Topics in First Aid

Next fall as part of my first semester of sophmore year in college I plan to take a basic First Aid course. It isn't required and I have all my P.E. credits, but I want to have the awareness surrounding myself that I can help someone (or even myself) if life was at risk. I think it would be a good idea to actually read up on this and gain any knowledge I can before the class, so it will be more familiar. Can anyone recommend any top-notch books on First Aid? I appreciate any acknowledgments because I just want to get started as soon as possible learning as much as I can before the class takes place.

Thanks Smile

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Never | Stop | Exploring

Well i'm not sure personally, but I have to say they give you a good book at the course to keep.

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"There dosen't look like there's much shelter over in those mountains, but that's the only choice I got right now, this is gonna be a long week" - Les Stroud Arctic

+1 the books that most of these classes ask you to buy are top notch books. I use to have a whole mess of them (like twelve!) but I sold them back to the school for a little cash. Really they will teach you all you need to know, you won't come out of it being an EMT or anything, but you will know how to prep someone good enough until the EMTs do get there.

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Where the Eagles fly, and the Caribou lie is where I want to be, the Wolf waits there for me.....
-Les Stroud

Thanks both of you.

Do you know of any basic reading material I can get my hands before then?

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Never | Stop | Exploring

It's kind of hard to say "buy this book" and "Pass on that one" because many of the books I had were special in their own way. For instance, one book would completly bypass broken bones, but would go indepth on other important items like hypothermia, and hyperthermia. I personally would avoid any books on CPR, and just take a class on that. When I prepped for the CPR class from my work I studied every little website, and book out there, but when I took the class I found out that a lot has changed from maybe five years ago if that. For instance the first step many of the books I owned sayed to grab the victim by the shoulder and "gently shake" to get a response. But in reality you are moving them a lot more by doing that. Now they say to "tap and shout" buy lightly tapping down (towards the toes) on the shoulders and shouting "can you hear me? Are you alright?" before moving on to the next step. You can really break the bank buying some of those books too. I remember one cost something like $158. Shocked

I would go hit up the used book stores and spend a day in there looking over them. Find out which ones seem to give the best advise (in detail) and which ones just skim over everything.

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Where the Eagles fly, and the Caribou lie is where I want to be, the Wolf waits there for me.....
-Les Stroud

Oh ok, I now understand your point. Books in medicene, especially first First Aid, are bound to change every year. I'm just really excited for the class and want learn. I guess ill just have to wait.

Thanks for your input.

I used to live in Scottsdale, Arizona six years ago and can definately understand the kind of heat out there. I even made eggs on the sidewalk it was so hot out one day Laughing

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Never | Stop | Exploring

Well by all means go buy a book. Something, is better than nothing. When we help others to learn CPR, ussually the general public, they always ask "What if I break a rip, or kill the person?" We tell them that the victim is not breathing, and so is already more or less dead. If you break their rib and get them to start breathing again, then who in their right mind is going to sue you over that? There has never been one case like that ever who has made it past the inital hearing. The judges ussually toss it out right away. Go buy some first aid books and learn what to do. If you only help the person out a little bit then they are that much better off than they were before.

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Where the Eagles fly, and the Caribou lie is where I want to be, the Wolf waits there for me.....
-Les Stroud

If you buy a book, get one that has been printed after September 2006 because the standards for CPR and first aid changed slightly.

If at all possible see if you can find a Wilderness Medical Responder or Wilderness First Aid class sometimes called WEMT(well actually I have seen several names) The most important part is they place emphasis on the wilderness scenarios as well as regular first aid/CPR. I can't speak for all the classes but the ones I have taken were excellent. One of the classes I took was a week long, with long days in the classroom and in the field. We actually lived in the wilderness during the class. It even had Physicians teach some of the sessions.

Awesome. I'll check that out around my local area.

But weren't you a first aid teacher or something? If that was the case, Illinois here I come! It'd be cool to learn from you Razz

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Never | Stop | Exploring

Actually it was when I was first getting started in Search and Rescue(several years ago) in Indiana sponsored by NASAR National Association of Search and Rescue. So you could check WWW.NASAR.org or just do a GOOGLE on "Wilderness Emergency Medicine" That was probably one of the best classes I have went to for medical in the field. Most of my medic classes just cover urbanized type medical calls all though I do get a remote rescue sometimes.