First aid is defined as the steps or the procedures taken to make sure that the person who has got injured is prevented from getting their condition worsen. It is important to know the certain first aid basics, such as calling an ambulance, describing the situation of the patient that most of us commoners do not know how to, making the person feel safe and get the patient to recovery position if found unconscious but still breathing.
Most accident victims are known to go blank or go unconscious after the trauma of the accident prompting the need to employ the recovery position or may be for any other reason you find that a person has fallen unconscious and is still breathing then it is time to call an ambulance and get the person the recovery position as quickly as possible. It must be noted that if the person is not breathing and neither is conscious then it is time to start CPR or use the AED without delay as the person may be undergoing cardiac arrest.
What is the recovery position?
The recovery position is a position that the person who is injured and unconscious is made to occupy to make sure that their airways remain open and they are able to breathe naturally without external support.
Why it the recovery position useful ?
Since the person is unconscious, there is no way they can communicate to us if they are facing difficulty breathing, so it is best to get them to a position that keep the airways open and their breathing natural. Most times the tongue can relax and close the airways causing choking of the victim. This particular scenario causes a lot of deaths since this problem may go unnoticed until the very end. At times, post accident there maybe an accumulation of vomit that gets to the chest cavity if in case the tongue is blocking the airways, preventing them from puking. In this recovery position the mouth is kept a little elevated so that the airways are kept open and spit or vomit can come out through them, ensure no blockages to the air supply.
Also Read: CPR and AED training in Bangalore
What constitutes the recovery position?
The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) does not recommend one specific recovery position, but advises on six key principles that are as follows:
- Keep the person in as position that is as much lateral as possible so as to allow the free drainage of any fluid in the airway. This makes sure that there is no obstruction to the airways.
- The position should be stable with the hands and legs locked in such a way that there is minimal movement.
- Any pressure of the chest that can come to hinder normal breathing must be avoided or removed.
- It should be possible to move the victim to the side and roll them back to the recovery position easily and safely without causing any injuries to the spine.
- One must be able to observe that the airways is not blocked and breathing is normal
- In case of serious injuries care must be take to make the position such that they are no further aggravated injuries that are caused to the person.
It is the standard practice to call an ambulance as soon as you see that the person in need of medical help is not conscious. You can call an ambulance with the help of the VMEDO app with just the touch of a button. They access their network of ambulances to provide you medical emergency transportation to the nearest medical facility. Download the VMEDO app today and also get access to health calculators, health tips, first aid related information and also booking of non-emergency ambulances.
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