CPR + First Aid + BBP Certification Manual: Medical Emergencies
- 1. CPR Introduction
- 2. Recognizing Cardiac Arrest
- 3. Positioning & Pulse Check
- 4. Compressions for Adults
- 5. Compressions for Infants & Children
- 6. Ventilation Equipment
- 7. Ventilations for Adults
- 8. Ventilations for Infants & Children
- 9. AED Usage
- 10. AED Special Circumstances
- 11. Common CPR Mistakes
- 12. CPR Conclusion
- 13. First Aid Introduction
- 14. Get to Know Your First Aid Kit
- 15. Recognition & Protective Gear
- 16. Medical Emergencies
- 17. Medical Emergencies II
- 18. Trauma Emergencies
- 19. Trauma Emergencies II
- 20. Choking
- 21. Choking Procedures for Adults & Children
- 22. Choking Procedures for Infants
- 23. Aftercare
- 24. Common First Aid Mistakes
- 25. First Aid Conclusion
- 26. Bloodborne Pathogens Introduction
- 27. Protection from Pathogens
- 28. Protective Gear
- 29. Transmission
- 30. Exposure
- 31. Cleaning Exposed Areas
- 32. Reporting an Incident
- 33. Common BBP Mistakes
- 34. Bloodborne Pathogens Conclusion
- MyCPR Now™ Glossary
Allergy, SCA, Opioid, Poison & Seizure Emergencies
Medical emergencies may develop suddenly and require rapid recognition and appropriate first aid. Serious or worsening symptoms require professional medical assistance.
Allergic Reaction & Breathing Emergencies
An allergic reaction may cause:
- Hives or itching
- Swelling
- Wheezing
- Difficulty breathing
- Throat tightness
- Dizziness
- Collapse
A severe allergic reaction involving breathing difficulty, throat or tongue swelling, or signs of shock is a medical emergency.
First Aid Steps:
- Ensure scene safety
- Call 911 for a severe reaction
- Help the person use their prescribed epinephrine auto-injector if appropriate to your training and the person requires assistance
- Help the person remain in a comfortable position
- Monitor breathing and responsiveness
- Begin CPR if the person becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally
For a person experiencing asthma symptoms, help them access and use their prescribed rescue medication if requested and appropriate.
Heart Attack & Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Emergency
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to part of the heart muscle becomes blocked, causing damage to the heart. A person having a heart attack is usually conscious and breathing, but the condition can worsen and lead to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). SCA occurs when the heart abruptly stops beating effectively, causing the person to collapse, become unresponsive, and stop breathing normally.
Common Symptoms: Chest pressure, tightness, or pain, Pain spreading to the arm, back, neck, or jaw, Shortness of breath, Cold sweats, Nausea, Fatigue, Dizziness, Lightheadedness, Sudden collapse, Unresponsiveness, Absent or abnormal breathing such as gasping
First Aid Steps:
- Ensure scene safety
- Call 911 or activate emergency rescue services
- If the person is responsive and showing possible heart attack symptoms, stop activity and help them rest in a comfortable position
- If appropriate, have an alert adult chew 1 regular-strength or 2 low-dose aspirin if they can swallow safely, are not allergic to aspirin, have not been advised to avoid it, and are not bleeding significantly or showing signs of stroke
- Monitor breathing and responsiveness closely
- If the person becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally or is only gasping, begin CPR immediately, starting with chest compressions
- Use an AED as soon as one is available and follow its prompts
- Continue CPR and AED care until the person responds or professional rescuers take over
Opioid Overdose Emergency
Possible signs of an opioid overdose include:
- Unresponsiveness or inability to wake
- Slow, irregular, or absent breathing
- Blue, gray, or pale skin, lips, or fingernails
- Pinpoint pupils
- Gurgling or unusual breathing sounds
First Aid Steps:
- Ensure scene safety
- Call 911
- Check responsiveness and breathing
- Give naloxone if available and you know how to use it
- Begin CPR if the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally
- Give additional naloxone according to the product instructions when indicated
- Continue monitoring until professional help arrives
Poison Emergency
Poisoning may occur through swallowing, inhalation, injection, or contact with the skin or eyes.
First Aid Steps:
- Ensure scene safety and avoid exposing yourself
- Move away from the source when it can be done safely
- Call 911 for serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing, seizures, collapse, or reduced responsiveness
- Contact an appropriate poison information service for guidance
- Remove contaminated clothing when appropriate
- For skin or eye exposure, rinse with clean water as directed for the substance involved
- Do not induce vomiting unless specifically instructed by a qualified professional
- Do not give food, drink, medications, or home remedies unless instructed
- Preserve the container, label, or other identifying information when it can be done safely
Seizure Emergency
During a seizure:
- Ensure scene safety
- Clear nearby objects that could cause injury
- Protect the person's head when practical
- Do not restrain the person
- Do not put anything in the person's mouth
- Time the seizure
- After the seizure, monitor breathing and responsiveness
- Allow the person to recover in a safe position
Call 911 if:
- The seizure lasts about 5 minutes or longer
- Another seizure occurs before normal recovery
- The person has difficulty breathing
- The seizure follows a serious injury
- It is the person's first known seizure
- The person does not begin recovering normally
- Another serious or worsening condition is present