First aid in emergency situations - rules, algorithm and features

Timely assistance in emergency situations can save a person's life. When there are no medical workers and rescue services nearby, you need to rely only on yourself.

At such moments, it is important not to get confused and help the victim. But can any help be for the good? In some situations, the patient can only be harmed. To avoid this, you need to understand how to act in various situations.

Everyone studied the rules of first aid at school. However, over the years, a large number of people forget how to act in extreme situations. Let's update this knowledge.

How to act in difficult situations?

The law of the Russian Federation states that first aid to an injured person is not considered medical. It is provided to a person until the ambulance crew arrives or before the patient is transported to the hospital.

Any person with the necessary skills can help the victim. Practice shows that in difficult situations, many are lost and cannot figure out what needs to be done. All actions should be performed according to a certain algorithm of first aid:

1. It is necessary to take care of the safety of the patient, others and himself. If an emergency is associated with a fire, then the victim is transferred to a safe place.
2. If the person is unconscious, then check for the presence of the main signs of life: pulse and breathing. To do this, throw his head back and try to hear the heartbeat (or feel the breath). You can listen to the pulse by slightly pressing with the pads of the fingers in the region of the carotid artery or on the wrist.
3. After they call specialists. On the mobile device, dial the short number 112. If you have a landline phone at hand, dial 02 (to call an ambulance) and 01 (to call the rescue service).

Provide maximum comfort to the victim and prepare him for the arrival of specialists. After the events, qualified first aid is provided.

Depending on the situation and condition of the patient, this can be artificial respiration, stopping bleeding, direct heart massage, and many other actions. The algorithm in each situation is different.

What skills should a person providing assistance to victims

If an emergency occurred in a public place, any passerby can provide assistance to the victims. However, if there are nearby representatives of law enforcement agencies, employees of the state traffic inspectorate or rescue services, it is they who must deal with the victims.

There is a medical worker for this at manufacturing enterprises and educational institutions. Since July 2016, the law "On Education in the Russian Federation" has been amended, according to which, knowledge of the rules of first aid for teachers and employees in the internal affairs bodies is considered mandatory.

If such persons were not nearby, another person with the necessary skills can help the victim. Namely:

• he should be familiar with the basics of behavior in extreme situations;
• Know the signs of damage to vital human organs;
• understand the basic principles of assistance in different situations;
• be able to carry out resuscitation measures.

In the process of carrying out rescue operations, first-aid medical kits are used. They must be available at all enterprises, government agencies and in transport.

Assistance in transport accidents

Traffic accidents happen daily. The number of victims reaches critical levels. If every witness knew the rules of conduct in this situation, the number of deaths could be significantly reduced.

First aid in case of an accident can be started if it does not threaten your own health. Remember that a passenger vehicle completely burns out in 5-7 minutes, so your decisions must be competent and thought out.

If you witness a severe accident, your first steps should be to quickly remove the injured from the car. At the same time, one must not cause even greater harm to their health.

As a result of a car collision, passengers may experience spinal fractures. Incorrect transportation in such a situation will result in the death of the victims.

To get a person out of the car, you need to take him under the armpits from the back. The victim’s head must be fixed with his hand in a level position. At the same time, the neck is held by the hand. A person is laid on a flat surface and an examination of his condition is carried out.

First aid for an accident begins with the following actions:

• consciousness tests;
• determining the presence of a heartbeat;
• breath checks.

Further assistance depends on the condition of the victims. If a person does not have breathing, the pulse is not palpable, and the pupils are dilated, urgent resuscitation is necessary. They come down to ensuring airway patency, artificial respiration and indirect heart massage.

Assistance to victims in enterprises

Each employer is required to train personnel on how to perform first aid in the workplace. Testing of knowledge and skills of workers is supported by a personal signature in the relevant journals. Depending on the specifics of the enterprise, the most probable damages and methods of assistance in their occurrence are determined.

The general algorithm of actions in case of an emergency is as follows:

1. The victim is freed from exposure to a harmful factor. An emergency team is called up at this time.
2. Assess its general condition. If necessary, release from crushing clothes or take out to fresh air.
3. The type and severity of the injury is determined. Damaged areas of the body are carefully removed from clothing and processed in accordance with the requirements.
4. Perform the necessary measures to restore body functions.

In the absence of breathing, they clear the airways of contaminants and make artificial respiration in combination with heart massage. First aid for injuries comes to a stop of bleeding. Wounds are covered with a sterile bandage until the doctors arrive.

