norco17 wrote:Take a CPR course do what they tell you there. If you do get them awake start looking for symptoms of a concuscion.
In order of importance (remember your ABC's)
Airway
Breathing
Circulation
Neck and spinal cord stabilization
If they don't have an open airway everything is a waste. Breathing and circulation are secondary to the airway. If they do have a spinal cord injury then movement to the bodie can cause permanent paralysis, but if they don't have the ABC's they are dead anyway so those are your priorities.
To echo Norco, always keep in mind the priority of each system on the person's well-being. If the person is not breathing, or has no pulse, stabilizing the neck is not exactly the most important thing to do.
Some programs are teaching "ABCD" for Airway, Breathing, Circulation, and Dire-bleeding. As in, a life-threatening bleed needs to be urgently slowed or the patient will die. You don't have to toss the person's head back and forth to stop heavy bleeding but minor movements are unavoidable. You are at this point fighting for the patient's LIFE.
This is a very popular "7 steps of mountaineering first aid" for when you encounter an injured patient:
1 Take charge of the situation
2 Approach the patient
3 Perform URGENT rescue/first-aid (to include ABCDs and critical evac from imminent danger)
4 Protect the patient
5 Check for other injuries (this is where you will find neck/spine/concussion, along with less obvious or concealed bleeds, breaks, and checking vitals. You will also be interviewing the patient to assess brain function and help narrow down what else may be wrong)
6 Make a plan (include available personnel/supplies, ETA of help, evacuation needs, etc)
7 Carry out the plan