CPR + First Aid Certification Manual: Common First Aid Mistakes

FIRST AID - COMMON MISTAKES

Avoiding common mistakes when administering First Aid can help ensure that the victim receives the correct treatment. Early response and making sure that the victim’s first aid is applied correctly are essential.

Some of the most common First Aid mistakes are listed below:

• Entering a dangerous situation to provide first aid
• Not asking permission to administer first aid
• Not calling 911 before treating anything but a minor wound
• Treating a minor wound before starting CPR or stopping a severe bleed
• Not cleaning a wound before bandaging it
• Unnecessarily moving a dislocated joint or fractured bone
• Not using PPE prior to administering first aid
• Improperly removing PPE and contaminating yourself
• Not properly disposing contaminated PPE
• Not applying direct downward pressure on a wound to stop bleeding
• Putting butter on a burn, which can trap heat and worsen the injury
• Not using cold water to ease the pain of a burn
• Using rubbing alcohol to bring down a fever, which can be absorbed through the skin and cause alcohol poisoning
• Using hot water to thaw frozen skin, which can cause skin damage
• Not using an ice pack or ice cubes properly for sprains or fractures
• Putting heat on a sprain or fracture, which can increase swelling
• Not using the RICE treatment (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) for sprains or fractures