QUALITIES OF A PERSON GIVING FIRST AID
1. One should be a good observer, able to note the cause and effects of the injury.
2. He should be able to act quickly.
3. He should not panic or get excited at a critical time.
4. One should be resourceful, able to use whatever things are available.
5. One should be able to reassure the apprehensive victim and his relatives. One should be clear in his instructions to the victim, his relatives, and the onlookers.
6. One should be able to control the crowd.
7. One should be able to obtain help from onlookers as required, e.g. for directing traffic, making phone calls, turning off electricity or gas etc.
8. In case there are multiple injuries, one should have the ability to judge injuries to be managed first.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF A FIRST AIDER
1. Gaining access to the patient in safest and easiest way.
2. Assessment of the situation quickly, such as finding out whether casualty is unconscious, conscious, alive or dead.
3. Identification of the injury or the nature of illness affecting the victim.
4. Giving early and adequate treatment in a sensible order of priority.
5. Arranging for the removal of the casualty to hospital or the clinic of a doctor.
6. Remaining with a casualty until handing him over to the care of a doctor.
Things to be avoided by the first aider
1. Forgetting that he is not a doctor.
2. Handling the victim unnecessarily.
3. Moving a patient unnecessarily.
4. Removing clothing unnecessarily.
5. Examining wounds by opening which have already been bandaged by someone else.
6. Moving a patient with a fracture or suspected fracture until splints have been applied.
7. Neglecting shock.
8. Failing to give artificial respiration when needed.
9. Reducing dislocations, except of the finger.
10. Burning a patient with a hot water bottle or other heated object.
11. Failing to remove false teeth, tobacco or any other eatable from the mouth of an unconscious patient.
12. Permitting air to reach a burned surface.
13. Leaving a tourniquet on over 20 minutes without loosening.
14. Putting oneself at risk by attempting heroic measures in difficult situations.
15. Acquiring communicable diseases from the victim.
16. Declaring the victim to be dead.