“Accidents happen all the time…” is a common phrase used every day. The chance that an untrained rescuer will save a patient may at times be poor, depending on the seriousness of the situation.
The most critical factor in outcomes after an accident is the quality of the interventions during the first response. First aid is the application of basic emergency interventions to assist a person that is ill or has sustained injuries.
The methodology of first aid is to apply the most basic short-term treatment that does not require a comprehensive and substantial set of knowledge and skills. It utilizes the most basic of technologies or, sometimes, none.
Typical examples of first aid are cleaning minor scrapes or burns, applying bandages and wound dressings, clearing out debris or foreign bodies from the eyes, or providing oral rehydration to patients with dehydration or heatstroke.
First aid’s primary goal is to immediately improve the patient’s chances of survival with overall recovery.