Title: First Aid lesson
Course: Activity examples > Section: Lessons

Introduction

All organisations need to have registered First Aiders but it's vital that we all have a good understanding of how to deal with emergency situations, if only to ensure we don't make situations worse. Here is an informal First Aid quiz for you to check your own understanding.

Choking

Your colleague is eating his lunch and suddenly starts to choke. He can't breathe or speak; no sound is coming from his mouth. What should you do?

- Get him to sip a glass of water, holding the glass and putting it to his lips if necessary.
Feedback: Think about it... he can't breathe let alone sip water!
- Slap him on the back up to five times between his shoulder blades.
Feedback: This is the correct response. If he cannot clear the object himself, support him with one hand while leaning him forwards and slap him hard between the shoulder blades up to five times.
- Perform the Heimlich manoevre (press your fists against the bottom of his diaphragm and perform abdominal thrusts)
Feedback: This is incorrect although many people believe this is what you should do. Before you even attempt this, support him with one hand while leaning him forwards and slap him hard between the shoulder blades up to five times.

Heart attack

Your colleague is short of breath and has a pain in his chest. You think he might be having a heart attack and call for help. In the meantime, what is the best procedure?

- Get your colleague to lie down in the recovery position.
Feedback: Incorrect. This won't ease the strain on his heart. Get him sitting up with his head and shoulders supported and knees bent.
- Get him sitting in a comfortable position.
Feedback: This is correct. You must ease the strain on his heart. Get him sitting up with his head and shoulders supported and knees bent.
- Have him walk around the room; make sure he keeps on moving!
Feedback: Incorrect. You must ease the strain on his heart. Get him sitting up with his head and shoulders supported and knees bent.

CPR

Your boss collapses and you need to perform CPR on her while you are waiting for the ambulance. What is the ratio of chest compressions to breaths?

"CPR" by Image created by User:Rama - Own work. Via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CPR.jpg#mediaviewer/File:CPR.jpg

- 30 compressions to 2 breaths
Feedback: Correct!
- 20 compressions to 5 breaths
Feedback: That is incorrect. It's actually 30 to 2.
- 15 compressions to 3 breaths
Feedback: That is incorrect. It's actually 30 to 2.

Find out more

This was just a brief venture into First Aid but hopefully you have seen how important it is to act fast and be alert.

Event: First Aid lesson opens