Last month, Mariapaola Sorrentino, one of the Lay Dominicans in Cambridge, volunteered to provide first aid training for the Novices, training them how to respond to incidents in a safe and helpful way. The two-hour tutorial was a practical session with many invaluable insights like, “don’t rush to drive someone to the hospital, an ambulance is a much safer and a certified means of transportation in a medical emergency.”  She encouraged seeking professional help, and the help of others during an emergency.

The session focused on the topics below, yet touched on many others not specifically mentioned:

Choking

Indications:

• Difficulty breathing
• Coughing
• Discolouration

Remedies:

• Blows between the shoulders on their back
• Abdominal thrusts

Stroke

Indications:

• Face drooping
• Arms dropped, weak movement
• Speech difficulty

Remedies:

• Seek medical assistance quickly, call 999

Bleeding

Remedies:

• If the cut is small, Clean wound place a bandage
• If cut is large, put pressure on the wound to stop bleeding
• If cut on arm, ensure the arm is above the heart, restrict blood flow

Unconscious

Remedies:

• Place in Recovery position if they are breathing,
• If they are not breathing, check the airway for obstructions, using gloves. Call for help and if necessary perform CPR