This quiz will test your knowledge on first aid. You can check the article below before attempting the quiz.

1. The following are contents found in first aid kit except A. Cotton wool B. Methylated spirit C. Plaster D. None of the Above

2. A boy has been poisoned from drinking kerosene, what should be your next line of action? A. Have him drink a lot of palm oil B. Rush him to the nearest hospital or call for medical help C. Perform CPR

3. An accident occurred in your presence and a victim is unconscious and not breathing, as someone who is not trained in performing CPR, you will ________ A. Leave the victim until medical help arrives B. Perform a compression-only CPR D. Give water to the victim

4. A student slumped in your lecture theatre and began to have a seizure, what should you do as a student at the scene? A. Call for medical help and remove dangerous objects than can injure the victim B. Pour water on them C. Run away with the fear of being infected

First Aid is simply the first treatment given to an individual injured, ill, or involved in an accident, whether minor or significant, before being transferred or taken to a medical facility.

First Aid is an essential skill, and it is best if every individual is equipped with it as it helps preserve life, prevent a condition from worsening, and to promote recovery.

First Aid involves five essential steps usually given by the acronym Dr. ABC (pronounced: Doctor A B C). These represent procedures used by first aiders when providing First Aid:

• D for Danger: assess the situation and move the individual from harm’s way such as away from the road in a road traffic accident victim, and remove dangerous objects around.

• R for Response: gauge the response of the individual. Check for the presence of a peripheral pulse such as the radial pulse.

• A for Airway: Open airway– might require you to remove their clothing, e.g., ties, etc.

• B for Breathing: Ensure the airway is patent. Chin lift, jaw thrust or head tilt can be done.

• C for CPR: Perform Cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR) with breaths. According to American Heart Association (AHA), the recommended for an Adult is 30 chest compressions with two rescue mouth-to- mouth breaths.

It is essential to know that CPR is not always necessary in First Aid except in an individual with loss of consciousness.

A medical emergency is a sudden illness or injury, posing threat to a person’s life and requires immediate attention. Recognizing a medical emergency will help in making a quick decision of calling for medical help. Discussed below are some common medical emergencies.

STROKE

This is a severe medical emergency that occurs due to the blockage of blood supply to the brain. Symptoms include slurred speech, dizziness, blurring of vision, and numbness in the face, arm or leg.

HEART ATTACK

This occurs when the flow of blood to a part of the heart suddenly gets blocked. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, sweating.

SEIZURE

This is an abnormal and uncontrolled activity in the brain. It is more common in people that have been diagnosed of epilepsy. Symptoms include involuntary jerking movement of arms and legs, loss of consciousness, staring, and stiffening of the body.

BLEEDING

Severe external bleeding and suspected internal bleeding are medical emergencies that require immediate attention.

SUDDEN DIFFICULTY IN BREATHING

A sudden difficulty in breathing is usually due to health issues such as asthma or a heart attack. There may also be associated symptoms such as cough and wheezing like it occurs in asthma or chest pain that radiates to the shoulder tip in a heart attack

POISONING

This can be by swallowing toxic substances or getting bitten by poisonous reptiles or insects. It requires urgent medical attention before an irreversible damage is made.

Having a knowledge of medical emergencies is important for individuals as getting medical help as early as possible can prevent many avoidable deaths.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency life-saving procedure on a person in cardiac arrest. It involves the use of chest compression and artificial ventilation to maintain the flow of blood and oxygen during a cardiac arrest.

WHO CAN PERFORM CPR?

Anyone can perform a compression-only CPR (without rescue breaths).

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR BEFORE GIVING CPR?

1. Cessation of breathing or abnormal breathing
2. Unconsciousness
3. Unresponsiveness

STEPS IN PERFORMING CPR FOR AN ADULT

STEP 1: Gently place the person on their back on a firm, flat surface.

STEP 2: Place the heel of one of your hands on their breast bone and place the heel of the other hand on top of the first, interlocking your fingers. One hand is used for compression in children and two fingers in infants.

STEP 3: Keep your elbows extended and push down with the weight of your upper body to a depth of at least 2 inches (1.5 inches in infants). Allow the chest to rise back up and repeat the process 30 times at a rate of 100 to 200 compressions per minute.

STEP 4: Tilt the person’s head back by lifting their chin to open the airway. Pinch their nose and cover their mouth with yours. Then blow to make their chest rise. Remove your mouth and wait till the chest falls, then blow again, making two rescue breaths with each one lasting about one second.

Repeat these processes until the person begins to breathe.