First Aid in Action!

Today was a very eventful day for me because I actually got to use some of the first aid I learned last term!

A friend of mine (M) was running in the common room when she twisted her ankle. She began to walk back towards her seat saying things like "I feel faint", and "I think I'm going to faint". I tried to encourage her to lie down and raise her legs but she said she was fine, and sat down on a chair, leaning forwards to "take a minute". At this point I was holding her shoulder just to be sure. She stayed like this for about a minute or two, not saying anything.

At this point, one of her other friends (A) decided that it might be time for her to sit up again. We gently pushed her into an upright position, only to see that her face was as white as a sheet, and despite the fact that her eyes were open, she was unresponsive. 

I decided that at this point I needed to do something - before I had been a little hesitant to act because yeah, I'd done a course in it, but that didn't make me an expert and I didn't want to make any serious mistakes. I realised now however, that I had to act, so I got A to help me lift her to the floor while someone went to go and get some help. We put her legs on the chair, and settled her, (which is what you're supposed to do) and then stayed with her. 

At this point an adult arrived (K). She was not, it quickly emerged, trained in first aid, but she'd contacted someone who was. K’s first act was to take M's feet off the chair, and to try and get her into the recovery position. I stepped back (I thought she knew what she was doing) but quickly had to help again because K had simply rolled M onto her face.

Thankfully, the big guns arrived, and Mrs H (a trained first aider) turned up. She raised M’s feet for a minute or so, before transporting her to the comfy chairs, where she got her a drink of water, and slightly raised her legs again. M came round and became coherent and after about 20 minutes she went home with her mum.

 I was concerned that M was ok, but I was also pleased that I had been able to help, and I think that now I would be far more confident to use what I learned. I was also surprised that the teacher attempted to tend to her without first aid training. I felt that this highlighted the need for everyone to learn at least some basic first aid and how it can really have a drastic effect.