K2H27 Accidents And First Aid

K2H27 – Policies and procedures of setting for, responding to and recording accidents and emergencies.  Basic first aid required in an emergency and how to apply it, recognition of and response to choking, unconsciousness, breathing difficulties, bleeding, anaphylactic shock, burns.  Awareness of location and contents of first aid box.  How to treat common minor injuries that may be dealt with on site, as minor skin abrasions, cuts, bumps.

Responding to and recording accidents / emergencies:-

1. Assess the situation (how bad the accident is).
2. Reassure and comfort child.
3. Treat injury if necessary in the medical room and or with the first aid kit.
4. Record accident in ‘Accident record Book’ including the time and date, location of injury on the body, child’s name, how it happened and nature of injury / accident.  Treatment given. Ensuring that member of staff signs record and a copy of it given to the parent or carer and that the parent is also verbally told of incident.
5. All old records are kept in the Head teacher’s office.

Serious Accident / emergencies:-

1. Asses the situation (how bad the accident is – is it life threatening).
   1. Put child into recovery position if necessary and administer general first aid.
   2. Reassure and comfort child.
      1. Head teacher or Deputy Head teacher must telephone the emergency services.
      2. Head teacher or Deputy Head teacher will contact the parents and arrange to meet them at the hospital.
      3. Head teacher, Deputy Head teacher or appointed first aider will escort the child along with the emergency services.
      4. Record accident in ‘Accident record Book’ including the time and date, location of injury on the body, child’s name, how it happened and nature of injury / accident.  Treatment given. Ensuring that member of staff signs record and a copy it given to the parent or carer and that the parent is also verbally told of incident.
      5. All old records are kept in the Head teacher’s office.

Illness:-

1. Assess the situation (has the child been recently off sick or is there a bug going around the school).
2. Check temperature of the child, take clothing off if necessary.
3. See how the child feels after 15 minutes or so.
4. Inform child’s teacher.
5. Contact parents or carers to collect child.
6. Ensure parent sign the child out of school in the relevant book in the reception area.

All staff are encouraged to undertake basic first aid training and two members of staff have ‘first aid at work’ certificates.  A list of all qualified First Aiders is located in the medical room’s cupboard.

First aid boxes are kept in the following locations within the school’s building:

• Nursery
• Medical Room
• Reception area

And all travelling first aid boxes are also located in the medical room.  Every term the contents of the boxes are checked and restocked.

Basic First Aid:-

Choking procedure:-

Child

1. Check child’s mouth for any obvious obstructions, NOT DO blind sweep fingers as these may impact further on an object and cause tissue damage.
2. If child is breathing encourage to keep coughing to release obstruction.
3. If the child shows signs of weakening, stops coughing or stops breathing, bend child forward and perform five back slaps.
4. Ensure the five back blows are between the shoulder blades and with the heel of your hand.
5. Again re check child’s mouth for any obvious obstructions.  If the choking continues perform five chest trusts.
6. Stand or kneel behind child.
7. Make a fist and place it against the lower half of the breastbone.
8. Grasp the fist with your other hand.
9. Pull sharply inwards and upwards.
10. Perform thrusts at the rate of 1 every 3 seconds.
11. Again re check child’s mouth for any obvious obstructions.  If the choking continues perform five abdominal thrusts.
12. Stand or kneel behind child.
13. Put both arms around the upper abdominal area.
14. Bend child forward.
15. Clench your fist and place it between the navel and the bottom of the breastbone.
16. Grasp it with your other hand.
17. Pull sharply inwards and upwards five times.

Call emergency services.

Baby:

1. Check baby’s mouth for any obvious obstructions.  DO NOT blind sweep fingers as this may cause impact on the object or tissue damage.
2. If baby shows signs of weakening, stops coughing or stops breathing perform five back slaps, ensuring that the baby’s head is lower than it’s chest.
3. Re check baby’s mouth for obstruction, if choking continues turn baby onto their back and perform five chest thrusts but only using TWO FINGERS.
4. If obstruction does not clear after three back slaps or chest thrusts.

Call emergency services.

DO NOT PERFORM ABDOMINAL THRUST ON BABIES.

Seek medical advice for any baby who has received chest thrusts.

