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.