Help with electric shock

If a person is shocked, they must be moved away from the voltage source. It is very important not to endanger yourself. If a high-voltage wire fell on the victim, then it must be moved away with any wooden object. It is better to stand on a wooden or rubber surface.

The person needs to be laid on an even base in a horizontal position. He is forbidden to move. The only exceptions are those situations when the victim is going to be transported to a safe place.

If a person is unconscious, it is important to check the activity of his respiratory function, the presence of a pulse. If he breathes on his own, but periodically loses consciousness, the victim's face is periodically sprayed with water. You can give cotton wool soaked in ammonia to sniff.

If a person’s breathing is heavy and intermittent, artificial respiration and heart massage should be done. In this case, you need to constantly monitor the width of his pupils. If they are expanded - this indicates a deterioration in the condition and impaired blood flow to the brain.

Even if a person does not show any signs of life, he must not be abandoned. It is necessary to carry out a set of resuscitation actions until the arrival of specialists. Only a doctor can determine whether it makes sense to continue them.

What actions are taken to perform artificial respiration

If the victim has intermittent breathing or its complete absence, it is necessary to immediately provide ventilation. In such situations, you can’t wait for the ambulance to arrive.

Breathing may not occur after an accident on the water, as a result of strangulation or electric shock. First aid in this situation should be quick and competent.

Artificial ventilation of the lungs is carried out in several ways, but the most accessible and widespread is mouth-to-mouth breathing (in some cases, mouth-to-nose breathing).

How to do artificial respiration through the mouth:

1. First of all, check the airway. To do this, the victim’s head is turned on its side. With a finger, it is necessary to remove blood, mucus clots and foreign objects from the oral cavity. If the tongue has sunk into the throat, it is returned to its previous state.
2. If an emergency does not involve spinal injuries, then the victim’s head should be thrown back. In this case, one hand must hold the neck.
3. Now, hold the victim’s nose with two fingers and take a deep breath, drawing more air into your mouth. With your lips, press firmly to the person’s mouth and exhale air into his lungs.

The first 10 breaths must be done very quickly. It’s good if you meet 20-30 seconds. Then the procedure is repeated about 15 times per minute.

In the process of first aid, monitor the chest of the victim. If at the moment when you exhale the air, it rises - you are doing everything right.

What to do if a person has no pulse?

If the pulse is not detected at the stage of examination of the patient, it is urgent to do a heart massage. It involves the compression of the heart muscle between the spine and chest. This allows you to maintain blood circulation during cardiac arrest.

Instructions for first aid in such situations are as follows:

1. A person is laid on a flat and necessarily solid surface. It is impossible to massage the heart on a soft bed, as this can damage the spine.
2. Now you need to grope the lower end of the sternum (xiphoid process of the sternum). It is the narrowest and shortest part of the bone. 3-4 cm upward from the intended point. This will be the area of ​​heart compression.
3. The base of the palm is located at the compression point so that the thumb is directed to the chin or stomach of a person. The second hand lies on top.
4. The base of the palm presses to the intended point. Make sure that your fingers do not touch the victim’s chest.
5. The rhythmic pressure must be strong, smooth and strictly vertical. There should be at least 110 pressures in one minute. In the process of physical impact, the human chest should bend 3-4 centimeters in depth.

If the victim is a baby, then massage is done with the middle and index finger, with one hand. First aid to schoolchildren is carried out with the base of one hand.

If you perform cardiac muscle massage and artificial lung ventilation at the same time, then about 15 pressure on the sternum is done every couple of breaths.

Assistance to victims of water accidents

Water entering the lungs and upper respiratory tract can cause human death. The life of the victim can be saved only by competent and consistent actions.

First aid is provided as follows:

1. The victim is recovered from the water. This must be done very carefully, as a drowning person clutches at all that is possible in a panic. He can pull you to the bottom. You need to swim to him from the back, grab by the arms or by the hair. The head is held above the surface of the water.
2. On the shore of a person, they put their stomach on their knee so that the head is below the whole body.
3. If the victim does not show signs of life, they urgently do mechanical ventilation. To do this, the mouth is cleaned of dirt and algae. Next, you must perform mouth-to-mouth breathing, alternating it with a heart massage.
4. When a person regains consciousness, water can come from his mouth. So that it does not choke, it should be put on its side.

