7 Basic Life Saving Skills That Will Help You Save A Life

By Cristiano Antonino On May 4, 2023

Life saving skills are essential: You never know when you can find yourself faced with an emergency situation

It could be that someone you are with is injured or in trouble, or you could encounter a stranger who needs medical attention.

Regardless of the circumstances, acting in an emergency and saving a life is an invaluable skill that everyone should have.

Learning some basic life saving skills will have you covered in most types of emergencies, with these seven areas being the most important to know.

Here are the basic lifesaving skills:

Learning Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

If someone has a heart attack or heart disease, performing high-quality CPR can make the difference between life and death. When the heart stops during a cardiac arrest, CPR is a life saving skills or technique that manually pumps blood and oxygen to the brain and organs to keep the victim alive until emergency medical help arrives.

Proper CPR training is the best way to learn this life saving skills, but even without it, you can perform CPR chest compressions or hands-only CPR. Press on the victim’s chest at least two inches down, at the rate of two compressions per second or 120 chest compressions per minute. Continue without stopping until it restores the normal heart rate, or emergency assistance can take over.

Using The Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

In addition to performing high-quality CPR during a cardiac arrest, knowing how to use an AED (automated external defibrillator) is a critical life saving skills to have to respond to medical emergencies. While CPR keeps blood flowing, it does not restart the heart.

To do this, an AED is needed. These lifesaving devices are available in public areas like shopping centers and airports. Certification is recommended, however even without formal AED training, you can still use the AED during life threatening emergencies.

The automated voice machine will walk rescuers through the steps needed to use it on a cardiac arrest victim. There are currently no published studies that address whether compressions during manual defibrillator or AED rhythm analysis affect patient outcome.

Check for Signs of Life

In any medical emergency, it’s essential to know how to check a victim for signs of life, including breathing and a pulse. First, make sure the area is safe for you to attend to the victim. Next, kneel next to them and ask loudly, “Are you ok?” If they do not respond, look for the rise and fall of their chest to indicate breathing and check their pulse by placing your index and middle fingers on their inner wrist or the side of their neck just under the jaw.

Using The Bandage

Using a bandage correctly is also a basic life saving skills. When a victim is bleeding heavily, it’s important to get it under control right away to prevent further blood loss. If they are available, put gloves on before assisting the victim. Have them lie down and cover them with a blanket. Elevate the injured area and use a clean cloth or bandage to cover the wound.

Apply continuous pressure for 20 minutes before checking to see if the bleeding has stopped. If the bleeding has not stopped, apply pressure to the artery, either inside the arm between the elbow and the armpit for the arm or upper body injuries or behind the knee or in the groin for leg injuries. Apply direct pressure with one hand while continuing to keep pressure on the wound with the other hand.

Heimlich maneuver

The Heimlich maneuver is a life-saving skills that can save a choking person’s life. Performing the Heimlich maneuver or abdominal thrusts is only recommended for treating conscious choking victims. Anyone can do this, not just certified healthcare providers and medical emergency services.

Standing behind them, deliver five blows to the middle of their back with the heel of your hand. If that does not dislodge the foreign body responsible for the choking, wrap your arms around their chest. Then, make a fist between the bottom of their ribcage and their navel. Perform five rapid abdominal thrusts, pulling back and upward thrusts on their body as if you were trying to lift them off the ground.

First Aid for Burning

Burns have different classifications of injuries — first, second, and third-degree burns. Minor burns should be treated by running cold water on the area for 10 minutes then lightly applying a cool, moist compress to the area. Do not apply creams or dressings to the area. Give the victim Tylenol or Advil if available. Severe burns require immediate medical care by calling 911.

Save from Drowning

One of the most common causes of accidental death, drowning can happen even in shallow bodies of water. The phrase “reach, throw, row, go” is used to remember the technique used to save a person who is drowning:

One of the most common causes of accidental death, drowning can happen even in shallow bodies of water.

These life support skills and more are taught in basic life saving skills courses

In a Basic Life Support or BLS training program, healthcare providers will learn the proper life saving skills and techniques for rescuing victims in a wide variety of dangerous situations.

It doesn’t have to be expensive or take away too much of your time.

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