During medical emergencies, informed and timely action can save lives and that exhibit the importance of First Aid.
The brief window before an injured person receives professional medical care can be paramount in determining how well they recover, if at all. There’s more that we can do than just waiting for professional help.
Administering basic first aid can change the outcome of an emergency. It increases a patient’s chance of survival and reduces the severity of their injury if administered during the first hour—known as the ‘golden hour’—after an accident or injury.
According to a Government report in 2006, up to 50% of pre-hospital fatalities from accidents could be prevented if patients receive simple first aid and are admitted to a hospital within the first hour.
What makes first aid so crucial?
The Importance of First Aid
First aid is an indispensable skill for individuals and communities. Here’s why:
- Accidents aren’t completely avoidable.
Regardless of how much we prepare ourselves or create contingencies to handle emergencies, the ugly truth is that we cannot always prevent them. No amount of experience or technical training can subvert the importance of learning first aid, especially when there are kids involved. - Some injuries can’t wait.
Accidents and injuries don’t necessarily happen in convenient places, and severe trauma certainly will not improve without treatment. We cannot always wait for professionals to arrive, which is why we must provide basic first aid. The more an injured person has to wait to receive medical care, the more their condition will deteriorate. First aid sows down the deterioration of injuries. - Panic increases the damage.
The last thing an injured person needs is to feel panic. Just like their physical condition, their mental state needs to be stabilized too. When we calmly administer first aid, we help a patient feel relieved, relaxed and less anxious. This keeps them from exacerbating their injuries. - Half knowledge is dangerous.
Administering medical care without the proper knowledge or training can be dangerous. Improper initial assistance in cases of choking, bleeding, trauma, broken limbs, dehydration, etc. can cause more harm than good. Moreover, we’re afraid to act when we don’t have enough information. In that sense, learning appropriate methods of first aid can give us more confidence to care for those who are injured. - Delays aren’t unusual.
The estimated amount of time for an ambulance to arrive varies between 10 minutes to 25 minutes, depending on the source, location and availability. This estimate isn’t accurate for rural locations or non-metropolitan cities. The arrival of professional help isn’t always timely and a delay in medical assistance or treatment can mean an excessive loss of blood, inability to breathe, heart failure or even death. However, first aid gives the patient a greater chance of surviving until professional help arrives.
Nobody wants to talk about tragedies and the possibility of death. However, we can train ourselves to prevent it.
First aid is essential to survival, and yet, we’ve undermined its value in our lives. According to various reports, only 16% of Indians know first aid and only 4.5% know CPR. We’re grossly under-prepared to provide initial assistance.
It’s important to understand that first aid doesn’t just apply to roadside accidents or unrelated incidents. Sometimes, it’s medical emergencies at home that require our intervention. Learning first aid can help us save lives, especially those of our loved ones.
However, it’s vital to note that giving importance of first aid is not a replacement for professional medical care. Fortunately, there are options for you to consider in concerns with receiving professional help for first aid.
Importance of First Aid in Today’s World
In today’s digital age, it’s possible to avail virtual assistance. Even if you don’t have all of the information to administer first aid, you can consult trained professionals to walk you through the process.
Online consulting for first aid not only helps you receive professional supervision and direction while administering initial care, but it also helps you train yourself to correctly administer first aid. You can consult doctors or emergency care professionals over video calls, where they will guide you through every step.
In times of emergencies, it’s comforting to know that help is not too far away. Using online consultation for first aid, you can assist those in need with the confidence of a professional.
