First Aid and CPR Flashcards

An officer is the first to arrive at a scene and finds an adult male lying motionless on the ground next to a downed power line. What is the officer's immediate priority?

Answer: Call for medical assistance and wait for the power company to secure the scene.

The primary rule in any first aid situation is to ensure scene safety. Approaching a victim near a downed power line is extremely dangerous and could result in the officer becoming a second victim. The correct procedure is to secure the scene from a safe distance, call for appropriate resources (EMS and the utility company), and prevent others from entering the hazardous area.

According to current American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for single-rescuer adult CPR, what is the correct ratio of chest compressions to rescue breaths?

Answer: 30 compressions to 2 breaths

The established standard for single-rescuer CPR on an adult is a cycle of 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths. This ratio is designed to optimize blood circulation while providing adequate oxygenation.

An officer responds to a call and finds a victim with a severe, life-threatening arterial bleed from their upper leg. The officer's initial attempt to control the bleeding with direct pressure is unsuccessful as the dressing quickly becomes saturated. What is the most appropriate next step?

Answer: Properly apply a tourniquet above the wound.

For a life-threatening hemorrhage on a limb that is not controlled by direct pressure, the immediate application of a tourniquet is the standard of care. The tourniquet should be placed 'high and tight' on the limb, proximal to the injury (closer to the torso). Removing a saturated dressing can dislodge any clots that may have started to form.

You encounter a 70-year-old individual who is confused, has a noticeable facial droop on one side, and is unable to lift their left arm. You suspect a stroke. Besides immediately notifying EMS, what is the most critical piece of information to obtain and relay?

Answer: The time the symptoms were first observed or the person was last seen normal.

For stroke victims, the time of symptom onset is critically important. It determines the patient's eligibility for time-sensitive treatments like thrombolytic (clot-busting) drugs, which must be administered within a specific time window from when the person was last known to be well.

Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)?

Answer: To analyze the heart's electrical rhythm and deliver a shock if a shockable rhythm is detected.

An AED's function is to analyze the heart's rhythm to determine if it's in a shockable rhythm like Ventricular Fibrillation (VF) or pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia (VT). If such a rhythm is detected, it delivers a controlled electrical shock (defibrillation) to stun the heart and allow its normal pacemaker to potentially resume a normal rhythm. It will not shock a heart that is in asystole.

An officer is treating a victim for shock. The victim is conscious, lying down, and has pale, cool, clammy skin. There are no suspected head, neck, spinal, or leg injuries. Which of the following is an appropriate action to take while waiting for EMS?

Answer: Elevate the victim's legs approximately 6 to 12 inches.

In the absence of contraindicating injuries (like spinal or leg fractures), elevating the victim's legs helps use gravity to shunt blood from the extremities back to the vital core organs (brain, heart, lungs). Nothing should be given by mouth as it could cause vomiting or aspiration, and the victim should be kept lying down and still.