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Introduction

Whether your patient is an infant, child or adult the assessment and treatment of an
ABC compromise remains basically the same. You are attempting to mimic artifi-
cially what their body would do naturally. Among children initial respiratory arrest is
much more common than cardiac arrest and has a much higher chance of survival
than cardiac arrest. It is very important to provide effective breaths for infants and
children during cardiac arrest. The child requires CPR performed like the adult, ex-
cept we accommodate for their smaller body size. Push hard and fast when perform-
ing chest compressions and do not push as deep on their chest as you would an adult
and give less volume when you provide artificial breaths.

“Chest compressions are the foundation of CPR. All rescuers, regardless of training,
should provide chest compressions to all cardiac arrest victims. Because of their im-
portance, chest compressions should be the initial action for all victims regardless of
age. Rescuers who are able should add ventilations to the chest compressions.
Highly trained rescuers working together should coordinate their care and perform
chest compressions as well as ventilations in a team-based approach”. (HSFC, G2010)
Triage

Triage is the sorting of patients into treatment categories. It usually refers to a multiple
patient situation. There are times when a First Aider may have to make decisions on
the treatment of patients in situations where there are more patients than rescuers.

Unfortunately, to provide the best medical treatment for the most needy, some seri-
ously injured patients may have to be temporarily ignored. The objective is to pro-
vide first aid assistance to patients who will survive because of it and not to those
who are likely to die.

To triage an accident your emergency approach and initial assessment has to be
objective – Who needs treatment to save their life? Who will really benefit and who
won’t? If I treat one person will others suffer seriously from lack of attention?

If you become concerned with a patient in cardiac arrest you will be fully committed
performing CPR at the expense of another who may be saved by your active inter-
vention. Patients in cardiac arrest are only given CPR if there are no other seri-
ously injured patients requiring life saving treatment

The most knowledgeable or experienced person present should undertake triage.

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