Check the safety of the scene (see "How to Maximize the Safety of an Emergency Scene During First Aid").
Step2
Conduct a primary survey (see "How to Conduct a Primary Survey of an Injured Person During First Aid").
Step3
Take the injured person's vital signs and write them down (see "How to Measure and Record Vital Signs During First Aid").
Step4
Conduct a head-to-toe exam (see "How to Conduct a Head-to-Toe Exam During First Aid").
Step5
Take the person's medical history, assuming he or she is conscious (see "How to Take a Medical History During First Aid").
Step6
Go through the "AEIOUTIPS" possibilities for an unconscious injured person (see "How to Diagnose an Unconscious Injured Person").
Step7
Step back. Think carefully and consult with other trained rescuers before making a treatment and/or evacuation plan. Review your findings, rule out what is most unlikely, decide on a diagnosis and prioritize.
Step8
Make a plan for treatment and/or evacuation, depending on your findings and careful assessment.
Step9
Re-perform the secondary survey, or relevant parts of it, as demanded by changes in the injured person's condition.
Tips & Warnings
Record all the information you gather; it will be invaluable once you've transferred care to medical professionals. Preferably, have someone other than the primary rescuer do this.
The importance of stepping back and evaluating the situation calmly can't be overemphasized: Any time you spend at this juncture - thinking, considering, consulting, planning - will surely save you time and mistakes down the road.
Continually monitor for shock, which can strike at any time during the rescue process (see eHows on shock).
This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.
Comments
cmuir08 said
on 8/9/2008 http://www.ehow.com/how_4476887_properly-use-crutches.html