First Aid - In Case of Emergency
So you find yourself in a situation where someone appears to need help. Lets assume the person is lying on the floor. This guidance refers to first aid for an adult.
- Put on your gloves.
- Talk to the person.
- If there is no answer, shake the person gently for example, by the shoulder.
→ Response
The person responds to your voice or the shaking.
Ask them whether they need help. In some cases the person may not be able to judge this properly (for example if they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, have a medical condition, or hit their head and are dazed). Look for signs such as slurred speech, weakness on one side of the face, or similar symptoms that could indicate a stroke. Is the person complaining of pain? Is there an obvious injury?
Warning: Chest pain possibly radiating into the left arm can be a sign of a heart problem. In these cases call emergency services (112) and stay with the person until the ambulance arrives. Emotional support also helps. If there are open wounds, treat them. If the person is in shock, keep them lying down and raise their legs slightly. A shock reaction also requires medical treatment!
→ No response
If there is no response, shout Help to get assistance from others who may be nearby. Ideally another helper will call emergency services (112).
- Check for any foreign objects in the mouth. Open the persons mouth and look inside. If there is fluid in the mouth, turn their head to the side and clear the mouth. Tip: Press the cheek between the persons teeth with your thumb to avoid being bitten if they wake up.
- Check breathing if the person is still unconscious. To do this, tilt the persons head back while they are on their back. Place your hands on their chin and forehead and tilt the head as if making them look up. Now lean over the patient with your ear and cheek near their mouth and nose looking toward the chest. This lets you feel and hear breathing and you may also see the chest move. Observe for about ten seconds. Because the person may be breathing slowly, you should not check only briefly.
Breathing present
If you find that the person is breathing but unconscious, place them in the recovery position. Dont forget to tilt the head back! Then call emergency services (112) if another helper has not already done so. Check breathing regularly!
Dont forget to tilt the head back! Then call emergency services (112) if another helper has not already done so.
No breathing
No breathing
If you find that the person is not breathing, call emergency services (112) if another helper has not already done so.
Then start cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
Place the person on a firm surface on their back. A bed or sofa is not suitable put the patient on the floor. Expose the chest and make sure the head is tilted back.
Kneel beside the persons chest. Place your hands, one on top of the other, in the middle of the chest and compress the chest about 5 to 6 cm with straight arms. About 100 times per minute. A helpful rhythm to remember is the song Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees. Dont be afraid of hurting the person a rib that breaks during CPR can heal, but cardiac arrest is life-threatening!
According to the latest guidelines, as a lay rescuer please focus on chest compressions only. Perform these continuously (without interruption) until emergency services tell you to stop or take over the resuscitation. When the ambulance arrives, continue CPR until they give you other instructions. If another helper is present, switch the person doing compressions every two minutes or so, because its tiring. Try to avoid pauses in compressions when switching continuous compressions are what keep the persons circulation going. Any pause during resuscitation means the circulation stops during that time.
If an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available, have someone fetch it. Do not leave the patient yourself continued resuscitation is the top priority. It must not be interrupted! Another helper should bring the device and apply it to the patient following the device instructions. The AED will give spoken prompts to guide you. Very important: dont be afraid of the device! Its designed for use by laypeople and guides you through the process. Just follow the instructions. Apps such as the Red Cross Defi App or the Defikataster app can tell you where the nearest AED is. These apps can also be used to call emergency services. However, the AED is not a substitute for CPR. It is an aid and supplement. You must continue compressions and, if instructed, ventilations when the AED tells you to.
One more reminder: Stop resuscitation only when emergency services tell you to stop or when they take over resuscitation.
Sources:
- https://www.aerzteblatt.de/archiv/25455/Reanimation-nur-noch-mit-Herzdruckmassage
- https://www.apotheken-umschau.de/Erste-Hilfe/Wiederbelebung-Was-tun-bei-Herzstillstand-32300.html
- https://www.kvhof.brk.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Ausbildung/Merkblatt_Erste_Hilfe_Maßnahmen_bei_erhöhtem_Infektionsrisiko.pdf
This article comes from BloodPressureDB – the leading app since 2011 that helps hundreds of thousands monitor their blood pressure every day.
Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based data and is continuously updated (as of 06/2024).
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.
Author Sabine Croci is a qualified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care, and has led BloodPressureDB's specialist editorial team since 2015. Thanks to her extensive additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder and in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides solid, practical and reliably reviewed information.
