The basics of first aid
Why do some people act calmly and decisively in an emergency while others are practically rooted to the spot? Knowledge and experience are key. Five tips to refresh your first aid knowledge.
A fall from a ladder, sudden shortness of breath, a fainting episode: the likelihood of being confronted with a medical emergency at some point in our lives is high. Almost a third of the Swiss population have already experienced such an emergency in their immediate environment. Helping quickly is a moral imperative.
However, it can be scary to see an injured or unconscious person. Half of those surveyed in a study by the Swiss Red Cross said they felt uncertain about the right thing to do – because they lacked the necessary knowledge or because their last first aid course was too long ago.
“The biggest mistake you can make is to do nothing,” says Franz Keggenhoff. During his time as an instructor at the German Red Cross, he gave countless people first aid training. That people with little experience of giving first aid feel uncertain is completely normal, he says. After all, an emergency is not an everyday situation.
However, even without thorough training, most people are still able to do the right thing. “If you call emergency services and hold an injured person’s hand, you are already providing first aid. And most people are intuitively able to perform even the more specific procedures correctly,” Keggenhoff explains. In his book “Erste Hilfe – Das offizielle Handbuch” (“First aid – the official manual”, published by Südwest), he describes typical emergencies and accidents and explains what to do if they occur. We present the most common situations.
A person is lying on the ground
Stroke
Cardiac arrest
Fainting
Heat stroke
First aid in children
Chest compression: In infants, press lightly on the sternum (breastbone) with two fingers (pressing the chest down approximately 3 centimetres). The rhythm is the same as for adults – “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees.
Choking/suffocation: If a child has choked on something and is coughing, hold them with their upper body bent forwards and encourage them to keep on coughing. Call for help if the child is not breathing in before they cough or cannot cough at all. If the child is conscious, lay them over your knee on their tummy and give five sharp blows between their shoulder blades. Babies should be positioned with their tummy on your forearm, their head supported by your hand. If the blows to the back do not help and the child is aged over one year, you can perform the Heimlich manoeuvre. With younger children, lay them down face up and give five thrusts to their chest, as with chest compression.
Poisoning: It is essential to call the emergency poisoning hotline 145! The child may take small sips of water or tea. If they have consumed an acidic or alkaline substance, they should drink as much as possible straight away. Do not give them milk under any circumstances as this can cause the poison to be absorbed more quickly in the intestine. Do not try to induce vomiting!