Your cut-out and keep first-aid guide

13 April 2012

Approved by St John Ambulance

Choking

  1. Encourage casualty to cough. Check mouth and remove obstructions.
  2. If casualty stops breathing stand behind, remove obstruction from mouth and give five slaps to back between shoulder blades. Check mouth.
  3. If this fails, stand behind casualty, place arms around abdomen, bend them forwards and put your fist below base of breastbone. Put other hand on top and pull sharply inwards and upwards five times. Check mouth.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 three times If obstruction does not clear call ambulance.

Mouth-to-mouth

  1. Ensure airway open. Place two fingers under casualty's chin and other hand on forehead. Tilt head back. Remove obvious obstruction.
  2. Pinch nose. Give mouth-to-mouth ventilation. Take full breath, blow into mouth until chest rises.
  3. Remove mouth from casualty - Allow their chest to fall. Repeat mouth-to-mouth.
  4. Check circulation. If no pulse start CPR If circulation present continue mouth-to-mouth Check signs of circulation:
  • Colour of cheeks
  • Warmth of skin
  • General temperature

CPR

  1. Place middle finger of lower hand over point where lowermost ribs meet breastbone. Put index finger above it on breastbone. Place heel of other hand on breastbone. Slide it down to meet index finger. Place heel of first hand on top of other hand and interlock fingers.
  2. Lean well over casualty with arms straight. Press down vertically on breastbone depress chest by a third of its depth.
  3. Complete 15 chest compressions aiming for 100 a minute. Give two breaths of mouth-to-mouth. Alternate 15 chest compressions with two breaths of mouth-to-mouth.
  4. First-aid skills that come last

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