Blog Post
No one hopes to be in a situation where either they or someone around them is left unconscious as a result of any variety of near-fatal health complications or external accidents. However, it may be safe to say that most people, if not all, would prefer to know what to do when a similar incident arises while a medical team is nowhere to be seen. We at EMCARE understand this deeply and have put together a basic guideline of how you can help using the knowledge that is gained via our basic CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) and AED (Automated External Defibrillation) first aid training course.
For those who have not been in a situation where someone near you is left in critical condition, it can be traumatic for some when they themselves are left unable to provide any help at all as a result of their lack of first aid training. While it may be impossible to avoid medical emergencies altogether, it is entirely possible to avoid having panic and confusion set in by simply knowing what to do during certain situations as well as how to perform certain medical manoeuvres. These manoeuvres, while intimidating at first glance due to their context alone, can be learnt and nearly perfected with a fair amount of ease, when practised consistently over time, and is one of the most widely encouraged skills anyone can have in their arsenal.
The first thing to know about CPR is when it is needed to be performed or not. This is a crucial aspect to first aid training that needs to be understood thoroughly as it can be easy for fear and adrenaline to get in the way of a clear mind. Thankfully, there are certain signs that may become present within each medical emergency that you can give clues on which approach to take. These signs may not all be the result of the exact same medical reasons, such as heart attack or cardiac arrest, but they can and will inform you on whether or not CPR is needed at the moment.
The first and most basic clue to look out for is to see whether or not the person is breathing or not. It has been recorded that the average person is only able to go up to six minutes without oxygen before their brain begins to experience permanent trauma while their heart stops beating. This gives you a small, but manageable, window to start circulating reoxygenated blood throughout their body via the use of CPR. This in turn will then give you the chance to save the victim in question from irreversible damage or even death.
Another clue to look out for is to see if the victim is unconscious or unresponsive. Before performing CPR, it is wise to check for a pulse as this will indicate how much more serious the situation may be. In the event that there is no heartbeat, then their body is not receiving any oxygen and should be attended to immediately. When left unconscious in a critical condition for long enough, the victim may lose control of their breathing, emphasizing how important it is that you remain calm and with a full understanding of how to intervene effectively and with efficiency.
If you are still unsure of whether or not CPR is needed in certain situations, it is important to take a step back and look at the accident itself. By taking note of if the victim has been electrocuted, almost drowned, been in a car accident, experienced a sudden collapse or cardiac arrest, etc, along with all of the aforementioned clues, you will be given plenty of indicators that let you know how to proceed.
Now that you have determined if you should be using CPR on the victim or not, here are the necessary first aid training steps to take if you are left without any nearby emergency response:
AEDs can be an invaluable tool to help save someone's life during critical situations. While it can essentially bring many back to life when all hope seemed to have been lost, it should not be turned to as your first option. AEDs should instead be used when using CPR techniques has not been successful.
This is because this device is able to deliver its patient an electric current that is powerful enough to kickstart their heart back to life. These tools are usually used once CPR has been conducted without success after the victim has experienced a heart attack or have been unconscious without any signs of responsiveness. While many people believe that only those within the medical industry have access to AEDs, it is entirely possible for business and homeowners to purchase their own defibrillators for when a critical emergency strikes. With such powerful tools now being openly available for purchase to the public, it is crucial that those interested are given the correct steps and guidelines on how to use their own defibrillator for when the situation arises.
Here are a few first aid training steps that describe how to attach and operate an AED on someone in need:
Now that you are a bit more brushed up on when and how to use CPR techniques and AED machines, you may be interested in furthering your first aid training as either a potential career path or to just simply keep yourself and those around you protected. Thankfully, EMCARE has a variety of branches throughout South Africa that provide widely esteemed and sought after first aid training courses that have allowed thousands of now qualified emergency responders to help save countless more. To get started on your first aid training, amongst many of our other similarly extensive courses, you simply need to click on the "Contact Us" button that can be found at the top right side of this very webpage. From this point, you are given a variety of contact options to help make enrolment as convenient for you as possible.
There are a few ways to reach us below. Please feel free to contact us via phone, email or you can send us a message via the form provided and we will get back to you.