In this state, the victim is covered with a veil and provide him with peace. When the respiratory function is restored, nothing threatens him, so you can safely wait for the medical team to arrive.

How to help if a person choked?

If a foreign body enters the trachea, choking may occur. This condition is revealed by the following signs:

• lack of ability to speak;
• blueness of the skin of the face;
• bloating in the neck;
• cough;
• intermittent breathing.

If the trachea is completely closed, the person does not make any sounds, but only holds on to the throat. Partially clogged trachea causes coughing and uneven breathing.

The procedure for providing first aid in this case is as follows:

1. You need to stand behind a choked person.
2. Wrap his arms around his torso, clutching his palms in the "castle". Hands should be just above his belly button.
3. Strongly squeeze the victim’s stomach by abruptly compressing the elbows.
4. Reception is repeated until the airways are completely released.

Note! The victim’s chest cannot be squeezed! The only exceptions are pregnant women. They are assisted by sharp pressure in the region of the lower chest.

If a small child chokes, then it must be placed belly down in his lap. In this case, several pats between his shoulder blades are performed. When the baby clears his throat completely, he needs to be shown to the doctor.

Help with sunstroke

As a result of prolonged exposure to the sun, brain function may be impaired. In this case, they talk about sunstroke.

Its main features:

• general weakness;
• headache;
• dizziness;
• nausea;
• the occurrence of tinnitus;
• vomiting

If, in the presence of these symptoms, a person is still exposed to sunlight, his condition is aggravated. Shortness of breath appears and body temperature rises. In severe cases, loss of consciousness is possible.

To provide first aid, a person needs to be cast into the shadows. It is better if it is a cool place with access to fresh air. Close clothing and shoes must be removed. If the victim is conscious, he should be given more to drink. It is advisable to put something cold on the head and neck area. You can soak a regular towel in water.

If a person has lost consciousness, he must be brought to his senses with the help of ammonia. The victim is hospitalized for further examination.

Rules for first aid for bleeding

First aid for bleeding should be aimed at preventing large blood loss. The procedure in this situation determines the type of bleeding. Depending on the type of damaged vessel, it can be:

• capillary;
• venous;
• arterial.

The first type is considered the safest. It can be stopped by applying an aseptic dressing to the wound area. If capillaries of the extremities are damaged, then arms and legs need to be raised above body level.

Venous bleeding is characterized by high pressure and dark blood color. The provision of first aid for bleeding of this kind consists in clamping the injured vein below the site of its lesion.

A tourniquet is superimposed on the limb and the exact time of its installation is recorded. Using tight dressings for more than 1 hour is prohibited. The wound is covered with sterile gauze, cotton wool or a clean towel.

Arterial bleeding is recognized by the scarlet color of the blood and the pulsating pressure. They are stopped by the method of strong pressing the artery to the bone.

The procedure for providing first aid in this case is as follows:

1. A tourniquet is placed above the wound. It is placed on clothing or a clean and soft bandage.
2. If the skin below the tight bandage has turned pale, and the bleeding has stopped - you did everything right.
3. Cover the wound with a clean cloth and remember the time the tourniquet was placed. After an hour, it must be loosened.

If help does not have time to arrive, tighten the tourniquet again. However, now it can only be left for 20 minutes.

First aid for bleeding in difficult places

If the wound is not located on the limbs, then applying a tourniquet is simply impossible. In such situations, you need to know how to stop bleeding in other parts of the body.

The provision of first aid to prevent large blood loss can be performed as follows:

1. If the wound is located in the lower part of the facial area, you need to feel the artery with your fingers and press it to the jaw.
2. Arteries in the temporal wounds are pinched in front of the ear.
3. Bleeding from the head and neck area is stopped by squeezing the carotid artery.
4. If the wound is located on the shoulder or in the armpits, you need to pass the subclavian artery.

Bleeding from the nose is stopped by tipping the head and applying cold to the nose. You can insert cotton tows (soaked with hydrogen peroxide) into the nostrils.

The basics of first aid for fractures

If a fracture of a bone is suspected in the victim, first aid should be aimed at ensuring rest of the injured area. Firstly, it is associated with severe pain during movements. Secondly, sharp bones can provoke additional damage to the soft tissues.

