4 First Aid Tips For Parents
First aid is an important skill that everyone, including kids, needs to learn. One mistake that many parents make is clinging to the idea of 'nothing will happen' or 'everything will be alright.' Inasmuch as you wish the best for your family members, it would be wise if you took the necessary steps to prioritize their safety.
As such, it's recommended that every parent should attend a basic first aid course at reputable institutions like Australia Wide First Aid. With the necessary tools and skills at your disposal, you'll have all it takes to prevent a situation from getting worse.
Rather than going into panic mode when your child gets injured, you'll know what to do and how to handle every situation. In fact, your confidence in such scenarios calms the patient and gives them hope that everything is going to be alright.
So, what are some of the important first aid tips to keep in mind? Read on to learn more!
1. Have all the necessary tools
The first step to becoming a good first aider is to have all the requirements ready. Accidents are unpredictable, and they can happen when you least expect them. As such, it's imperative to buy trauma kits and ensure that they are always full. Be sure to replace any expired or exhausted products as soon as possible to avoid panic and frustrations in case of a domestic accident.
What should your kit contain? Adhesive bandages, absorbent compress dressing, antiseptic wipes, and antibiotic ointments are some of the basic items every parent should have in their first aid kit. Pain killers (aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen), cloth tape, sterile gauze, tweezers, and cold press are other important products. Researching online can also help you know what to put in your first aid kit. These first aid suppliers in the UK resources have great information about common first aid kits and what you should have in them.
It's also quite important to have a large kit in your home and a smaller one in your car. This way, you'll be ready to tackle any problem anywhere without wasting any valuable time looking for the necessary tools.
2. Safety first
As a parent, you might panic and start making rash decisions with the aim of saving your child's life. However, such a move might only make things worse and even get you injured.
The best way to handle any situation that requires your first aid skills is to assess everything first. Check the scene for danger or anything that might be a threat to you and the patient. It might look like an overprotective precaution, but it's an important way of ensuring that everything flows as smoothly as possible. After all, you won't be able to help the victim if you get injured, right?
3. Consider the 'three Ps'
Ensuring your well-being and that of your family should always be your priority as a parent. As such, you ought to remember the 'three Ps' regardless of the first aid procedures required or the severity of the injury. The initials stand for:
Preserve life
Prevent more injuries
Promote recovery
Your first objective is always to ensure that the patient survives the issue at hand. In fact, that's the primary goal of every first-aid procedure; saving lives. While at it, be careful not to cause any further injuries, especially if it's a neck or back-related accident. Any wrong movement in such areas can have fatal repercussions.
Promoting recovery is another responsibility that you'll need to accomplish before a professional doctor takes over. This entails providing comfort to the patient and giving them the necessary medications to kill the pain for the time being.
4. Use the right procedures for every situation
Despite the rapid advancement of the health industry, many people are still inclined to certain traditional beliefs, especially when it comes to simple injuries. For instance, there's a belief that butter helps treat burns, an idea that's been passed down through generations over time.
Try as much as possible to avoid such unproven treatment options. Otherwise, you might cause deeper injuries. Rinsing the burnt area with cool water, applying ointment, and dressing it with a loose bandage should do the trick.
For cuts and open wounds, you'll need to apply pressure on the area for some minutes to stop the bleeding. The next step will be to clean the wound, apply an appropriate antibiotic, and cover it with a clean bandage.
Conclusion
It's important to provide a safe environment for your children and have the necessary first aid tools ready in case of any unprecedented accidents. In addition, make sure that you consider all the precautionary measures before starting any first aid exercise. The 'three P's; are some of the basic first aid policies that should always guide your procedures from the beginning to the time when a professional doctor takes over.
