With the help of first aid, medical attention and assistance is provided to a person in order to promote recovery and prevent their condition from worsening. A person undergoing a serious medical issue can get the needed help with first aid. Things such as applying plaster to a cut, giving CPR to a person undergoing a heart attack, helping a person with a broken bone, etc. is comes under first aid. There are many basic levels of first aid; from laymen to specialized professionals all can perform it. First aid training begins at most schools and so almost everyone has a basic knowledge on the subject.
The basic aims of first aid are:
- Preventing further harm: Medical care is provided to the injured person in order to minimize threat of death.
- Preserving life: Prevent the condition from worsening and becoming serious by using certain medical techniques.
- Promoting recovery: Applying medication and plaster to the injured/sick person is also a part of first aid.
First aid training and its importance
Almost everyone has some sort of knowledge when it comes to first aid. First aid training helps to react in an emergency situation while travelling, at work or with family members. Certain practical experiences, instructions and knowledge are required to handle critical patients. Those who have a certification in first aid can provide more invasive form of help, which can only be done with proper knowledge and the right experience.
There are different types of first aid trainings and some of them are:
- Mental health first aid: This helps in understanding the symptoms of the person undergoing a mental problem and supporting them while guiding them towards the right kind of medical help.
- Marine first aid: This is often followed by lifeguards and divers, rescuers and mariners. They rescue the people that are drowning and provide them with medical assistance.
- Wilderness first aid: In some remote areas, people do not get the right kind of medical attention. In such cases, people with first aid training prove to be extremely helpful in case of an emergency. They tackle the problem till an emergency ambulance reached the scene.
- Oxygen first aid: It is the act of providing oxygen to a person who is choking or in case of hypoxia.
The first aid services
Those who have a certification in first aid can even work at it professionally. Many non-profit organizations hire individuals with first aid training. Apart from that, filming sets, private events, and public gatherings hire trained professionals. People can bag these jobs as a volunteer or under a non-profitable organization. They can also work under medical contractors and get hired accordingly.
Increasing the safety of the environment
First aid is based on a very important principle and that is prevention. A good knowledge of first aid helps to have a strong sense of security and safety amongst people. The individuals that go for first aid training are always more alert and prompt and are calm and responsive in emergency situations. Such people really help in providing security to the people within their vicinity in case of an emergency. A person who has adequate first aid training is always reliable, confident and composed in case of any problem.
Why should people have knowledge about first aid?
There are different levels of competency with the first aid training. Such people are the first responders to any kind of emergency and these are considered to be good Samaritans of the society. Such an enriching life with important valuable skills are dedicated to saving lives must be a goal of everyone.
