The Importance of Understanding and Using First Aid

There is an importance of understanding how to give first aid or CPR. Taking a class on first aid can be done at a local community center or hospital. Whilst taking such a class, these are the items an individual will most probably learn. As an individual learns what to do in their first aid class, they will get taught the A-B-C?s of first aid.

There is an importance of understanding how to give first aid or CPR. Taking a class on first aid can be done at a local community center or hospital. Whilst taking such a class, these are the items an individual will most probably learn. As an individual learns what to do in their first aid class, they will get taught the A-B-C?s of first aid.

Now, this does not mean A-B-C as in bullet points, no, this is a mnemonic saying. So, whilst administering first aid to anybody, they ought to be getting help from a trained person for clearing their Airway, Breathing properly or Circulation in their heart.

An airway which is blocked has to be attended to immediately. Being able to clear anyone?s airway is important for supporting their life. If the airway is not open, it will most likely affect that person?s mind and body functions. In turn, this will cause a sudden deterioration of that person?s life.

As you can see, having an open airway permits a person to respond to you and sustain their life. The open airway also keeps oxygen going to the brain. Without oxygen to our brain, there may be permanent damage too. Just as important as opening a person?s airway is, so too is getting them to breathe again.

These two aspects, airway and breathing, might appear the same to you, but they have two different functions for a first aid responder to accomplish. When it comes to breathing, that person will require some help. Once the airway is open, they might not be breathing in the right manner.

Having a person breathe, on their own, is just as crucial as having an open airway. Both of these functions require the passage of oxygen to the brain and this is why the objective of a first aid responder is to help that person breathing again without assistance.

Just as important as opening the airway and breathing is, so too is allowing circulation to the heart. The human heart is an amazing muscle but while a person?s heart is in trouble, they will require urgent care in order to assure they remain alive.

If the human heart is not receiving oxygen and beating as meant, there may be a loss of life. Every action given to an injured person, from a first aid responder, is important. Each step received, in the order given, is also important.

All three A-B-C measures above, having been learned in a CPR class, and then used as trained by a first aid responder is necessary to the survival of the injured person. In fact, seeing if a person has a pulse and is breathing is the first thing to be done when helping a person in trouble.

As recently as 2010, the American Heart Association asked that the A-B-C?s be converted to C-A-B. Now, if performing first aid on an adult, it is recommended to do chest compressions first, and then see if the airway is open and if a person can breathe on their own. The original A-B-C?s can still be utilized on infants and children.

About the Author: Josip Danang


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