Chp 1: Background Info

First aid class

Why is first aid important?

It is better to know first aid and not need it than to need it and not know it

Who needs first aid?

 

* Intentional and unintentional injuries (neglected epidemic)
* one in four people experiences a nonfatal injury serious enough to need medical care or to restrict activity for at least one day.

Value of first aid to self?

* Enables a person to care for his or her injuries
* Allows a person to direct others in proper care if they are too seriously injured
* Helps develop safety awareness and promote injury prevention
* Allows the trained person to offer proper assistance to: Family members, Co-workers, Acquaintances, Strangers

What IS first aid?

Helping behaviors and initial care provided for an acute illness or injury. Does NOT take the place of proper medical care.

Goals of first aid providers

* Preserving life
* Alleviating suffering (not always possible)
* Preventing further illness or injury
* Promoting recovery

First aid competencies

* Recognizing, assessing, and prioritizing the need for first aid
* Providing care by using appropriate knowledge, skills, and behaviors
* Recognizing limitations and seeking additional care when needed

How can you prevent to be sued?

* Obtain the person’s consent.
* Do not exceed your training level.\*\* (Never go above/beyond skill set!!)
* Explain any first aid you are about to give.
* Once starting to care for an injured or ill person, stay with that person until first responders come. Cannot stop!!

Consent

Permission that the injured or ill person must give before first aid can be give. It is unlawful to begin first aid without the person’s consent.

Battery

Touching another person without their consent

Informed Consent

Also known as Expressed Consent.

* Consent must be obtained from every alert, mentally competent person of legal age.
* A nod of the head or verbal indication is acceptable.
* Someone can refuse to offer consent,

Consent in children and mentally incompetent adults

* Consent must be obtained from **the parent or legal guardian** of a child or mentally incompetent adult.
* First aid should be given based on **implied consent when a life-threatening situation exists and a parent or guardian is not presen**t. Make sure there is no legal guardian around first!

how can the police help?

* A police officer is the only person with the authority to restrain and transport a person against that person’s will.
* Only intervene when directed by a police officer or when it is obvious that the person is about to do something life-threatening.

Refusing help

* If an alert and mentally competent adult refuses help:
* Explain his or her condition to the person, what you intend to do, and why.
* Call 9-1-1.
* Try to persuade the person to accept care.
* Make sure you have witnesses of the refusal.
* Consider calling the police.

Abandoment

* Once you have responded to an emergency, **you must not leave** an injured or ill person who needs continuing first aid until another competent and trained person takes responsibility for the person.

Negligence

Failure to follow the accepted standards of care, resulting in further injury to the person

Duty to Act

Have the duty to act IF:

* Designated by your employer and called to an injury scene.
* Licensed by the state and your state requires you to act regardless of whether you are on or off duty.
* Have a pre-existing relationship with the person.

Breach of Duty

something done wrong, doing too much, too little

Act of Omission

Failure to do what a reasonably prudent person with the same or similar Training would do in the same or similar circumstances. (too little)

Act of commission

Doing something that a reasonably prudent person would not do under the same or similar circumstances. (Too much)

Injury and Damage Inflicted

* Physical damage
* Physical pain and suffering
* Mental anguish
* Medical expenses
* Loss of earnings and earning capacity
* Proximate legal cause- relationship btw what was done/not done, but did not matter
* Tort reform- reducing damages

Confidentiality

* Only discuss information about the injured or ill person with those who have a medical need to know.
* The law requires reporting rape, abuse, and gunshot wounds.

Good Samaritan Laws

Protect the rescuer when the rescuer is:

* Acting during an emergency
* Acting in good faith, having good intentions
* Acting without compensation (payed)
* Not guilty of malicious misconduct or gross negligence toward the person

Good Samaritan Laws DO NOT protect…

* Who have caused further injury to a person
* Who have given first aid poorly
* Who have exceeded the scope of training

Injury prevention

Effective prevention uses the 3 Es: Education, Enforcement, Engineering

Education

* Swimming lessons
* Gun safety course
* DVD showing a safety procedure or message
* Weather and road condition alerts for drives

Enforcement

* Laws requiring seat belt and helmet use
* Prohibition of fireworks
* Laws requiring that personal flotation devices be worn when boating
* Building codes and inspections

Engineering

* Airbags in cars
* Helmets
* Child-resistant packaging on meds and chems
* Smoke and CO detectors

The Haddon Matrix

Strategy for identifying interventions; can be applied to any illness or injury. Pre-event, Event phase, Post-event phase.

Pre-event phase

 Interventions that attempt to stop or hinder

Event phase

Interventions that attempt to modify the consequences

Post-event phase

Focuses on returning the person to the fullest of functioning