Summary of basic first aid skills popularization training content

The general public without a medical background only needs to master the four high-priority skills of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) + the use of automated external defibrillators (AED), Heimlich airway foreign body obstruction treatment, compression and hemostatic bandaging, and initial treatment of burns and scalds, which can cover more than 87% of daily pre-hospital treatment needs for emergencies. Two hours of practical training can meet qualified operating standards, and the operating threshold is far lower than the general public perception.

This data is not determined by head-to-head. We worked with the local 120 emergency center to sift through the non-severe hospital emergency call records in urban areas for the past three years. The remaining skills such as sprain treatment and cat and dog scratch treatment, either have enough time to send to the hospital, or there are many details in the operation and it is easy for ordinary people to forget after learning, so the priority can be placed later.

To be honest, when the cardiopulmonary resuscitation was first introduced, eight out of ten people hid behind, saying, "My hands are weak and I can't do it" and "I can't afford to pay if I break my ribs". Let’s objectively talk about the two different orientations in the academic world: traditional first aid teaching requires strict positioning of the middle and lower 1/3 of the sternum, a compression depth of 5-6cm, and a frequency of 100-120 times/min. This set of standards is set for professional first aid personnel. ； However, the guidelines for the general public updated by the American Heart Association in 2020 emphasize "dare to press first"-even if your position is a little off and the depth is not that deep, as long as you continue to press vertically on a hard surface, the patient's survival rate is more than three times higher than waiting 120 times. Last year, Xiao Li, a security guard at a shopping mall in our area, only received a one-hour crash course. When he encountered a customer who had a heart attack, he broke a rib when he pressed the button, but he still saved the customer. Later, the family sent a special banner, without mentioning the ribs at all - when it comes to saving lives, fractured ribs can be recuperated later, but nothing is lost if the person is gone. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that now subway stations, shopping malls, and schools are basically equipped with AEDs. It is completely fool-proof to operate. There will be a voice prompt when you turn on the machine. Just follow the instructions. There is no need to worry about pressing the wrong button.

Compared with the extreme scenario of rescuing a heart attack, what everyone is more likely to encounter in daily life is something stuck in the airway. Last time, a mother of two children sent us a message in the second week after taking the class, saying that her eldest son was stuck in jelly. Before, she could only slap her on the back. This time, she followed the abdominal thrusts she learned and coughed up the jelly in two strokes. She was so scared that she broke out in a cold sweat. Of course, we will not just teach one standard answer. Now many pediatric emergency experts have pointed out that the impact force on the abdomen of babies under 1 year old is difficult to control and can easily injure internal organs. They recommend a combination of "back patting + chest compression". During the training, we demonstrated both methods. Everyone can choose according to the scenario, and there is no need to be obsessed with a certain "correct operation".

The first two are life-saving, while the latter two mainly help reduce subsequent injuries. When many people learn to apply hemostatic bandaging, they always worry about whether the bandage is neat and straight like in the TV series. In fact, when we conduct practical assessments, the hemostatic effect is the only criterion. Last time, a young man’s bandage was crookedly wrapped and half of the bandage fell off, but he pressed the right artery pressure point on his upper arm from the beginning, and the bleeding stopped in less than 10 seconds. He got full marks for the practical exercise. Here is a controversial point: In the past few years, there were many teachings that asked everyone to keep a tourniquet and tie it when bleeding occurs. However, the latest 2023 version of the Chinese First Aid Guidelines clearly states that unless there is a large arterial bleeding in the limbs, the priority is to use a clean cloth to press the wound to stop the bleeding. The time and force of the tourniquet are not well controlled, which can easily lead to ischemia and necrosis of the limbs. There is no need for non-professionals to take this risk.

As for the treatment of burns and scalds, it is estimated that many of us were smeared with toothpaste and soy sauce by our parents when we were children. To be honest, we also experienced it when we were children. This is not to say that these remedies are completely useless. For minor first-degree burns (only redness and no blistering), applying some cold toothpaste can indeed relieve the pain. However, if blisters have already appeared or the skin has even turned black, do not apply anything randomly. Rinse it with running cold tap water for 15 minutes before proceeding. When I communicated with the emergency department of a local traditional Chinese medicine hospital before, they also mentioned that applying regular comfrey oil and burn ointment to minor burns is indeed effective. We do not deny it. We just suggest that when you are in doubt, give priority to showering with cold water, which is more reliable than anything else.

I have been doing public first aid science for almost 6 years, and the most frequently asked question is not "how to press", but "I don't have a certificate, do I have to pay compensation if I fail to rescue someone?" Every time I directly show everyone the "good guy clause" of the Civil Code: if the recipient is harmed due to voluntary emergency rescue behavior, the rescuer shall not bear civil liability. Don't be afraid, if you dare to reach out, it's more important than anything else.

We have uploaded all the practical videos of this training to the community official account. If you forget, you can check them out. If you have time, use a pillow at home to practice a few compressions. When you really encounter something, muscle memory is more effective than memorizing knowledge points.