Assessing and Prioritising

Assessing and Prioritising in First Aid

Understanding the Importance of Assessment

  • In first aid, the initial assessment is crucial for accurately diagnosing the condition of the casualty.
  • The first aider should remain composed and think clearly to effectively process information.
  • Observation skills are key: look for signs of distress, symptoms and possible causes of injury or illness.

Initiating Triage System

  • Triage is a systematic method used to assess and prioritise patients based on their injury severity.
  • This system is essential when dealing with multiple casualties to decide who needs immediate medical attention.

Assessing Consciousness

  • The level of consciousness indicates the casualty’s neurological function.
  • Use the AVPU scale—Alert, Voice, Pain, Unresponsive. Alert means the casualty is fully awake, Voice means they respond only to verbal stimuli, Pain means they respond only to painful stimuli, and Unresponsive means no response at all.

Checking Breathing

  • The casualty’s breathing rate can provide clues about their condition.
  • An adult’s normal breathing rate is between 12 - 20 breaths per minute. If it’s too fast or too slow, they might need immediate attention.

Evaluating Condition of Skin

  • Colour, temperature, and moisture of the skin can help assess circulatory system’s health.
  • Pale or blue skin might indicate poor circulation, and hot, wet skin can be a sign of shock.

Recognising Signs of Life-Threatening Conditions

  • Conditions like heart attack, stroke, and choking are life-threatening and should be prioritised first.
  • Be aware of their common symptoms: pain or discomfort in chest for heart attack, facial drooping or arm weakness for stroke, and inability to speak, breathe or cough for choking.

Ensuring Rapid Medical Intervention

  • If the casualty needs more help than can be provided on site, don’t hesitate to call for professional medical help right away.
  • Any delay can potentially worsen the condition of the casualty.

Re-evaluating Casulaties

  • Continuous re-evaluation is necessary until professional medical help arrives.
  • Changes in a casualty’s condition can alter prioritisation, so stay alert and ready to reassess whenever needed.