First Aid

Mnemonics to Know

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Introduction

Introduction

1/14

Mnemonic devices — a set of letters or associations that help you remember things — are certainly helpful. But did you know that sometimes, they could also save your life?

FAST for Stroke Symptoms

FAST for Stroke Symptoms

2/14

The acronym FAST has long been the standard for recognizing stroke symptoms. Now BE- FAST is being used becaise of its more inclusive list:

  • B — off balance, staggering or having leg weakness
  • E –blurred or loss of vision in one or both eyes
  • F — face drooping (ask the person to smile to check)
  • A — arm weakness (to test, have them raise both arms)
  • S — speech difficulty (test by having them repeat a simple sentence)
  • T — time to call 911

Call 911 if someone shows sudden symptoms, like:

  • Confusion
  • Numbness
  • Trouble seeing
  • Trouble walking
  • A very bad headache

Even if the symptoms pass, you should still go to the hospital.

CAB for CPR

CAB for CPR

3/14

Use CAB to remember the order of CPR steps:

  • C for chest compressions
  • A for airway
  • B for breathing

Give 100-120 compressions per minute over the middle of the person’s chest to help blood pump to the brain.

After 30 chest compressions, tilt the head back and lift the chin. This helps open the airway.

If you’re trained in CPR, make a seal over the person’s mouth and pinch their nose shut before giving them two rescue breaths.

ABC for Bleeding

ABC for Bleeding

4/14

It’s critical to know how to stop serious bleeding if you or another person is injured. In that situation, remember the A-B-C of first aid for bleeding:

  • Alert: Notify help or have someone do it for you, if possible.
  • Bleeding: Find the location of the bleeding wound.
  • Compress: Apply pressure to stop the flow of blood using a tourniquet. If you don’t have one, place bandages or a clean cloth on the wound and push directly on the wound with your hands. 
Use RICE After an Injury

Use RICE After an Injury

5/14

Remember RICE if you get hurt, like a knee or ankle sprain. It stands for:

  • Rest. Rest and protect the injured area.
  • Ice. Ice the area as soon as possible to help stop or lessen swelling and pain.
  • Compression. Wrap the area with an elastic bandage to help lessen swelling.  But don’t wrap it too tightly. That can make things worse.
  • Elevation. Elevate the area at or above heart level with pillows when you lie or sit down. That will help the swelling go down.  
PASS

PASS

6/14

The mnemonic device PASS can help you remember how to use a fire extinguisher correctly.

Here’s what PASS stands for:

  • Pull the fire extinguisher’s pin.
  • Aim the nozzle of the fire extinguisher at the base of the fire.
  • Squeeze or press the fire extinguisher’s handle.
  • Sweep from side to side until the fire is put out.
Survive a Terrorist Attack With ‘Run, Hide, Tell’

Survive a Terrorist Attack With ‘Run, Hide, Tell’

7/14

“Run, Hide, Tell” offers guidance to help you survive a terrorist or active shooter attack.

It means:

  • Run. Run to a safe place as fast as you can. Don’t surrender or try to negotiate.
  • Hide. Hide, especially if there’s nowhere to run. Try to barricade yourself in your hiding spot. Silence your phone right away — don’t use the vibrate setting. 
  • Tell. Tell the police by calling 911, but only when it’s completely safe. 
Save Someone From Drowning With ‘Reach, Throw, Don’t Go’

Save Someone From Drowning With ‘Reach, Throw, Don’t Go’

8/14

When someone is drowning, you should never jump in to rescue them. Instead, remember “Reach, Throw, Don’t Go”:

  • Reach. Reach for the person as you lie on your stomach so you’re not pulled into the water. If you can, try to use a long item that the person can grab.
  • Throw. Throw an item that floats.
  • Don’t go. Don’t jump into the water. Even if you think you can save yourself and the person, don’t jump in unless you have a float. 
Avoid Poison Ivy With ‘Leaves of Three, Let It Be’

Avoid Poison Ivy With ‘Leaves of Three, Let It Be’

9/14

Poison ivy is a plant that has an oil that can irritate your skin. If you touch it or breathe smoke from the burning plant, you might have:

  • Blisters
  • Itching
  • Redness
  • Swelling
  • Trouble breathing

You can recognize poison ivy from its three leaflets. Think of “Leaves of three, let It be.”

Another plant called Virginia creeper looks like poison ivy, but has five leaflets. You can remember that with, “Leaves of five, let it thrive.”

