First Aid for Nursing Students: An Ultimate Handbook
First aid is one of the skills that nursing students have to learn not only as part of the curriculum but also in real situations. As potential health providers, it is the norm for nursing students to be able to offer primary treatment during any emergency situation, whether clinical or not. Therefore first aid is of paramount importance as it is geared towards helping control and manage the situation of patients and even saving their lives.
1. **What is First Aid?**
First aid is providing the patient at the site of injury or illness the marking or customary medical treatment prior to the arrival of medical services. The goal is to sustain life, prevent further injury, and promote wellbeing. In the case of nursing students, first aid is the basis for emergency care practice, which helps them to prepare to implement timely and correct actions.
#### 2. **Core Concepts of First Aid Reasons**
As such, the objectives of first aid can be summed up with the three pillars namely:
– Restore life: Efforts to keep the patient alive by providing primary help, which may entail carrying out CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
– Prevent further injury: Assuring that the existing condition does not become worse by applying pressure to stop bleeding, or immobilizing injuries for some time, or not moving at all.
– Encourage healing: Giving patients simple treatment such as covering injuries or calming them down, before the arrival of medical assistance.
3. Some Basic Procedures in First Aid
All nursing students must know how to perform the following basic first aid actions:
A. **CPR. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation**
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is one first aid skill which has the greatest importance. It is used when a person’s heart has stopped beating and require an immediate action. Chest compression and rescue breath techniques are given in this life saving procedure so that the brain and other vital organs receive adequate circulation and oxygen. Including:
– Assess the alertness first and
