EMERGENCY ACTION PRINCIPLES

1
EMERGENCY ACTION PRINCIPLES

• SURVEY THE SCENE
• PRIMARY SURVEY
• ACTIVATE EMS
• SECONDARY SURVEY

2
Survey The Scene

• To determine if it is safe to proceed with the
  rescue.
• Avoid all dangerous situations.
• If you are not properly trained and do not have
  the necessary equipment do not approach the
  victim.
• Never risk your own life

3
Before You Approach The Victim

• Check for unsafe conditions that will threaten
  your safety and that of the bystanders
• Look for clues and try to find out what happened
• Dangers include downed power lines, traffic,
  fire, unstable structures, deep or swift moving
  water
• If conditions change, you may then be able to
  approach the victim or victims
• Ask bystanders for information or for help
• Speak to victim in a calm reassuring manner

4
Primary Survey

• This procedure takes a few seconds and is the
  difference between life and death.
• The Primary survey is also referred to as the
  ABCs.
• This principle is the basis of our class
• You will be able to observe signs of life
  threatening conditions

5
PATIENT ASSESSMENT

• You check to see of the victim
• IS CONSCIOUS
• HAS AN OPEN AIRWAY
• IS BREATHING
• HAS A HEARTBEAT
• IS BLEEDING SEVERELY
• The primary survey takes only seconds to perform

6
Check The Airway

• A victim who can talk or cry is conscious and has
  an open airway
• Open the victims airway if the victim is
  unconscious
• Head Tilt/ Chin Lift
• This action moves tongue away from the airway
• Check for Breathing
• Airway may be obstructed by food, liquid, or
  other objects

7
CHECK BREATHING

• Look, listen and feel for signs of breathing
• If victim is breathing chest will rise and fall
• Position yourself so you can hear and feel air as
  it escapes from victims nose and mouth
• If victim is not breathing you must breathe for
  the victim
• This is called RESCUE BREATHING

8
CHECK CIRCULATION

• Check for blood circulation or pulse
• Check for severe bleeding
• If the heart has stopped blood will not circulate
  throughout the body
• If the victim is breathing then their heart is
  beating and circulating blood
• On an infant check the pulse on the brachial
  artery
• On a child or an adult check the carotid artery
• Check the pulse for _at_5 - 10 seconds
• If no breathing or pulse administer rescue
  breathing and chest compressions

9
ACTIVATE EMS

• Summon additional help from advanced medical
  personnel if any of the following conditions
  exists
• Unconsciousness
• Breathing problems
• Persistent chest or abdominal pain

• No pulse
• Severe Bleeding
• Vomiting or passing blood
• Suspected poisoning
• Seizures, severe headache, slurred speech
• Suspected or obvious head or neck injuries
• Suspected fractures
• Severe burns

10
SECONDARY SURVEY

• Once you are certain that the victim has no
  life-threatening conditions, you can begin the
  secondary survey
• You will gather information about the victim and
  any conditions that may become life-threatening
• Interview the victim and bystanders
• Check vital signs
• Do a head-to-toe examination to check for signs
  and symptoms
• In some cases you may never have the opportunity
  or need to conduct the secondary survey

11
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

• What happened?
• Do you feel any pain anywhere?
• Do you have any medical conditions?
• Are you taking medications?
• Do you have any allergies?
• These questions may be asked to the parent or
  responsible adult if you are working with an
  infant or a child

12
CHECKING VITAL SIGNS PULSE

• With every heartbeat a wave of blood moves
  through the blood vessels
• This creates a beat called the pulse
• A pulse can be checked in arteries that circulate
  close to the surface CAROTID BRACHIAL RADIAL
• A normal pulse for an adult is _at_60-80BPM
• An abnormal pulse may be sign of a potential
  problem
• Irregular pulse
• Weak and hard to find pulse
• Excessively fast or slow pulse

13
CHECKING THE VITAL SIGNS Breathing

• A healthy person breathes regularly, quietly, and
  effortlessly
• Abnormal breathing may indicate a potential
  problem such as
• Gasping for breath
• Noisy breathing whistling sounds, high pitched
  wheezing, gurgling, or snoring
• Excessively fast or slow breathing
• Painful breathing

14
HEAD TO TOE EXAMINATION

• Start at the head ending at the toes,checking for
  any abnormal conditions
• Use your senses to
• Smell unusual odors
• Look for pale or bluish skin, bruises, deformed
  body parts
• Palpate all tender areas
• Continue to monitor vital signs
• Observe any changes that indicate a life
  threatening situation and provide necessary first
  responder care

15
8 Steps To Patient Assessment

• Tap and Shout
• Look, Listen and Feel for breathing
• Turn victim over as one unit (rescue position)
• Head Tilt/Chin Lift to move tongue away from back
  of airway -modified if head or neck injury is
  suspected
• Look, listen, feel, for breathing for _at_ 5
  seconds, pinch nose, seal your lips over
  victims, give two rescue breaths each breath
  should last 1½ seconds
• Check pulse at carotid artery
• Check for severe bleeding
• Begin necessary and appropriate first responder
  care