Remember STOP if You’re Lost

Remember STOP if You’re Lost

10/14

If you’re lost, don’t panic. Remember the acronym STOP, which stands for:

  • Stop. Stop and recognize that you’re lost and could be in trouble.
  • Think. Think clearly. Stay calm.
  • Observe. Look around for food, water, fuel, and shelter. Also, look for landmarks that could help you later on.
  • Plan. Look over what supplies you have and plan how to use them. Prepare for weather, nighttime, safety, and how to signal for a rescuer. 
Know the ‘Rule of Three’ for Survival

Know the ‘Rule of Three’ for Survival

11/14

The “Rule of Three” can help you survive, especially if you’re lost or in trouble. Remember, you can live:

  • 3 minutes without air
  • 3 hours without warmth
  • 3 days without water
  • 3 weeks without food
Recognize Hypothermia With ‘Umble’ Words

Recognize Hypothermia With ‘Umble’ Words

12/14

Hypothermia is when your body temperature gets below 95 F. This is a medical emergency.

To recognize when someone has hypothermia, remember the “umble” words: grumble, mumble, stumble, or fumble. These can be signs that a person’s body temperature is dangerously low.  Other signs to look out for include:

  • Shivering
  • Exhaustion
  • Confusion
  • Memory loss

In babies, look for cold, red skin, and low energy. 

‘Stop, Drop, Roll’ if You’re on Fire

‘Stop, Drop, Roll’ if You’re on Fire

13/14

If your clothes catch fire, remember “Stop, Drop, Roll.” That means:

  • Stop. Stop right where you are.
  • Drop. Drop to the ground. Cover your mouth and eyes with your hands to protect them.
  • Roll. Roll over back and forth until the movement puts the flames out.
BRAT for Upset Stomach?

BRAT for Upset Stomach?

14/14

One mnemonic you may know isn’t used anymore. BRAT stands for the diet that some doctors used to suggest for an upset tummy, especially for kids:

  • Bananas
  • Rice cereal
  • Applesauce
  • Toast or Tea

These foods alone don’t have enough nutrients to help you get better. If you or your child have an upset stomach, eat what you normally do but stay away from spicy, fatty, or sugary foods. An over-the-counter electrolyte drink will help put back lost fluids.

Common First Aid Dos and Don’ts

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Don’t: Lean Back for Nosebleeds

Don’t: Lean Back for Nosebleeds

1/13

Tilting your head back sends the blood down your throat, which could irritate your stomach or even choke you. Better to sit down and lean forward just slightly. Don’t lie down, and keep your head above your heart to slow the bleeding. Pinch the front of your nose with your thumb and forefinger for 5 minutes. Check if the flow has stopped. Repeat if needed. If your nose is still bleeding after 20 minutes, call your doctor or get medical help.

Don’t: Butter Your Burns

Don’t: Butter Your Burns

2/13

Greasy ointments can seal in the heat. Plus, butter or petroleum jelly might help trap bacteria that cause infection. Instead, run cool, not icy, water over your burn for 5-10 minutes and wash gently with soap. Go to your doctor or an urgent care clinic if your burn is bigger than your hand, or if it’s on your hands, face, or private parts.

Do: Put the Tooth Back In

Do: Put the Tooth Back In

3/13

Hold a knocked-out tooth without touching the root. If dirty, quickly rinse in water. Then try to put the tooth back in its gum socket. If you can’t, put it in your mouth next to your cheek or dunk it in milk. Don’t keep it in tap water because it can damage the root. Get to your dentist or to the ER right away. Your chances of saving the tooth is highest within the first 30 minutes.

Don’t: Apply Heat on Frozen Hands

Don’t: Apply Heat on Frozen Hands

4/13

Frostbitten or frozen skin can burn at temperatures that may normally be comfortable. That’s especially true for direct heat from a stove, fire, or a heating pad. Thaw hands or feet in about 100 degree water. It should feel warm, not hot, to a person or a body part that isn’t frozen. Get to a doctor if any part of the skin turns hard and white.

Do: Push Down on Serious Bleeding

Do: Push Down on Serious Bleeding

5/13

Stanch the flow with gauze or sterile cloth over the wound. Use a clean T-shirt or sock if that’s all you have. Raise the injured part to let gravity help slow the bleeding. You can bandage the wound to keep constant pressure on it. See a doctor for care afterward. Get medical care right away if the blood is spurting or if it won’t stop. 

