First Aid

In the Modern Home

“Why are you so worried Mum?” 
“Your temperature is over 100 degrees Fahrenheit” “What happens if it gets too high Mum?” 
“Well dear if it gets over 105 you can get brain damage”
So with those reassuring words I dived into the nearest cool bath and quickly started shivering.  

From Roman times…

There is evidence of first aid dating back to the ancient civilisations. The Roman Legions were the first to have retrieval teams for those soldiers injured in battle and the actual treatment, the first aid, was stolen from the Greeks, such as Hippocrates, considered the Father of Medicine. This was common sense stuff such as splinting a broken limb and stopping blood from wounds. Chopping off infected limbs, were all part of the job description for these early ambos. It is hard to imagine what first aid was like during early human times. Surely there must have been mothers like mine who did something bordering on common sense, but everything else was probably made up on the spot. Mortality rates were spectacular and the acceptance of death as a part of life is very different from our expectations now. There are many parts of the world today where first aid is the only option, we are very lucky to have the healthcare system we do.

Be prepared

In Australia, St John’s Ambulance has a regularly updated manual and thousands of Australians complete their first aid course, or one from many certified first aid organisations. Most homes have a first aid kit, which can vary in size and complexity depending on what sort of injuries the mum is prepared to tackle. With the summer upon us, it makes sense to check the kit.
The home check list is probably all that is really needed for minor issues but if you visit the St John’s Ambulance website you will see a whole range of kits, from the camper to the boaty, even a bites and stings kit. For all their first aid kits for Qld check out www.stjvmrd.stjohnqld.com.au.

Out and About

So let’s assume you will be highly unlikely to be carrying a copy of Kids on the Coast in your back pocket when suddenly you are called on to perform first aid; so we won’t go through first aid in detail here. What is more likely though is you will be carrying around a phone.  When at the local shopping centre you may notice that carrying a phone seems to be more important than wearing shoes. But love them or hate them they have some amazing uses and they have come into their own regarding first aid. St John’s have produced and excellent application (app) that is relevant to Australian conditions. It is free, sensible and up to date. Download it and practice using it, so you can navigate quickly to the right section. Unfortunately St John’s not yet developed an app for the Android market. There are some are excellent Android apps available, though the free ones do have some scrollbar advertising.

Phones are also useful for their camera. Sometimes there are situations where videotaping or photographing a particular event involving first aid can be quite useful. No, not a macabre video for YouTube, but to help with a particular diagnosis. 

Examples include the following:

• Seizures. If someone else is present to administer first aid, it is very useful to videotape the actual event as it will help answer questions later on.
• Allergic rash. Sudden onset of rash, with lip swelling, possibility of anaphylaxis, if someone is free to take some photos or videotape the episode to clearly establish what sort of reaction occurred, this can be useful later when discussing it with your doctor.
• Snake bite. It is important to try and identify the snake, to ensure the right anti-venom is given. It is ill-advised to catch the snake but picture from a safe distance is useful. This is not advisable if you are the victim. Ring the ambulance first and stay still.

Closer to home

Comments

0

What do you think?

Add your comment

Was this helpful?
No Very

Do you have feedback? (Optional)

Name (Optional)

Website (Optional)

Email Address (Optional)

Enter Word Verification in box below •

  Cancel