First Aid, Emergency Care and Basic Nursing Skills
What this domain tests
This domain tests immediate life-saving action and basic nursing care: airway, breathing, circulation, CPR, choking, bleeding, burns, fractures, shock, hypoglycemia, poisoning, snake bite, and vital signs.
Core rules
- Use a systematic approach: danger, response, airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure. Call emergency services early.
- Adult CPR: compressions at 100–120/min, depth 5–6 cm, with 30 compressions to 2 breaths. Use an AED as soon as available.
- Severe bleeding: apply direct pressure with a clean dressing; do not remove soaked dressings; add layers and press.
- Burns: cool with running water for about 20 minutes; remove jewellery; do not apply toothpaste, oil, or ice.
- Suspected fracture: immobilize, check circulation, and refer. Do not attempt forceful straightening.
- Snake bite: keep the person calm and immobile, remove tight items, and transfer urgently. Do not apply a tight tourniquet or cut the wound.
Worked example
An adult collapses and is unresponsive with no normal breathing. The correct action is to call emergency services, start CPR with 30 chest compressions and 2 rescue breaths, and attach an AED when available. The reasoning is that circulation and oxygenation must be supported immediately; waiting for a pulse check or giving water by mouth wastes time and risks aspiration.
Traps
Do not give food or water to an unconscious person. Do not apply ice directly to a burn. Do not use a tourniquet for a snake bite. Do not move a suspected spinal injury unnecessarily. Do not stop CPR until trained help takes over or the person recovers.