Do: Use the Heimlich for Choking

Do: Use the Heimlich for Choking

6/13

This maneuver can dislodge food or objects from choking a person’s airway when they can’t talk, cough, or breathe. To do the Heimlich, stand behind the person, put your arms around their waist, and bend them forward. Put your fist just above the belly button, below the rib cage, and close your other hand over it. Give several sharp thrusts in and up until the item pops out. 

Do: Back Slap for Choking

Do: Back Slap for Choking

7/13

The Red Cross suggests doing this only if you bend the person forward at the waist and support their chest with your other hand. Strike them between the shoulder blades several times. Then switch to the Heimlich maneuver and alternate until the food pops out.  Never strike a choking person on the back if they’re standing upright. That could actually send the food farther down their windpipe.

Do: Keep a Severed Finger

Do: Keep a Severed Finger

8/13

Clean the fingertip with water or, better yet, sterile saline solution or even contact lens solution. Then cover the digit in damp gauze and put it in a watertight bag on ice. Take care that the fingertip doesn’t touch the ice directly, which could further damage it.

Don’t: Take Ipecac for Poisoning

Don’t: Take Ipecac for Poisoning

9/13

Syrup of ipecac will make you throw up what’s in your stomach. But that doesn’t seem to get rid of the poison. Ipecac itself can be unsafe with certain poisons or for some people with medical problems. If you’ve swallowed something dangerous, call 911 or contact poison control online at webpoisoncontrol.org or the hotline at 800-222-1222.

Don’t: Remove Deeply Stuck Objects

Don’t: Remove Deeply Stuck Objects

10/13

You can probably take out a splinter on your own. But if a needle, fishhook, pencil, or something else is stuck deep in your skin, it’s best to let your doctor remove it. If the site is sore, red, or if you suspect it’s infected, get medical help. In the meantime, stop any serious bleeding by pressing on the wound and carefully bandage it. Take care not to push down the embedded object even deeper.

Don’t: Remove Gauze on Deep Wounds

Don’t: Remove Gauze on Deep Wounds

11/13

Even if the cloth is blood soaked, it’s better to leave it and to add more gauze on top and keep up direct pressure on the wound. Taking off the dressing could disturb the blood clots that help seal the bleeding. This is especially important if you’re trying to stop the blood flow on a new wound.

Don’t: Rub an Injured Eye

Don’t: Rub an Injured Eye

12/13

If something feels stuck in your eye, blink to try to flush it out. You can also rinse with saline or contact solution or tap water. But if you think your eye is cut or punctured, or if something is clearly sticking out of it, get to a doctor right away.  Don’t attempt to pull out an object or use any medication. If necessary, tape the bottom of a paper cup around the eye to protect it.

Do: Roll an Unconscious Person on Their Side

Do: Roll an Unconscious Person on Their Side

13/13

Then gently tilt their head back. This helps keep the tongue out of the way of the airway so they can breathe. This “recovery position” lets blood and vomit drain out of the mouth. Don’t try this if the person may have injured their spine or neck, such as after a car crash. With infants, put them face down over your arm and support their neck and head with your hand. Just be sure to keep clear of the nose and mouth. Call 911.

Man vs. Machine for CPR.

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In this meta-analysis, return of spontaneous circulation was more likely when chest compressions were delivered by a mechanical device than manually.

When applied properly, mechanical devices provide consistent and effective chest compressions; no risk for provider fatigue; and the opportunity for concurrent defibrillation, thereby reducing time to shock. Investigators performed a meta-analysis of controlled (randomized, historical, or case-control) trials in humans to compare prehospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) using a mechanical chest compression device versus manual compressions.

Of 12 studies meeting entry criteria, 8 involved load-distributing band CPR and 4 used piston-driven CPR, with a total of 6538 patients and 1824 instances of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). ROSC was defined as a measurable blood pressure sustained for at least 1 minute. Use of a mechanical device was superior to manual compressions for achieving ROSC (odds ratio, 1.53 overall, 1.62 for load-distributing band CPR, and 1.25 for piston-driven CPR).

Comment: Compression devices have become more lightweight and portable, making them a more attractive option for prehospital resuscitation, where it may be more difficult to achieve consistently adequate manual compressions. Such devices can be expected to similarly outperform humans in the emergency department and hospital settings, too, making a convincing argument for their routine use during resuscitation.

 

Source: Journal Watch Emergency Medicine