[Image above: First Aid symbol]

Following up on the CPR training earlier, we attended a first aid training conducted by the good doctors (got to really thank them to take some time out on a sunday for us) at NIGHTINGALES LIFESAVING SERVICES (NLS) *.

One would have the question: Why do you need to learn First Aid ?

From NLS material:

Many lives are endangered and subject to needless agony due to lack of timely and correct initial treatment. This is primarily due to lack of awareness about correct techniques of First Aid and its benefits and the non- availability of trained people.

In many emergency situations due to accidents on the road, in homes and workplaces, rendering immediate First Aid will help prevent further damage and promote recovery. Delay in timely First Aid leads to greater complications, longer duration of treatment and often loss of life or damage to body parts in addition to greater expense.

There is, hence, a great need for increasing the awareness among people about the need for and correct measures in providing First Aid.

What I felt about the training:

• helped me to understand the very vital need for first aid in some life threatening situations and how it could help to promote recovery and relieve pain in other normal situations.
• taught me a step-by-step approach towards providing first aid.
• to name a few situations we were trained to handle: bleeding & shock, burns, electrical injuries, fractures, bites/stings, asphyxia, poisoning etc..
• trains one in using the first aid kit (available in automobiles and offices) effectively.
• debunks (exposes) first aid myths and faulty home made medical solutions.
• gives confidence in handling emergency situations and avoid panic.

Please REMEMBER: first aid is only initial assistance/treatment, further treatment by a doctor is a must.

* For training please contact :

Dr Asma
Project coordinator
NIGHTINGALES LIFESAVING SERVICES
(a project of Nightingales Medical Trust in memory of Shri.Harish C Mahindra)
337,2nd Cross, 1st Block, R.T.Nagar, Bangalore – 560032
Ph: 23548444/555/666/777 Fax: 23548999
E-mail: nhhs@bgl.vsnl.net.in

Recently, I had attented this training and found it very useful. I feel everyone should undergo this training, coz god only knows when & where it could be useful ?

Thousands of precious lives are lost every year due to cardiac arrests that occur at home, workplaces, schools and on roads unexpectedly. It is found that in such emergencies almost always no proper medical help is available on time. People around are mere onlookers and helpless. Such situations can happen anytime and anywhere and to anyone. Many of these valuable lives could have been saved by the timely administration of Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Therefore it is vital that as many laypeople as possible are trained in CPR.

The American Heart Association estimates that 1,00,000 to 2,00,000 lives can be saved each year if CPR were performed early enough. The numbers for India could be several times larger. Also millions of adults and children suffer disabling injuries resulting from accidents which may require CPR.

CPR is the process for artificially maintaining blood circulation to the brain when the heart stops beating due to heart attacks, accidents, drowning, choking, electrocution, poisoning etc. CPR, if administered immediately, can save almost 1 in 2 victims. Each minute’s delay in starting CPR reduces the victim’s chances of survival by 7 to 10%.

The Nightingales Lifesaving Services, a project of Nightingales Medical Trust, in memory of Shri Harish C. Mahindra, was started in February 2000 with the objective of increasing awareness about CPR and creating a community of trained and confident lifesavers who can save precious lives during emergencies.

The project has, on date, trained over 11800 socially conscious people including doctors, nurses and individuals from corporates, social organizations, police, auto drivers, hospitals, educational and other institutions.

TRAINING :

In the training the participant is given a hands on experience on a medical manikin (Annie). The training is scheduled on a Saturday/Sunday .

For the people with no time here is a happy news, the training does not take more than 5 Hours. At the end the of the training the participant is given a CPR certificate which has to be renewed annually.

For training please contact :

Dr Asma
Project coordinator
NIGHTINGALES LIFESAVING SERVICES
(a project of Nightingales Medical Trust in memory of Shri.Harish C Mahindra)
337,2nd Cross, 1st Block, R.T.Nagar, Bangalore – 560032
Ph: 23548444/555/666/777 Fax: 23548999
E-mail: nhhs@bgl.vsnl.net.in