First Aid Responder
The responder's priorities
First Aid Responders provide immediate care before emergency services arrive. The priorities are personal safety, recognising a life-threatening emergency, activating help, and delivering basic life support and first aid within a defined scope. The examination tests recognition, correct basic interventions, and clear communication with emergency services.
Concepts to master
Scene assessment and calling emergency services with accurate location and incident information; adult, child and infant CPR and AED use; recovery position; choking management for conscious and unconscious casualties; bleeding control; burns; suspected fractures; medical emergencies including stroke, cardiac, diabetic and seizure presentations; and anaphylaxis recognition with use of an adrenaline auto-injector where trained and permitted.
Traps in questions
Choking questions test the sequence: encourage coughing, then back blows, then abdominal thrusts (chest thrusts for infants), alternating, and summoning help if the casualty becomes unresponsive. Burn questions punish ice and adherent clothing removal: cool with running water and cover. Recovery position questions test that you continue to monitor breathing. Seizure questions test protecting the casualty from injury and not restraining or placing anything in the mouth.
Rule of thumb
When in doubt, call for help early and keep the airway open. A responder's most valuable actions are recognising a life-threatening problem, activating emergency services, and starting CPR or bleeding control without delay.
Worked example
An adult chokes and cannot speak or cough effectively. Give up to five back blows, then up to five abdominal thrusts, alternating, and call emergency services immediately; if the casualty becomes unresponsive, begin CPR.