Most people hold the misconception that first aid is solely the responsibility of hospitals and medical staff, beyond the capability of ordinary citizens. When encountering a person with a sudden medical emergency, many know to call an ambulance or rush the patient to hospital. Yet in most cases, by the time emergency responders arrive or the patient reaches medical facilities, the golden window for life-saving first aid has already passed.
Compared with developed countries, Chinese citizens have extremely limited knowledge and practical skills in first aid. At the 28th International Red Cross Conference, the Chinese government made a commitment to ensure that by 2008, more than 1% of the local population would receive standardized first aid training. Popularizing first aid knowledge and skills is a shared obligation of medical institutions and every citizen. A widely recognized mantra in emergency medicine states: who is the lifesaver of a critically ill patient at the scene? It is you—the first witness.
Since September 9, 2006, the Emergency Medical Center and Outpatient Department of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force General Hospital has held free public first aid training lectures every week. The core content of these lectures has been serialized in magazines to reach more readers. Mastering basic first aid skills brings tremendous benefits to oneself, family members, friends, and even strangers nearby.
1. Response to Cardiopulmonary Arrest
Two core life-saving interventions are required when a patient stops breathing and has no palpable heartbeat: mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing and chest compressions.
First, confirm cardiac arrest: gently shake the patient’s shoulders and call out loudly to check for consciousness. Rapidly assess pupil size, facial complexion, respiration and arterial pulse. Lay the patient flat on the ground or a rigid board, tilt the head backward, and initiate mouth-to-mouth ventilation.
Steps for ventilation: pinch the patient’s nostrils shut with the thumb and index finger, take a deep breath, fully seal your mouth over the patient’s mouth, and deliver deep, rapid breaths while performing chest compressions.
Compression site: midpoint of the line connecting the two nipples. Place the palm of one hand on the target area, stack the second hand on top, interlock fingers and lift them off the chest wall. Keep your arms fully extended, align the midpoint of your shoulders vertically above the compression site, and use your upper body weight and shoulder muscle strength to press straight down, depressing the sternum by 4 to 5 centimeters. Compressions must be steady and continuous without interruption; compression and relaxation phases should be equal in duration, with a brief full pause at the maximum depth of compression. Keep palms in constant contact with the chest during relaxation.
Standard ratio: 30 compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths, at a compression rate of 100 times per minute. While one rescuer performs CPR, others must call emergency services immediately.
2. Correct Transfer of Patients with Spinal Injuries
Medically, spinal trauma falls into three categories:
Bone fracture fragments directly damage the spinal cord, resulting in permanent paraplegia.
Fractures do not injure the spinal cord but cause temporary paraplegia.
The spinal cord remains intact immediately after fracture, yet improper handling during transfer triggers secondary spinal cord damage and subsequent paraplegia.
Deputy Director Guo Xiaodong from the Emergency Medical Center of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force General Hospital outlines standardized transfer procedures:
Log-roll repositioning
Reposition the patient as a single intact unit into a supine position via coordinated log rolling; avoid twisting the torso like a wrung towel. If cervical spine injury is suspected, stabilize the neck strictly, preventing forward/backward tilting or left/right rotation. A cervical collar is preferred; sandbags may be placed on both sides of the neck as a temporary immobilization substitute.
Smooth horizontal lifting
A minimum of four rescuers are required at the scene: one stabilizes the head, one supports the chest and back, one lifts the lumbar region and hips, and one holds the lower limbs. Follow a unified verbal command to lift the patient synchronously and place them flat onto a rigid board. Secure the patient fully to the board with multiple bandages or cloth strips. Three to four staff members then carry the board smoothly onto a stretcher. Ambulance drivers must maintain a slow speed to avoid jolting the patient. Upon hospital arrival, clearly inform receiving physicians of the fall mechanism, clinical manifestations and all on-site first aid measures to ensure continuous, targeted diagnosis and treatment.
3. Household First Aid for Accidental Oral Drug Poisoning
Accidental drug ingestion, also known as drug poisoning, occurs under two main circumstances: unintentional overdose or mixed medication due to carelessness or non-compliance with medical advice; and intentional self-harm by patients with psychological disorders.
For conscious patients with mild poisoning who live far from hospitals, prompt home intervention can mitigate toxic effects and buy critical time for formal emergency care. Head Nurse Yang Kaiping from the Emergency Medical Center of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force General Hospital shares core management principles:
Rapid toxin elimination
Expelling ingested drugs from the body as quickly as possible is the top priority. Stimulate the posterior pharyngeal wall with a spoon or chopstick to induce vomiting. Alternatively, administer a large volume of warm boiled water before triggering gag reflexes, followed by oral vegetable oil to promote catharsis.
Inhibit gastrointestinal toxin absorption
If vomiting and catharsis fail to fully clear toxic substances, common household antidotes may be used to reduce toxicity:
(1) Neutralizing agents: Dilute vinegar, orange juice or lemon juice to neutralize strong alkali poisoning.
(2) Adsorbents: 10–20 grams of activated charcoal mixed with half a cup of water, effective for alkaloid toxins.
(3) Mucosal protectants: Milk, egg white solution, starch or peanut oil reduce corrosive damage and lubricate gastrointestinal linings, suitable for strong acid, strong alkali and heavy metal salt poisoning. Oil preparations are recommended for phenol poisoning, while starch products work for iodine poisoning.
Accelerate systemic toxin excretion
Encourage abundant water intake and intravenous fluid diuresis for toxins already absorbed into the bloodstream, diluting toxic agents and promoting their elimination via urine.
Specialist reminder: The above methods are only for preliminary household emergency management. If the hospital is nearby, transfer the patient for professional medical treatment without delay.