Resuscitation Procedure:-

1. Open child’s airway by placing one hand on the forehead and gently tilting the head back and lifting the chin.  Remove any visible obstructions from the child’s mouth and nose.
2. Pinch the child’s nose and place your mouth over the child’s mouth and attempt five initial breaths.
3. Place your hands on the centre of the child’s chest and, with the heel of your hand, press down one third of the depth of the chest either using one or two hands.  After every 30 chest compressions perform 2 breaths.

If the child remains not breathing after one minute of CPR call the emergency services.  Or if another adult is present get them to call straight away while you start CPR.

Ensure you continue with cycles of 30 chest compressions and 2 breaths until the emergency services arrive.

Babies Resuscitation:-

1. Open baby’s airway by placing one hand on the forehead and gently tilting the baby’s head back and lifting the chin.  Remove all visible obstructions from the baby’s nose and mouth.
2. Place your mouth over the baby’s mouth and nose and by steadily blowing attempt 5 initial breaths.
3. Place 2 fingers in the middle of the chest and press down one third of the depth of the chest.  After every 30 chest compressions perform 2 breaths.

If the baby remains not breathing after one minute of CPR call the emergency services.  Or if another adult is present get them to call straight away while you start CPR.

Ensure you continue with cycles of 30 chest compressions and 2 breaths until the emergency services arrive.

Unconsciousness:-

Causes include:-

• Fainting.
• Inhalation of smoke
• Infantile convulsions.
• Shock.
• Head injuries.
• Heart attack.
• Asphyxia.
• Poisoning.
• Epilepsy.
• Diabetes.

Check responses:-

• Alert
• Responds to voice.
• Responds to pain.
• Unresponsive.

Open and clear airways and place child in recovery position.  Keep head tilted back and monitor breathing and pulse at least every 10 minutes.

Recovery Position:-

1. Place child’s arm nearest to you at a right angle.
2. Move the child’s other arm and with the back of their hand on their cheek.  Then get hold of the child’s knee furthest away from you and pull up until the foot is flat on the floor.
3. Pull the child’s knee towards you, keeping the child’s hand pressed against their cheek.  Position their leg at a right angle.
4. Make sure that you keep the child’s airway open until emergency services arrive.

Severe Bleeding procedure:-

Your main aim in treating is to stem the blood flow.  If you have gloves available please ensure you use them as it is important to reduce the risk of cross infection.

1. Check whether there is an object embedded in the wound.
2. If there is nothing embedded in the wound, press on wound with your hand, ideally with a clean pad, and secure with a bandage.
3. If the wound is on the arm or leg raise the injured limb above the level of the heart.
4. If the wound is embedded with an object, ensure that you do not press directly onto the object.  Press firmly either side of the object and build up padding around it before bandaging.

www.redcross.org.uk

Minor Burns:-

1. Hold affected area under cold running water for at least ten minutes or until the pain subsides.
2. Remove any jewellery that the child may be wearing.
3. Cover the burn with a clean non-fluffy cloth, a clean plastic bag or kitchen film to protect from infection.

Severe Burns:-

1. Start cooling main immediately under cold running water for at least 10 minutes or until the pain subsides.
2. Telephone emergency services.
3. Remove any jewellery or clothing to stop items sticking to the skin.
4. Cover the burn with a clean non-fluffy cloth, a clean plastic bag or kitchen film to protect from infection.

On all burns DO NOT use lotions, creams or adhesive dressings.

www.travelsafe.co.uk

Anaphylactic Shock:-

Anaphylactic shock is a sudden catastrophic allergic reaction involving the whole body.  Without immediate medical treatment the heart or circulation may fail and the child could die.

Common causes are:-

• Food (peanuts, almonds, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, fish, eggs and cows milk.
• Venom from bee and wasp stings.
• Latex rubber.
• Antibiotics.

An adrenaline injection must be administered immediately to prevent respiratory complications.  Sometimes administering antihistamines may calm the symptoms down until the emergency services arrive.

If the child is conscious sit them up or if they are unconscious put them into the recovery position.

Call emergency services.

www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/allergies/allergicconditions.

Minor Cuts and bumps procedures:-

1. Wash your hands before administering first aid.
2. Clean wound and administer antiseptic cream and cover with appropriate dressing.
3. Bump: hold cold compress against area affected.
4. For Head bump, ensure that the child does not feel sick or is sick, check eyes are focusing correctly.

www.childhealth.co.uk

You may find these resources useful when completing the course.

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This post is part of the 202 Keep Children Safe • NVQ Level 2 section, which forms the Childcare Learning And Development website.