subject: The Most Important Basic First Aid Skills [print this page] Having a first aid kit is essential to helping out in a medical emergency, no matter how serious an injury or situation is. More importantly though, you need to have basic first aid skills to aptly assist in situations with difficult medical circumstances.
So what are the most crucial things you need to know when handling a medical emergency? Here are a few key areas of concern:
* Stay aware to the facts of the incident. For instance, if a person passes out but maintains a normal pulse and continues with standard breathing patterns, take note of the pulse rate and the time it takes for the person to regain consciousness. This information is very important for doctors trying to assess why the person lost consciousness in the first place.
* If someone is talking or couching, they are able to breathe. More often than not, a person who believes they are choking will ask you to give them the Heimlich. If they can ask, they don't need the Heimlich it could cause more harm than good in the long run.
* Understand the circumstances of a situation without panicking. Panic will just lead to a mass string of panic surrounding an emergency, with emotions running high and people losing focus of how to treat a person in need. This is not effective in an emergency situation.
* If you don't have a first aid kit, get one. In fact, get a bunch of them for all around your house and various other areas garage, backyard, bathroom, etc. You never know what kind of emergency you will be faced with.
* Learn the facts about the basics of medical care know how to perform CPR, which is one skill that many people cannot perform correctly. Take note of high blood pressure, but realize that it doesn't necessarily indicate a very serious problem, just something to be cautious about.
