1. Basic Life Support 12
Standard

2. 12 Learning outcomes Standard
12.1 Understand your responsibilities 12.2 Understand your employers responsibilities 12.3 Understand basics of life support 12.4 Understand how to respond to an emergency 12
Standard

3. Responsibilities
As an employer we will provide you with practical and classroom training to be able to put this knowledge into practice in order to be able to carry out basic life support competently.
As an Employee to achieve competence you would are required to undertake specific first aid training within your workplace
The care certificate requires the company to teach you basic life support (BLS) but this will not qualify you as a first aider
Activity 12.1a

4. Agreed way of working
The company does not want you to be accountable for any first aid you might administer therefore in all cases you should:
Call 999 or 112 and ask for medical assistance
Be prepared to give them explicit details of the customer you are with and who you are
They will direct you and explain what to do
Our aim is to make you a good responder NOT a first aider
Information required by emergency services
Person affected/injured
Home address
Person reporting the incident
About the accident/incident
Description of the accident/incident
Must comply with data protection legislation

5. Basic Life Support (BLS)
First Aid is the initial or immediate assistance given to someone who has been injured or taken ill before the arrival of qualified medical assistance.
Its aim is to:
Preserve Life
Prevent a condition worsening
Promote Recovery
There are three elements to BLS
Initial assessment
Airway maintenance
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
Activity 12.2

6. Overview A V P U Alert – are they? Responds to Voice – do they?
D Danger - Make sure the area is safe before you approach (Gas, Electricity, Water)
R Response - Check to see if the casualty responds to verbal command or a pain stimulus
using the primary assessment tool A V P U
Shout for help
A Airway - Open the airway by tilting the head back and lifting the chin with two fingers
B Breathing - Look, listen and feel for normal breathing for up to ten seconds
C Circulation – Check for a pulse, look for movement of the chest, look at colour of lips
D Defibrillation – If available, an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) should be used alongside CPR. (If trained to use) we don’t expect that this will ever be the case
A V P U
Alert – are they?
Responds to Voice – do they?
Responds to Pain – do they?
Unresponsive – are they?
The different stages can be remembered by the acronym DRSABCD (or the easy way to remember; Doctors ABCD).
Activity 12.2

7. (BLS) Danger Electricity GAS WATER Look What to look for?
Listen
Smell
What to do in the event of an emergency?
How to protect yourself?
Where to turn off?
What to look for?
What implications?
How to protect yourself?
Where to turn off?
The silent killer!!!
Signs of electricity fault
What to do in the event of an emergency?
How to protect yourself?
Where to turn off?

8. Primary Assessment
Alert are they looking at you do they know who they are?
Responds to Voice speak to them do the respond sensibly
Responds to Pain Gently pinch their ear or the back of the hand
Unresponsive if there is no response at all from anything you do
Activity 12.2

9. (BLS) Airway, Breathing
Approach the casualty open their mouth by tilting their chin back towards the top of the head and look closely to see if there is anything blocking the airway.
Bend close looking down the length of the body at this time you can listen for breathing and feel for breathing on your face
At the same time look down the length of the body to see if the chest rises or falls
Ensure you listen and feel for breathing for 10 seconds before moving on
Activity 12.4

10. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
CPR is only to be used for a person who is NOT breathing
It is a standard approach and has set criteria
CPR is a method of combining chest compressions with effective rescue breaths in order to artificially circulate blood and to put air into the lungs.
The respiratory System supply oxygen via Blood to all parts of the body. Oxygen is essential to life and we normally get this via breathing in atmosphere (air) of which Oxygen makes up 20% .
Circulatory System takes the Blood around the body via vein's archeries and capillaries
Activity 12.4

11. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Approach the body interlock you hands and place them just below the breast bone with fingers of the left hand facing down the body.
Keep your arms straight (don’t bend at the elbow)
Rock forward onto your straight arms using the strength of your body to begin the chest compressions
Do this for 30 compressions at a rate of compressions per minute. (sing Nelly the Elephant, its about that speed)
Pinch the nose and get a good seal around the persons mouth and give to breaths each one should be about a second, watch each breath make the chest rise and fall then resume compressions
Activity 12.4

12. Obstructed airway (adult)
The obstruction of the airway can be due to different causes including foreign bodies (foods), allergic reactions, asthma, blood, vomit and infections
Epiglottis
Oesophagus
Lungs
Activity 12.5
Diaphragm

13. Choking
Someone who is choking will have either a partial or complete obstruction of the airway. The severity of the blockage will determine the difficulty in breathing.
Activity 12.5

14. Dealing with Choking
The Choking Person has NO air exchange and can not speak or cough
Activity 12.5
Give 5 Back Blows

15. Dealing with Choking
Encourage the casualty to lean forward and cough, if the obstruction remains
Administer a maximum of 5 sharp back blows, if the obstruction still remains
Administer a maximum of 5 abdominal thrusts (chest thrusts for an infant), if the obstruction remains
Repeat the cycle a further two times (3 cycles in total)
If after three cycles the obstruction still remains, shout for help, contact the emergency services and be prepared to carry out basic life support (CPR).
Activity 12.5

16. ABDOMINAL THRUSTS
For adults and mature children, reach around the choking person, make a fist
Put fist above naval
Put other hand on top of fist
Do inwards and upwards thrusts
A quick upward thrust increases intrathoracic pressure and creates an artificial cough, which forces air and foreign objects out of the airway.

17. Record keeping
In all cases of medical emergencies an accident/incident form must be completed
The office must be contacted as soon as possible
Medical assistance or advice should be sought after every incident
NOK will be contacted by office