The sequence of first aid depends on the complexity of the situation and the location of the fracture. The following recommendations and rules should be taken as a basis:

1. If the victim has bleeding from the mouth and ears, then most likely he has a fracture of the skull. In this situation, you only need to apply cold to the head.
2. When there is a suspicion of a fracture of the spine, the victim should never be moved until the doctors arrive. This is necessary so as not to violate the integrity of the spinal cord.
3. In the presence of severe pain in the clavicle, they speak of a fracture. A cold compress should be applied to the injured arm. Place the hand at right angles to the body and attach the brush to the neck. In the area of ​​the axilla, it is advisable to lay a ball of cotton wool or a wound towel.
4. If the victim has pain in the area of ​​the hand, a swelling of the joint is noticeable and its movement is difficult, assistance should be given in case of fracture. To do this, lay a tire. Here can be used direct boards, sticks, rods, rulers and any similar items. If there is no possibility to lay a tire, fix your hand with a bandage, wrapping it around your neck.
5. Help with a fracture of the lower extremities also comes down to laying a tire. If the femur is damaged, the splint should be of such a size that it starts from the axillary region, and ends in the area of ​​the heels. To create it, a solid board, a piece of plywood or drywall is suitable.

If a person has pain in the chest area when inhaling and exhaling, then, most likely, the integrity of the ribs is damaged. The provision of first-aid medical care boils down to tightly wrapping the chest with a bandage at the time of inspiration.

How to provide first aid for a burn

Burns vary depending on the degree of skin lesion and the type of exposure. First-degree burns are characterized only by redness of the skin. If blisters appear on the burned area, then they speak of a second degree lesion. For injuries of the third degree, partial death of damaged tissues is characteristic. The most difficult fourth degree is diagnosed in the case of deep dying of soft tissues (to the bone).

The provision of first aid for lesions of any category is as follows:

1. Clothes are removed or cut from a burnt area of ​​skin. In this case, you can not touch the wound itself.
2. Bandage the wound with a sterile bandage or cover with a clean towel.
3. The victim needs to ensure peace and call an ambulance.

In order to anesthetize and disinfect the wound, you can sprinkle the damaged area with a solution of water and alcohol (in a ratio of 1: 1).

In the process of first aid (for burns) the following actions are categorically not permissible:

• lubrication of the affected area with ointments and fats;
• removal of clothing adhering to the wound;
• piercing bubbles.

This can aggravate the situation and increase the period of restoration of the skin.

If the burn was acquired under the influence of acids, then first aid to the victims is carried out in the following order:

1. The wound is washed under a plentiful stream of water for 15 minutes. Also for these purposes, a solution of potassium permanganate or 10% aqueous saline liquid is suitable.
2. A piece of gauze is soaked in oil and lime water. The components are mixed in a ratio of 1: 1. The resulting compress covers the wound and wait for the ambulance to arrive.

If acid has got on the mucous membrane or in the eyes, rinsing is done using a 5% soda solution. If the respiratory tract is affected by soda solution, you can breathe. A spray gun is used to spray it.

How to help with poisoning

If a person has a noticeable malfunction in the digestive system, we can talk about poisoning the body. It can manifest itself in the form of:

• short-term or constant vomiting;
• loose stool;
• pallor of the skin of the face;
• severe pain in the stomach and intestines;
• elevated temperature.

First aid measures for poisoning depend on the type of poisonous substance. If the deterioration of well-being is provoked by poor-quality food, then the victim must be given 5 grams of activated charcoal every quarter of an hour. The drug should be washed down with a large amount of liquid.

Also, poisoning can occur as a result of accidental or intentional overdose of drugs. In these situations, the main thing is not to get confused and quickly remember what actions such cases require. First aid is performed in the following sequence:

1. Gastric lavage. A person needs to be forced to drink about a liter of water. 10 grams of sodium chloride and 5 grams of baking soda are pre-added to the indicated volume of liquid.
2. Cleansing the stomach. After drinking water, you must induce vomiting. Rinsing is repeated until the fluid leaving the stomach is clear.
3. Reception of sorbents. In a glass of water, you need to dissolve several tablets of activated carbon (1 tablet per 10 kg of the patient's weight) and give the victim a drink.

At this stage, a person needs to ensure peace and wait for the arrival of doctors. If the victim is unconscious, do not rinse.

Timely assistance to the victim can save his life. If you witness an incident, try not to panic. At such moments, it is necessary to collect all the internal forces and concentrate on help. And basic relief knowledge will help you do it as correctly as possible.