First Aid Principles 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A rescuer is providing care and must leave the scene briefly. What should they do?
- Leave without saying anything to avoid alarming the patient
- Transfer care to another trained person or ensure someone stays with the patient (Correct answer)
- Instruct the patient to call 911 themselves
- Stop all interventions before leaving
Correct answer: Transfer care to another trained person or ensure someone stays with the patient
Care should never be abandoned; the rescuer must hand off responsibility to another competent person before leaving to maintain continuity of care.
Question 2: Which body system does a first aider assess when checking 'circulation' in the primary survey?
- The respiratory system for breathing adequacy
- The cardiovascular system for pulse and severe bleeding (Correct answer)
- The nervous system for pain response
- The musculoskeletal system for fractures
Correct answer: The cardiovascular system for pulse and severe bleeding
Checking circulation in the primary survey includes looking for major external bleeding and assessing for a pulse to determine if CPR is needed.
Question 3: What does 'triage' mean in a multiple-casualty first aid situation?
- Providing immediate full care to every victim in order of discovery
- Sorting victims by severity so limited resources go to those most likely to benefit (Correct answer)
- Evacuating all victims regardless of injury severity
- Treating the most severely injured victim until EMS arrives, then moving on
Correct answer: Sorting victims by severity so limited resources go to those most likely to benefit
Triage is the process of prioritizing patients based on injury severity and survival probability so that available resources are used most effectively.
Question 4: Why is it important for a first aider to stay calm during an emergency?
- Calm rescuers are immune to infection from the patient
- Calm behavior reassures the patient and leads to more effective decision-making (Correct answer)
- Only calm rescuers are protected by Good Samaritan Laws
- Staying calm ensures the rescuer is never held liable
Correct answer: Calm behavior reassures the patient and leads to more effective decision-making
A composed rescuer thinks more clearly, communicates better, and helps reduce the patient's anxiety, which can have a positive effect on the patient's outcome.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes 'standard precautions' in first aid?
- Wearing full surgical gowns for every patient contact
- Treating all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious regardless of the patient's diagnosis (Correct answer)
- Using precautions only when the patient has a known infectious disease
- Washing hands only after treating wounds that are visibly bleeding
Correct answer: Treating all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious regardless of the patient's diagnosis
Standard precautions assume all blood and body fluids are potentially infectious, protecting both the rescuer and the patient from cross-contamination.
Question 6: A patient is conscious but confused after a head injury. Which first aid principle is most important?
- Give the patient water to help with shock
- Monitor closely, keep them still, and prevent further injury while waiting for EMS (Correct answer)
- Encourage the patient to walk around to stay awake
- Apply ice directly to the head wound
Correct answer: Monitor closely, keep them still, and prevent further injury while waiting for EMS
Confusion after head trauma may indicate a serious brain injury; the patient should be kept calm and still, with continuous monitoring until EMS arrives.
Question 7: What does the principle of 'do no further harm' require from a first aider?
- Avoid performing any intervention that carries any risk
- Use only interventions appropriate to training and avoid actions that could worsen the patient's condition (Correct answer)
- Refuse to help until EMS arrives to ensure safety
- Only provide care if the rescuer has formal medical certification
Correct answer: Use only interventions appropriate to training and avoid actions that could worsen the patient's condition
Primum non nocere — first, do no harm — means acting within your training, using proper technique, and avoiding unnecessary interventions that could make the situation worse.
First Aid Principles 4
A rescuer is providing care and must leave the scene briefly.
What should they do?