The Recovery Position and Method

The Recovery Position

Any unconscious casualty should be placed in the recovery position. This position prevents the tongue form blocking the throat, and because the head is slightly lower than the rest of the body, it allows liquids to drain from the mouth, reducing the risk of the casualty inhaling stomach contents. The head, neck, and back are kept in a straight line, while the bent libs keep the body propped in a severe and comfortable position. If you must leave an unconscious casualty unattended, he or she can safely be left in the recovery position while you get help.

The technique for turning shown below assumes that the casualty is lying on her back from the start. Not all the steps will be necessary if a casualty is found lying on his or her side or front. Before turning a casualty, remove his or her spectacles, if worn, and any bulky objects from pockets.

METHOD

1. Kneeling beside the casualty, open her airway by tilting the head and lifting the chin. Straighten her lags. Place the arm nearest you out at right angles to her body elbow, and with the hand palm uppermost.

2. Bring the arm furthest from you across the chest, and hold the hand, palm outwards, against the casualty’s nearer cheek.

3. With your other hand, group the thigh furthest from you and pull the knee up, keeping the foot flat on the ground.

4. Keeping her hand pressed against her cheek, pull at the thigh to roll the casualty towards you and on to her side.

5. Tilt the head back to make sure the airway remains open. Adjust the hand under the cheek, if necessary, so that the head stays in this tilted position.

6. Adjust the upper leg, if necessary, so that both the hip and the knee are bent at right-angles.

7. Dial 999 for an ambulance. Check breathing while waiting for help to arrive.

TO OPEN THE AIRWAY

TO OPEN THE AIRWAY

Remove any obvious obstruction from the mouth. Placing two fingers under the point of the casualty’s chin, lift the jaw. At the same time, place your other hand on the casualty’s forehead, and tilt the head well back. If you suspect head or neck injuries, handle the head carefully, tilting it only just for enough to open the airway.

CHECK FOR BREATING

• Look for chest movements
• Listen for sounds of breathing.
• Feel for breath on your cheek.

Look, listen, and fell for five seconds before deciding that breathing is absent.

CHCK FOR A PULSE

If the heart is beating adequately it will generate a pulse in the neck (the carotid pulse) where the main carotid arteries pass up to the head. These arteries lie on either side of the larynx, between the Adam’s apple and the “ strap muscle” that runs from behind the ear across the neck to the top of the breastbone.

TO CHECK THE CAROTID PULSE

With the head tilted back, feel for the Adam’s apple with two fingers. Slide your fingers back towards you in to the gap between the Adam’s apple and the strap muscle, and fell for the carotid pulse.

Feel for five seconds before deciding that the pulse is absent.

MAKING YOU ASSESSMENT

MAKING YOU ASSESSMENT

You may set someone collapse in front of you. More commonly, you will come across, or be called to help, someone who has already collapsed . In every case you should rapidly carry out a brief assessment (preferably without moving the casualty), Following the ABC(The Airway, Breathing, Circulation) of resuscitation, in order to determine your priorities and actions. Your assessment will answer three vital question.

• Is the casualty question?

• Is the casualty breathing?

• Is there a pulse?

CHECK FOR CONSCIOUSNESS

Ask a question or give a command – for example, “What’s happened”, or ”Open your eyes” speaking loudly and clearly, close to the casualty’s ear. Carefully shake the casualty’s shoulders.

• A casualty in a serious state of altered consciousness, it may mumble, groan, or make slight movements.

• A fully unconscious casualty will not respond

Open the Airway

An unconscious casualty’s airway, it may be narrowed or blocked, making breathing difficult and noisy, or impossible. The main reason for this, that muscular control in the throat is lost, which allows the tongue to say back and block the throat . Lifting the chin and tilting the head back lift the tongue away from passage.

• Blocked airway
Unconsciousness disables the muscles, allowing the tongue to sag and block the throat. The casualty con not breath.
• Open Airway
Head tilt and chin lift position the head so that the tongue is lifted from the back of the throat, leaving the airway clear.

THE PRINCIPLES OF RESUSCITATION

THE PRINCIPLES OF RESUSCITATION

For life to be sustained, a constant supply of oxygen to the brain must be maintained. The oxygen is delivered to its tissues by the circulating blood. The ”pump” that maintains this supply is the heart. If the heart stops (“cardiac arrest”), death will result, unless urgent action is taken. In certain circumstances, the use of a machine called a “ defibrillator carried in many ambulances, can restart the heart. The casualty is most likely to survive if three needs are met:

• The flow of oxygenated blood is rapidly restored to the brain by means of artificial ventilation and chest compression (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)

•Defibrillation is carried our promptly.

•The casualty quickly reaches hospital to receive specialised treatment and care.

The prompt application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation may bridge the gap between a casualty’s collapse, and the arrival of on ambulance equipped with a defibrillator. The way in which CPR is performed always follows the some rules the AVE of resuscitation.

Cardiac arrest- the chain of survival

The casualty’s chances of survival are greatest when all the limit of the chain ate in place. 



1. Early access-help is immediately summoned so that a defibrillator can be brought to the casualty

2. Early Cardiopulmonary resuscitation – the technique of resuscitation are used to buy time until help arrives.

3. Early defibrillation a controlled electric shock is given to restart the heart

4. Early advanced care – specialised treatment stabilities the casualty condition.

The Airway, Breathing, Circulation :

For The Airway

Tilting the casualty’s head back and lifting the chin will “open the airway” the tilted position lifts the casualty’s tongue from the back of the throat so that it does not block the air passage.

For Breathing

If a casualty is not breathing, you can breathe for him or her, and thus oxygenate the blood, by giving” artificial ventilation” blowing your own expelled air into the casualty’s lungs.

For Circulation

If the heart has stopped,. Chest compression can be applied to force blood through the heart and around the body. They must be combined with the blood is oxygenated.

HANDLING AND TRANSPORT

HANDLING AND TRANSPORT

Moving a casualty carries with it the very real risk that you may aggravate his or her injury or condition. Therefore, never move a casualty unless he or she is in immediate danger, or must be moved to shelter while you are waiting for medical help to arrive. Nor must you ever endanger your own safety to move a casualty.

What you will find in this chapter

This chapter shows you the recommended techniques for lifting or dragging a casualty away for danger. There is also advice on the different types stretcher, and how to use them when transport is necessary. Comprehensive instruction can only be given in a practical first aid training course. The regular uniformed, or professional First Aider may also consult ambulance aid training manuals for further information on handling and transport.

HANDLING AND TRANSPORT RULES:

• Do not move a casualty unless absolutely necessary. Do not endanger your own safety. 
• Always explain to a casualty what you are doing, so that he or she can co-operate, if possible.
• Never move a casualty alone if help is available. Make sure helpers understand what they are to do, so that they can co-operate fully. 
• When several people are moving a casualty when lifting or carrying a casualty, one person only gives verbal command. 
• To protect yourself from back injury when lifting or carrying a casualty, always use the correct lifting technique.

Disorders of Airway and Breathing