Every home should have some resources at the very least to help with first aid. Accidents and injuries happen in the home all the time and, sometimes, how you are able to handle them in the immediate aftermath can have real repercussions when it comes to the outcomes of those injuries. So, how should you take first aid a little more seriously in the home?
Make sure you have the right gear at the ready
First of all, you are going to be able to help with the vast majority of injuries so long as you have a first aid kit in the home. Good first aid kits will come with the materials necessary to handle, treat, clean, and dress wounds, as well as some resources to deal with burns and injuries like finger sprains. It’s a good idea to get familiar with how to use the items in your first aid kit when you buy it as well so that, when a situation arises, you’re able to leap into action and provide what treatment you can to help.
Preserve life
When looking at the steps you can take to help someone who has been injured or is experiencing a health crisis, there are three “P”s to follow. The first is to preserve life. When it comes to treating cuts, sprains, burns, and other injuries, most first aid kits come with some instructions on how to do this or you can easily find them online. However, there are some dangers you might want some training to help with in advance, such as CPR certification to be able to help people who experience cardiac arrest. Some training can make you feel much more comfortable jumping into action when you are needed.
Prevent further injury
Sometimes you can’t treat the injury or help directly too much, but you should be able to help make sure that the affected person isn’t injured anymore during the crisis. For instance, it’s important to make sure that you inspect the scene for any dangerous elements and, if possible and safe, move those elements away from the individual.
Promote recovery
The road back to good health and a safe recovery starts with how you immediately help out after the incident. Calling the emergency services as soon as possible is crucial. As you are calling them, you should make sure to check for the affected person’s airways to ensure that they aren’t blocked. If there aren’t any back injuries, make sure that you put them into the recovery position. There are step-by-step guides on moving an individual to the recovery position that you can follow to ensure they’re in the best position to recover and avoid injury.
You can’t prevent every injury, nor will you be able to treat every single one, even with the tips above. However, if you have the resources at your disposal and even a little training, you never know when you might be able to make a real difference in helping someone get better.
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