First Aid

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Julia Clendenin, B.S.
Reviewers: Daniel J. Scungio, MT (ASCP), SLS, CQA (ASQ) and Laurie Bjerklie, MA, MLS(ASCP)CM

This is a general overview of first aid, which covers CPR and AED, back blows and abdominal thrusts (also known as the Heimlich maneuver), responses for bleeding injuries, responses for thermal and chemical burns, and more. Please note: this course does not provide First Aid, CPR, AED, or Stop the Bleed certification. You must attend in-person training with associated certifications, such as those offered by the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association. Your facility and other organizations may offer such courses.

Continuing Education Credits

Objectives

  • Describe the appropriate first aid procedures to various medical emergencies.
  • Provide an overview of CPR and AED procedures.
  • Detail the appropriate first aid response for choking.
  • Outline the appropriate first aid responses to bleeding injuries.
  • Describe the appropriate first aid responses for thermal and chemical burns.
  • Cover other illnesses and injuries and the appropriate first aid responses to each.

Course Outline

  • Introduction
      • Introduction & Disclaimer
      • Barriers to Action and Good Samaritan Laws
      • Recognizing and Responding to an Emergency
      • Emergency Contact Procedures
      • True or False: To remove barriers to action, the Good Samaritan Laws protect rescuers from being sued for unintentional injury while performing life-s...
  • CPR
      • CPR
      • CPR for Trained Rescuers
      • CPR for Untrained Rescuers
      • Unresponsive but Breathing Victims
      • True or False: CPR by trained rescuers involves 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths per cycle.
  • AED
      • Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
      • AED Command Prompts
      • True or False: The rescuer and anyone else should not be touching the victim while the AED administers a shock.
  • Choking
      • Back Blows and Abdominal Thrusts
      • Back Blows and Abdominal Thrusts Details
      • Modifications to Back Blows and Abdominal Thrusts
      • After Saving a Choking Victim
      • True or False: To perform an abdominal thrust, the rescuer should make a fist, cover the fist with the other hand, place them just above the navel, an...
  • Bleeding
      • Exposure to Blood and Other Potentially Infectious Materials
      • Bleeding Aid for Major Injuries
      • Bleeding Aid for Minor Scrapes and Cuts
      • True or False: If you see blood seeping through the dressing, you should remove the dressing and put a new one on the wound.
  • Burns
    • Thermal Burns
      • Classification of Thermal Burns
      • First- and Second-Degree Burn Treatment
      • Third-Degree Burn Treatment
      • True or False: Popping blisters on a second-degree burn is good. It will reduce pressure and relax the skin.
    • Chemical Burns
      • Chemical Burns of the Skin
      • Chemical Burns of the Eye
      • Other Burns
      • True or False: If a victim splashes chemicals in their eyes, they should flush their eyes with an eyewash station or other method of getting water int...
  • Other Illnesses and Injuries
      • More Emergencies
      • Fainting
      • Concussions
      • Allergic Reactions
      • Angina & Heart Attacks
      • Stroke
      • Asthma Attacks
      • Seizures
      • Impaled Object
      • Fractures and Broken Bones
      • Frostbite
      • True or False: When a person has fainted, it is appropriate to lay the victim down on their back and raise the legs 6–12 inches.
  • Conclusion
      • Purpose of this Course
  • References
      • References

Additional Information

Level of Instruction: Basic
Intended Audience: All clinical laboratory personnel.
Author Information: Julia Clendenin is a content writer and Marketing Director for MediaLab, Inc. She graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Biochemistry and a B.S. in Literature, Media, and Communication.
Reviewer Information:
Daniel J. Scungio, MT (ASCP), SLS, CQA (ASQ) has over 25 years of experience as a certified Medical Technologist. He has a bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology from the State University of New York at Buffalo in Amherst and Buffalo, New York. Dan worked as a laboratory generalist in hospitals ranging in size from 75 to 800 beds before becoming a laboratory manager. After 10 years of lab management, he became the Laboratory Safety Officer for a system of more than 10 hospitals and over 20 laboratories and draw sites in the Tidewater area of Virginia.
Laurie Bjerklie, MA, MLS(ASCP)CM is currently an Education Developer for MediaLab and LabCE. She earned a B.S. in Medical Laboratory Science from the University of North Dakota and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from Saint Xavier University. She has over 15 years of experience in higher education and has held program director and faculty positions in both MLT and MLS programs.

AED pad placement on adults.
9-1-1 and AED (shutterstock 1333203098)
Heimlich (shutterstock 1040345581)
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A demonstration of chest compressions. (3)