First aid is the initial assistance provided to someone who is ill or injured. A first aider provides prompt assistance to the casualty while ensuring the safety of the casualty and people around them (including themselves). Sometimes if an injury is mild, a workplace first aider can handle it without more assistance. Minor burns, wounds, and bruises, for example. For more serious injuries, the first aider must reassure the patient while they wait for medical assistance to arrive, whether from a doctor, a medical expert, or by travelling to the hospital.
Every business and workplace must have a first aider, while the number of first aiders necessary varies depending on the number of employees. If you are thinking about becoming a first aider, this article will provide some background information on the role, highlight some of the duties of a first aider, and discuss the desirable traits of a good first aider.
Responsibilities of a First Aider
- Handle the situation promptly and calmly to determine what occurred. This include identifying whether someone is in risk, the source of the problem, and the number of persons affected.
- Take responsibility, comfort, and reassure others. Introduce yourself to the casualty, explain what’s going on and why, and explain what you want to do before you do it.
- Keep yourself and the casualty safe from any harm. Always put your own safety first, and only transfer a casualty if not doing the same will cause more harm.
- Prevent the spread of infection between you and them. Wear disposable gloves, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer, and do not cough or sneeze over a casualty.
- Evaluate the casualty. If there are several victims, you must prioritize those who have life-threatening injuries or conditions.
- Provide first-aid care, such as CPR / applying pressure to bleeding wounds. Priority must be given to life-threatening injuries & conditions before treating less serious situations.
- Make arrangements for the appropriate type of assistance. If it’s critical, call for an ambulance, or take them to a hospital. Advise they consult a doctor for less serious conditions. You should always stay with them until you are confident that they are in good hands.
What does a First Aider do?
The first aider‘s role is to offer emergency, perhaps lifesaving medical care prior to the arrival of additional medical assistance. This could entail carrying out operations such as:
- Putting an unconscious casualty in the recovery position to keep their airway open.
- Perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
- Use an AED (Automated External Defibrillator)
- Use pressure and elevation to stop bleeding
- Support a fractured limb
The ultimate priority of a first aider should be to save a life by keeping the patient’s condition from worsening and promoting recovery.
First Aid Training @ NIST Global
A properly supplied first aid kit and an “appointed person” to be in-charge of first aid procedures should be the bare minimum of first aid provisions at each workplace. One should not take on the role of “appointed person” for first aid lightly. And it is highly recommended that an “Appointed Person” is thoroughly given first aid training. At NIST Global, we offer one day training program that ensures your workforce gets an absolute awareness on first aid & also make them able to perform first aid in case of any medical emergency.
Contact us to get started if you’re interested in scheduling this training for your employees
Call us @ +91 8754465588 or email info@nistglobal.com.
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