Do you know any First Aid?
It's something so useful that everyone should know a little bit of it.
But how much do you know and how oftern do you use it?
Personally, I could probably put someone into the recovery position but that would probably be it. Giving CPR, somehow I doubt it.
....and no, I don't need any at this time.
In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.
Actually I have a fair amount of training and take a refresher every two years. I am certified for CPR & AED
They taught it in my public school, many, many years ago. It's possible I remember enough to be useful in a few limited circumstances.
But I'd really hope somebody with modern qualifications was around in an emergency.
I'm not really sure how to rank my first aid knowledge. It's been years since I took any CPR training and while I do remember the class, the fact that it's been so long makes me hesitant to claim I'm good to go there. After actually having the skills put to the test, I'm sure I know how to: elevate a wound and apply bandages (duh); remove embedded ticks without losing the head; respond to heat or cold injuries and severe dehydration until medical help is available; superglue wounds shut; transport severed body parts or teeth so they'll be preserved until reattachment; not be an idiot when someone is having a grand mal seizure (for the love of God, don't stick anything in their mouth or try to "keep them from swallowing their tongue"); assist at a home birth; and use common over the counter medications in an emergency (aspirin for cardiac arrest, antihistamines for allergic reactions).
There's more I know in theory, but until I actually have to use that knowledge or take a class where it's confirmed I'm not going to count it. For the stuff above, those are all things I have actually done. Can you tell my family might be accident prone?
So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.
Sure, I'm BLS certified. I keep a couple CPR masks in my car just in case a patient crashes or I come across a car wreck, plus I always have gloves, wound care supplies, chewable Benadryl, etc., around.
Following on Zuul's comment, if anyone is curious, the best thing to do during a seizure is just keep the person safe. Try to cushion their head and make sure they aren't going to fall off a bed or hit something.
I got a lot of first aid training as a Boy Scout years ago, and still am pretty familiar with it. I was just recertified for CPR, and certified for the first time for AED.
Posting rules
Reply with quote
