Steps and Tips for First Aid

We all need help at times in our lives. Handling minor accidents at home or on the road develops a sense of crisis management. This may prepare people to tackle with unexpected emergencies with great confidence. First aid knowledge ranges from taking care of cuts to deal with an unconscious victim.

First aid kit

Every office, factory, home and school have an accessible first-aid box with the following recommended basic contents:

• First aid book clearly explains how to handle the basic problems.
• Band-aids or sticking plasters are good for dressing small wounds. They come in all shapes and sizes for fingers, legs, and anywhere else you might get little cuts. Make sure the Band aid is big enough to cover the wound, if not you should use a dressing instead.
• The Elastic bandages are good for wrapping twisted joints or making a sling in case of a broken arm
• Gauze pads or rolls are cloth pads that are placed directly on a wound to protect and control bleeding (for larger cuts and scrapes). You will need adhesive tape to keep the gauze in place. In an emergency, a clean cloth, hand towel, clean T-shirt can be used to cover the wound.
• Antiseptic wipes and cotton wool
• Tweezers and safety pins
• A pair of scissors is needed to cut the tape and gauze.
• Latex gloves are always a good idea, especially if you are dealing with body fluids from a stranger.
• Calamine lotion is used for soothing sunburns and stings.
• Clinical thermometer
• Painkiller tablets

First aid process for dealing cuts and scrapes

Following guidelines can help you to handle crisis and take care of all.

Stop the bleeding

Minor cuts and scrapes usually stop bleeding on their own. If they don’t apply a gentle pressure with a clean cloth or bandage. Hold the pressure for 20 to 30 seconds and if possible elevate the wound. Don’t keep checking to see if the bleeding has stopped because this may damage or dislodge the clot. If bleeding continues, seek medical assistance.

Clean the wound

Rinse out the wound with wound with clean water. To clean the area around the wound, use soap and a washcloth. But soap can irritate the wound, so try to keep it out of the actual wound. Thorough cleaning reduces the risk of infection and tetanus.

Apply an antibiotic

After you clean the wound, apply a thin layer of antibiotic cream or ointment to keep the surface moist. If a rash appears stop using the ointment.

Cover the wound

Bandages can help keep the wound clean and keep harmful bacteria out. After the wound has healed enough to make infection unlikely, exposure to the air will speed out wound healing.

Change the dressing

Change the dressing at least daily or whenever it becomes wet or dirty. If you are allergic tom the adhesive used in most bandages, switch to adhesive-free dressings.

Watch for signs of infection

See your doctor if your wound is not healing or you notice redness, increasing pain, drainage, warmth or swelling.

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