HOW TO PREPARE YOURSELF to be a first aider

 HOW TO PREPARE YOURSELF to be a first aider

When responding to an emergency it is

important to recognise both the emotional

and physical needs of all involved, including

your own. You should look after your own

psychological health and be able to identify

stress if it develops

.

A calm, considerate response from you that

facilitates trust and respect from those around

you is fundamental to you being able to give

or receive information from a casualty or

witnesses effectively. This includes being aware

of, and managing, your reactions, so that you

can focus on the casualty and make an

assessment. By talking to a casualty in a kind,

considerate, gentle but firm manner, you will

inspire confidence in your actions and this will

generate trust between you and the casualty.

Without this confidence he may not be able to

tell you about an important event, injury or

symptom, and he may remain in a highly

distressed state.

The actions described in this chapter aim to

help you facilitate this trust, minimise distress

and provide support to promote the casualty’s

ability to cope and recover. The key steps to

being an effective first aider are:

■ Be calm in your approach

■ Be aware of risks (to yourself and others)

■ Build and maintain trust (from the casualty

and the bystanders)

■ Give early treatment, treating the most

serious (life-threatening) conditions first

■ Call appropriate help

■ Remember your own needs

It is important to be calm in your approach.

Consider what situations might challenge you,

and how you would deal with them. In order

to convey confidence to others and encourage

them to trust you, you need to control your

emotions and reactions.

People often fear the unknown. Becoming

more familiar with first aid priorities and the

key techniques in this book can help you feel

more comfortable. By identifying your fears in

advance, you can take steps to overcome them.

Find out as much as you can, for example, by

completing a first aid learning programme with

one of the Societies. For additional reassurance,

talk to other people about how they dealt with

similar situations or talk through your fears with

a person you trust.

STAY IN CONTROL

In an emergency situation, the body responds by

releasing hormones that may cause a “fight,

flight or freeze” response. When this happens,

your heart beats faster, your breathing quickens

and you may sweat more. You may also feel

more alert, want to run away or feel frozen

to the spot.

If you feel overwhelmed and slightly panicky,

you may feel pressured to do something before

you are clear about what is needed. Pause and

take a few slow breaths. Consider who else

might help you feel calmer, and remind yourself

of the first aid priorities (opposite). If you still

feel overwhelmed, take another breath and say

to yourself “be calmer” as a cue. When you are

calm, you will be better able to think more

clearly and plan your response.

The thoughts you have are linked to the

way you behave and the way you feel. If you

think that you cannot cope, you will have more

trouble working out what to do and will feel

more anxious: more ready to fight, flee or

freeze. If you know how to calm yourself, you

will be better able to deal with your anxiety and

so help the casualty.