Basic First Aid Techniques for Any Emergency

First responders may not be available during emergencies, so caring for the injured may fall upon you. Even if you only have a few materials in your first aid kit, you can already offer support. A provider of nursing education in Lanham, Maryland details a guide for you:

• Remember the three P’s
  The main goals of first aid are to preserve life, prevent further injury, and promote recovery. It’s so easy to panic, so make sure that you remember these simple, yet on point, purposes of your assistance.
• Check the vicinity for danger
  Before providing help to an injured person, you’ll also have to assure that the scene is safe for you to respond. Take care of this precaution as if you are harmed; you will not be able to help the other person who’s injured if that’s the case.
• Treat cuts and scrapes the right way
  Experts in providing health care services in Maryland require 20-30 minutes of gentle pressure on the injured. Cleaning the wound should be under clean running water. Apply antibiotic to the wound, then cover the wound with a bandage. For deeper wounds, the best you can do is apply pressure, then seek medical attention as soon as possible.
• Treat sprains
  Most of the time sprains heal on their own, but you should also take steps to ease the swelling. Apply ice to restrict the blood vessels and reduce blood flow.

Learn more about first aid procedures from Dominion Academy And HealthCare Services, a healthcare academy in Maryland.