Tag Archives: first aid

New CPR May Save More Lives

A new study from the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona finds that chest compressions may be the most important factor in surviving a heart attack. The study specifically looked at cardiac arrest that happens outside of a hospital — when people must often rely on friends, family, and emergency medical personnel to save them. EMS personnel in the study were tracked both before and after training in a new style of CPR. Study authors have coined a new phrase — and a new style of CPR — that can potentially triple the survival rate of people who have an out-of-hospital … Continue reading →

How to Perform CPR

Before I even get started here, I want to say this: the best way to learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is to take a class. But just in case you never get to take a class, or it’s been a while since you got certified and want a refresher, here it is. First things first: make sure you are safe. Don’t start CPR in the middle of a busy highway, for example. But also make sure you take universal precautions to protect yourself against communicable diseases. Universal precautions include: Wash your hands before and after any emergency medical action. Wear gloves … Continue reading →

Healing Cuts and Scrapes

Earlier this week, I took some time to learn about New-Skin (thanks to some misadventures with glass). Now in addition to the two cuts I got at the glass studio, I have a long scratch on my wrist from my work at the cats only boarding facility! It’s not been a great week for me when it comes to gracefulness. But I’ve got three good-sized wounds all on my right hand: a slice on my index finger, an odd L-shaped cut on the back of my hand (from jabbing myself with a cut piece of glass), and an inch-long claw … Continue reading →

What is in Your First Aid Kit?

A better first question would be — do you HAVE a first aid kit? I hope you do. In an emergency, a first aid kit is an extremely handy thing to have. In fact, the Red Cross suggests keeping a first aid kit in your home and another in your car. They also suggest knowing where your first aid kit is at work and keeping one in the dorm. There are lots of first aid kits available for sale. Mine came from Costco. You can pick one up at your local pharmacy, or even order one from the Red Cross … Continue reading →

Treating Dog Bites

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In case you don’t know me in my other life as a Pets Blogger here at Families.com, I’m the owner of two dogs. We just weathered a cross country drive to relocate to the Portland, Oregon area… and had our first adventure at the dog park when a wheaten terrier attacked my Moose. In all the excitement, I got bit on the thigh. Well, let that be a lesson to me (and to you) — it’s never a good idea to try to physically break up two dogs that are fighting. But I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly; there was a … Continue reading →

Give the Gift of Safety

If you are looking for a creative gift for a teenager or a babysitter you may consider giving her the gift of CPR/First Aid training. This is a great skill for any person to have. If you have a home daycare provider, she needs to re-certify every year. This is a thoughtful present that can save her some money. If you have a teenager that baby-sits for you on a regular basis, or a family member that baby-sits for others, this can be quite beneficial. You can consider giving the First Aid/CPR package to your home daycare provider. You may … Continue reading →

Safety Courses Available for Children

If you are interested in teaching your children about safety you may want to look into two courses offered through the American Red Cross. Both of these courses are designed to be taught in a group setting. The American Red Cross does not offer them at their facilities, as they do with other classes. You can purchase the curriculum to teach in an elementary school or at church group or another setting. The first class is “First Aid for Children Today” (F.A.C.T.). This course is designed for children between the ages of five and eight. It teaches about personal hygiene … Continue reading →

Useful Websites: Child Safety

No matter how hard you try to prevent it, your children are inevitably going to get hurt at some point in their lives. Whether it’s falling off their bike and scratching their knees, getting stung by a bee, or even breaking a bone, knowing what to do when your child gets hurt can make you and your child feel much better. I know when I was a child I seemed to be accident prone. To this day I have scars on my knees because I fell on them so many times. In my left calf I also have a piece … Continue reading →

Pet First Aid: Triage

Triage is the process of prioritizing injuries and body conditions in order of severity. If your pet is seriously ill or has been seriously injured, triage will help you choose the most dangerous risk to use first aid on first. Before attending to your pet, make sure you are in a safe place. Performing first aid in the middle of a busy street where your pet has been hit by a car is not good for either of you. Relocate to a secure place whenever possible. Keep in mind the basics of emergency health care: Check, Call, Care. Check your … Continue reading →

First Aid: Rescue Breathing

Artificial respiration for pets is in many ways similar to artificial respiration for humans. Keep this in mind: Check, Call, Care. Check — check your pet for major injuries, and to make sure they have stopped breathing! Do not give artificial respiration if your pet is breathing on his own. However, if his gums are blue, this shows a lack of oxygen and you should begin mouth-to-mouth immediately. Call — call your vet to tell them what happened and that you are on your way in. Care — care for your pet. Before you begin giving breaths to your pet, … Continue reading →