First Aid

AFC Urgent Care North Andover is here for you when you have been in an accident & need medical attention. However, there is always a gap in time between when the injury occurs & when you are being treated by one of our Providers. Having some first aid knowledge can go a long way when a situation goes south.

Always stop the bleeding

Blood is extremely contaminated & you should try your best to make sure you never come in contact with someone else’s blood. When tending to someone who is bleeding try to use gloves if possible. If gloves are not available, use a piece of clothing or cotton swabs! When we get a cut or gash the bodies natural response will be to clot the blood to prevent it from bleeding out. If the person is Anemic or is experiencing heavy bleeding, it is possible the body will not be able to clot, leaving the person at a severe health risk. In the event of someone bleeding heavily you should:

Put pressure on the wound preferably with a sterile piece of clothing
Do not elevate the injury
Make sure the wound is sterilized

Choking

When a piece of food or object gets lodged in a victim’s throat blocking their airways the body will start gasping for air, this is what we know as choking. When someone is just choking you must act fast if you don’t act fast, the victim can lose consciousness & die. Try to learn the Heimlich maneuver on someone who is choking on a foreign object.

The person who is choking most likely won’t be able to talk. Look for hands covering the throat
Stand behind the victim, wrap your arms around their midsection & place a fist between their rib cage & belly button.
With your other hand over the first deliver a quick thrust upward until the foreign object is removed from the victim’s throat.

Treating Shock

In the event of a traumatic event or massive loss of blood the victim could fall into shock. Shock occurs when the victim does not receive enough blood to their brain. If someone is suffering from shock the best thing to do is lay the victim on their back & elevate their feet about 12 inches. Then cover them with blankets or clothes to make sure they are warm.