Rules for Medicinal/First Aid forum - make sure you read this

[Tony]

There's been a number of requests over the years for this forum and it's finally here

Please keep in mind that this is not a replacement for any professional advice and that you should always consult a professional directly if you need medical advice. This forum is intended to be a discussion area where people can share experiences, knowledge, ask questions etc.

bcuk cannot be held responsible for anyone posting or acting on a post, you do so purely of your own choice and accept the responsibility for doing so as yours.

I know this sounds a bit heavy but it's an area that can be very serious in it's consequences.

 

[SCOMAN]

Aye it's a minefield

 

[stinger]

Don't think there can be any arguments with that.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Don't think there can be any arguments with that.

True, there has been some changes to resuscitation and you should wait for retraining before implementing any thing you read... imo

 

[pteron]

I suspect that minefields involve rather more than the sort of first aid we'd be practising

 

[ashes1627]

Everything in the medical and first aid field is a minefield, even St John will teach you that.

 

[Bothwell_Craig]

Folks

It's really not a minefield. Get proper training and only undertake practices in accordance with the training you have received.

 

[jonajuna]

re minefield remarks.

unless you are a medic, nurse, paramedic or the like, you will never get sued for trying your best to assist especially in the case of resus.

the claims you may read about of people being sued for doing CPR incorrectly are myths (probably written by a bored daily mail journo)

at the end of the day, if someone isn't breathing or is bleeding out, doing anything will always be better than doing nothing, the latter being a sure fire way for the person to die/remain dead

 

[DocDC]

The real minefield exists when there is a reasonable alternative available. Access to professional medical care in the UK is pretty good even in remote parts of the country, so in most cases first aid is all that is needed to save life or to prevent further injury until access to an ambulance, A and E or a GP is possible. Where things become a little more blurry is when the situational circumstance is stacked against you. Delays in evacuation to any of these options means that there is a therapeutic vacuum and the question is what we fill that with. First aid takes us only so far because first aid teaching in the UK is mainly geared around quick access to emergency services. CPR for example only takes us so far with some casualties and we are often left with the question, what next? In cardiac arrest the chances of survival reduce by approx 10% for every minute, if one is doing this at the top of Scafell in a snow storm, serious questions need to be asked about whether or not to commence the rescue procedure or not. If we do commence CPR then when does one stop? If we do not commence CPR using the justification above, will we be criticised? If we commence CPR and the victim miraculously recovers, what do we do then and how do we manage the victim thereafter? If the cardiac arrest is due to blood loss, do we start CPR? So many questions and quite frankly St Johns does not have the answers and they are very rigid in their thinking, take for example their views on the use of tourniquets, which most now accept in light of the military experience to be lacking in evidence when a commercial arterial tourniquet is used. Anyone looking for a course of instruction in first aid should look to the companies offering courses geared around the outdoor environment so that difficult first aid practices can be addressed. First Aid at Work will be undergoing a change this year and hopefully it should be easier to find occupation/activity specific courses more suited to the bushcraft and survival world.

 

[Covert System]

You can obtain first aid training through the Red Cross as well as St Andrews Ambulance and St Johns Ambulance.

I joined the Red Cross as a junior member when I was 13 and remained in the Red Cross until I was 21 and things like work took me further away from home. I was also a Trained Swimming Teacher and Life Guard when I was 15 which needed to cover water survival and first aid in the water.

First Aid is not as hard as people think. Confidence is what people lack, IMHO First Aid should be taught in schools as a mandatory subject so that people are prepared.

 

[Deleted member 57209]

I was a British Army Airborne Combat Medic, And as a Civilian I worked full time as a British Red Cross First Aid Instructor,
A lot of what I learned 37 years ago are out of date,
My advise to anyone who becomes a First Aider, Keep your skills up to date, And keep yourself safe First.