First Aid, Communicable Diseases and Safety
First Aid, Communicable Diseases and Safety tests emergency response, injury care, disease transmission and everyday safety practices at home, school and on the road.
First aid
Check airway, breathing and circulation, and call for help. For bleeding, apply direct pressure with a clean cloth. For burns, remove the person from the source, cool with running water for about 20 minutes, cover loosely and do not apply ice, toothpaste or oil. For fractures, immobilise the limb and do not realign it. For snake bite, keep the person calm and still, immobilise the limb, remove tight items and take the person to hospital; do not cut or suck the wound. For an unconscious but breathing person, use the recovery position.
Communicable diseases and safety
Diseases spread by air, water and food, vectors, contact and blood. Prevention includes immunisation, safe water, handwashing, vector control and isolation. Safety includes helmets, safe road crossing, fire precautions, electrical safety and keeping medicines and sharp objects out of children's reach.
Worked example
Question: A child scalds a hand with hot water. What should be done? Reasoning: remove the hand from the source, cool it under running water for about 20 minutes, remove rings if possible, cover loosely and seek medical help if blistered. Cooling limits deeper tissue damage; ice or toothpaste can worsen injury.
Traps
Do not induce vomiting after poisoning; do not move a suspected spinal injury unnecessarily; antibiotics do not cure viral infections; do not apply home remedies to burns.