When first aid is invaluable study of three vital systems, man, that is, diagnosis. The quickest way to determine whether affected, whether or not risk any of the vital systems – to resort to the ABC-diagnostic techniques.
Abbreviation ABC formed by three English words: airway – airway, breathing – breathing and circulation – circulation – and explains the sequence detect signs of life from the victim. Knowing what happens in the body and how its systems are interconnected, can also prepare a person who provides first aid to the possible complications arising from those or other injuries.
In pre-hospital diagnosis of two main tasks:
1) get an initial idea of the nature of injury;
2) get as much information about the illness or injury, to help staff the ambulance when it arrives.
Respiratory tract. Examine the victim’s mouth and remove all that closes the windpipe: dentures, vomit or food. Pull the tongue forward. Language unconscious person can to fall back and block the airway.
Breathing. Place your cheek over his mouth and nose of the victim, and are looking at his chest, his hand on the sternum. If the respiratory system is functioning properly, you will feel on his cheek warm breath, you will also see or feel the heave of the chest. Be careful, be careful that the influence of external factors such as strong wind, a loud noise and thick clothes, did not prevent the correct diagnosis.
Blood circulation. Check for pulse at the victim. The best place to determine the pulse – along the trachea. Spend your fingers (not thumb) from the lowest point of the ear along the jaw line. Continue to keep your fingers down until they reach the soft pit of the throat at the back wall of the trachea just below the jaw line. You should feel the pulse there. An alternative place – radial pulse at the wrist. This point is located on the inner side of the wrist between the edge of the hand by the thumb and the speaker of the tendon that goes from the hand. Look for the pulse, using all fingers, except the big. In the thumb has a pulse, which may hinder the correct diagnosis. Wherever you go looking for a pulse, if the pulse is weak or absent for more than 10 seconds, blood circulation disrupted.
Inspect the entire body of the victim.
Procedure FAA will give you the most important information and will help, save lives. Then, identify the causes of suffering, to clarify the diagnosis. Examine the victim’s body from head to toe: first, easy to probe, to find a hidden injury, then examine it in search of notable places in the blood, look at all the big lumps or bruises, especially on the head, back, abdomen or chest. Examine the lips and nails, if they are many blue or very pale, blood circulation is very poor.
Gather information.
Along with the medical diagnosis, study by study of the history of the incident and the environment. Learn as much as possible about the accident or illness near the victim, witnesses or family members. Try to find out the name and address of the victim. Record the time when the accident occurred. FAA regularly tests and record the time when all the changes the results. Looking for a clue to the cause of the incident in the environment. For example, if you suspect that the poisoning occurred, try to collect samples of the poison for the medical team, if only you can do it without exposing themselves to danger.
Search the victim, if he is unconscious, to find any evidence of his state of health before the incident. The evidence may serve as tablets, sprays, medical bracelets or medical card. Your purpose – to gather as much relevant information. When the medical team arrives, tell them to quickly and accurately all that you could find out.