a parent-child restaurant. A two-year-old child got stuck after eating QQ candy. Grandma patted her on the back for a long time, which made the candy stick deeper. A mother next to her rushed over, turned the child over on her arms, patted the back three times and pressed the chest twice. The candy spurted out at once, scaring everyone in the room into cold sweats. It should be mentioned here that Heimlich's technique is different for adults, children under three years old, and pregnant women. Do not use the method used by adults to hold the abdomen on the top of a baby, as it can easily crush the internal organs.

It is common to cut your hand while cutting vegetables at home, or to get bruised when you fall while riding a bicycle. Small bleeding can be stopped by pressing it with clean gauze or sterile cotton balls for three to five minutes. If you encounter a deep wound or bleeding from an arterial spurt, you have to apply force to the blood vessel on the side of the bleeding site close to the heart. This can temporarily stop the bleeding and wait for an ambulance. There are different opinions on whether to use a tourniquet. Some guidelines say that non-professionals should try not to tie a tourniquet casually. If the position of the tourniquet is wrong or the time is too long, it can easily lead to limb necrosis. Others say that if the bleeding cannot be stopped, you should remember the time after applying the tourniquet and tell the doctor as soon as you arrive at the hospital how long you have tied it. If you encounter this situation, it is safer to call 120 and ask the operator for guidance.

A colleague once had half of her arm spattered by oil while cooking. Her mother insisted on smearing her with soybean paste, saying it would cool down quickly and leave no scars. As a result, when she went to the hospital for debridement, the paste seeped into the broken skin. It took a long time to clean up the skin, but she almost became infected. In fact, the first thing to do when dealing with burns and scalds is to rinse the area with running cold water for more than 20 minutes. Do not apply messy things such as toothpaste, miso, or badger oil. After rinsing, cover the area lightly with clean gauze and go to the hospital. If you have blisters, don't pop them yourself. It is easy to get infected.

If you encounter a sprained foot or a suspected fracture, don't force yourself to move. First, find a hard cardboard, stick, or the like to fix the injured part to prevent bone dislocation from poking blood vessels and nerves when moving. If your neck or lumbar spine is injured, don't move it casually. It can easily lead to paralysis. It is best to wait for professional medical care to handle it.

In fact, you don’t have to memorize these skills very well. You can take the time to practice twice at the local Red Cross Society’s free first aid training. Your muscles will remember the movements. Don’t panic when you encounter an accident. Call 120 first and then operate. It’s better than anything else.