The relationship between first aid and emergency health

The core conclusion is very clear - first aid is the most front-end core intervention link in the emergency health system and the most closely related to the individual public. The two are interdependent in "front-end risk prevention" and "full-cycle bottom line protection". Emergency health covers the entire chain of prediction of sudden health risks, pre-treatment, medical treatment, and subsequent recovery, and first aid is the key node that determines the upper limit of risk and injury.

In the late autumn of last year, I was at the end of a first aid lecture in the community. I met Aunt Li, who lived in Building 12, and pulled me to stuff a bag of home-baked persimmons. She said that her husband had a heart attack while playing chess downstairs last month. He relied on the chest compressions he learned from me six months ago and saved his life before 120 came. Now he has recovered enough to go downstairs for a walk.

I was particularly impressed by this incident, because during the lecture there was a young man muttering in the audience, saying, "First aid is only a matter for doctors. It's useless for us to learn it, and we might still be held responsible."

In fact, there are indeed two completely different views on the popularity of first aid in the industry, and there is no absolute right or wrong. One group is a supporter of "universal first aid" and advocates incorporating basic first aid operations into compulsory education. After all, the golden 4 minutes of cardiac arrest are so short. It takes an average of 15 minutes to wait for 120 to arrive. Even if a person who is half-understood dares to press the button, the survival rate is more than three times higher than waiting. Data from the China Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2023 can also prove it: the survival rate of domestic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is less than 1%, and more than 90% of the cases have no witnesses taking any first aid measures when the onset occurs. The other group is a supporter of "standardized first aid." They use the statistics of medical disputes in a certain province in 2022 as an example: 17 disputes in the whole year were caused by improper first aid operations by non-professionals. Some broke ribs and punctured lungs, and some indiscriminately helped an old man who fell, resulting in cervical spine injury and paraplegia. They feel that they should not take action without a certificate to avoid secondary injuries.

I have attended dozens of community and corporate first aid trainings, and the most intuitive feeling is that most people have a narrow understanding of the relationship between first aid and emergency health.

Many people think that first aid means chest compressions and artificial respiration, which only people wearing white coats can do. In fact, first aid in the field of emergency health is mostly trivial things that ordinary people can do easily. If you encounter someone suffering from heat stroke in summer, first help him to a cool place, untie his collar and hand him some salt water. It is much more effective than standing in a panic and calling 120.； A child got stuck in his throat after eating jelly. Searching for a video of the Heimlich maneuver and talking about it may save his life. ； Even if your hand is cut by a knife, first apply pressure to stop the bleeding and then apply iodine. This is first aid. In essence, it makes subsequent medical treatment less difficult and is part of emergency health.

Of course, you can't always rush forward in every situation. The first thing I say in every training is: The first rule of first aid is not to cause trouble first, and then to help. For example, if you mistakenly take corrosive substances such as toilet cleaners and strong acids, do not induce vomiting blindly, as it will repeatedly burn the esophagus. ； If you fall down and complain that your neck hurts and you can't move, don't rush to help. Call 120 as soon as possible and wait for professionals to fix it. These are the experiences gained from going through countless pitfalls.

To put it bluntly, if you encounter a particularly serious situation, you can do nothing. Just protect the person from being hurt again, make a clear 120 call for help, and explain the address, symptoms, and whether there are any underlying diseases. This can be regarded as effective first aid intervention.

I was chatting with a teacher from the city emergency center before, and he said that there is an old saying in the industry: "First aid does not require you to be a doctor, but it requires you to prevent the situation from getting worse before the doctor comes." Nowadays, many people think that emergency health is a matter for disease control, hospitals, and the government, and has nothing to do with them. In fact, when an emergency occurs, you standing by the side are the front line of defense in the entire emergency health system.

I carry a mini first aid kit in my bag all year round. It contains hemostatic patches, iodophor cotton pads and a small card with the emergency number printed on it. I don’t know if I will use it someday. After all, risks never tell you in advance.