The concept of emergency and its signs
Emergency is a serious or dangerous situation that always requires immediate (immediate) and often urgent (urgent) action aimed at preventing deterioration. A situation is classified as an emergency if it poses an immediate threat to life, property, health or the environment.
Medical emergencies include: bleeding, asthma attack, epileptic seizure, heart attack, and other acute conditions.
Hospitals use emergency codes — signal codes that allow staff to be quickly alerted to a specific type of emergency without causing panic among patients and visitors.
Ambulance and first aid
Ambulance is a vehicle (vehicle) for transporting patients and injured persons who need medical care. Typical conversational phrase: «Call the ambulance, please».
First aid is basic medical treatment (basic medical treatment) provided to a victim of an accident or sudden illness as quickly as possible. Synonym: emergency medical treatment given to someone who is injured or ill.
Contents of a first aid kit
First aid kit is a set of equipment and supplies for providing first aid. A standard kit contains:
- plasters of various sizes (small, medium, large) — adhesive bandages;
- sterile gauze dressings — sterile gauze dressings;
- sterile eye dressings — sterile eye dressings (at least two);
- triangular bandages and crepe-rolled bandages — triangular and elastic bandages;
- safety pins, tweezers, scissors, sticky tape — safety pins, tweezers, scissors, adhesive tape;
- disposable sterile gloves — disposable sterile gloves;
- alcohol-free cleansing wipes — alcohol-free cleansing wipes;
- digital thermometer — digital thermometer;
- hydrocortisone ointment — ointment for skin rashes;
- insect bite sprays and creams, antiseptic cream;
- painkillers (paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen) and antihistamine medications;
- eye wash and eye bath — eye wash solutions and eye baths.
Common accidents and emergencies
- Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.
- Burns and scalds are skin injuries caused by exposure to heat (thermal burns and scalds).
- Chemical burns are tissue damage caused by strong acids, alkalis, household chemicals, or gasoline.
- Drowning is respiratory impairment caused by submersion or immersion in liquid.
- Electric shock is injury caused by contact with an electrical energy source, most commonly domestic.
- Fracture is a disruption of bone integrity (break in the continuity of a bone).
- Heart attack is an acute condition caused by a sudden blockage of myocardial blood supply.
- Shock is an acute condition accompanied by a drop in blood pressure.
- Stroke is a stroke: blockage of blood supply to an area of the brain or rupture of a cerebral vessel.
CPR, AED, and resuscitation techniques
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving technique involving chest compressions to maintain circulation and rescue breaths into the airway to deliver oxygen. The verb used with CPR is to perform.
Basic first aid algorithm: call an emergency number → check vital signs → check breathing → give rescue breath → perform CPR.
Defibrillator (AED, automatic external defibrillator) is a device that delivers a controlled electrical shock through the heart to restore its spontaneous rhythmic activity.
CPR face mask is a face mask for safely performing artificial ventilation: it provides individual protection for the rescuer and maintains airway patency (airway management).
Thermal blanket (emergency blanket) is a rescue blanket that retains body heat through reflection. It is used in hypothermia and shock, and can serve as a waterproof and windproof shelter.
Key points
- Emergency is a situation with an immediate threat to life and health, requiring immediate action.
- First aid is basic medical care provided before professionals arrive.
- A standard first aid kit includes dressings, instruments, antiseptics, analgesics, and antihistamines.
- Typical medical emergencies: anaphylaxis, burns, fracture, drowning, electric shock, heart attack, stroke, shock.
- CPR combines chest compressions and artificial ventilation; the verb to perform is used.
- AED restores heart rhythm using a controlled shock.
- CPR face mask provides rescuer protection and airway patency.
- Thermal blanket prevents heat loss in hypothermia and shock.