Document Reference Version/Revision Effective Date 24 May 2015 Review Date May 2017 Author(s) Reviewer(s) Approved by First Aid Policy Vanessa Pollard, HR and Facilities Manager LMT Ed Goodwin, Principal Version/Revision Date Reason for most Recent Revision v1.0 March 2015 Reviewed and reissued as per guidelines in WS-PRO-001. Minor changes. May 2015 Updated telephone numbers. Page 1 of 14
Contents 1 INTRODUCTION... 3 2 FIRST AID PROVISION... 3 2.1 SCHOOL NURSES & OTHER STAFF WITH A MEDICAL BACKGROUND OR FIRST AID TRAINING...3 2.2 PROCEDURE...4 2.3 KNOCKS TO THE HEAD...5 2.4 WHEN A CALL IS MADE TO THE EMERGENCY SERVICES...5 3 FIRST AID KITS... 6 3.1 LOCATIONS OF STANDARD FIRST AID KITS...6 3.2 FIRST AID KITS FOR OFF-SITE NON-RESIDENTIAL TRIPS (TRAVELLING FIRST AID KITS)...6 3.3 EMERGENCY FIRST AID KITS...6 4 AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS (AEDS)... 7 4.1 LOCATIONS OF AED DEVICES...7 5 PERSONAL MEDICATION... 7 6 HYGIENE... 8 7 APPENDIX A: WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY CPR... 9 7.1 FOR CHILDREN FROM AGE 1 TO 12... 10 7.2 FOR ADULTS (12 YEARS +)... 10 8 APPENDIX B: WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY USING THE AED... 12 9 APPENDIX C: FIRST AID KIT CONTENTS... 13 10 APPENDIX D: WHEN A CALL IS MADE TO EMERGENCY SERVICES... 14 Page 2 of 14
1 Introduction The purpose of this policy is to ensure that every pupil, employee and visitor at St Christopher s School will be well looked after in the event of an injury or accident. First aid is the immediate treatment necessary for the purpose of preserving life and minimising the consequences of injury or illness until expert medical assistance can be obtained. First aid also includes the initial treatment of minor injuries, which will not need treatment by a medical practitioner. The object of first aid is to offer assistance to anyone injured or suddenly taken ill before expert help from a doctor or nurse is available, or before an ambulance arrives. The Aims of First Aid are Threefold: Saving life by prompt and initial action Preventing the injury or condition from deteriorating Helping recovery through reassurance and protection from further danger The School will provide an adequate provision of trained Nurses. All employees are expected to use their best endeavours at all times, particularly in emergencies, to secure the welfare of the pupils, employees and visitors at the School. The School will support this with the provision of regular, voluntary first aid training and information in the Staff Rooms. The aim of this policy is to implement and maintain effective systems for ensuring the provision of adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and personnel at our sites and during off-site activities. This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis. 2 First Aid Provision The School has adequate and appropriate provision of first aid equipment, facilities and appropriately trained staff to enable first aid to be administered to pupils, employees and visitors if they become injured or ill. A list of these persons is provided in each Staff Room and at each school reception. 2.1 School Nurses & other Staff with a Medical Background or First Aid Training The School employs trained nursing staff as School Nurses at each site. The main duties of the School Nurses according to this policy are to: Maintain first aid equipment stocks Give immediate help to casualties with common injuries or illnesses and those arising from specific hazards at school Record all treatment given in the Treatment Book Contact parents to make necessary arrangements for a child to go home or advise that a child is being transported to hospital When necessary, ensure that an ambulance or other professional medical help is sought Provide annual wallet-sized cards for all staff to advise of emergency medical numbers, School Nurse mobile numbers, Arabic speakers telephone numbers and street addresses of school sites The School also employs other staff with a medical background or staff who have been trained according to the first aid training provided by the School. The assistance of these staff may be required should the Page 3 of 14
School Nurse be off-site or otherwise unable to deal with a medical situation. A list of these persons is provided in each Staff Room and at each school reception. Pupils should NOT be allowed to provide first aid to other persons unless it would result in emergency first aid being delayed. School Nurses are required to keep their work mobile phone on their person at all times whilst on duty. This includes times when they may be off-site during working hours. 2.2 Procedure In any situation requiring first aid, precautions must always be followed to reduce the risk of transmitting blood borne infections such as hepatitis and HIV (the AIDS virus). This approach assumes that all blood products and bodily fluids are potentially infectious thus the following procedures should always be applied: Staff should always cover any open wounds on their own hands with a waterproof adhesive dressing. Disposable gloves must be worn when dealing with bleeding / cleaning up bodily fluids. 2.2.1 During School hours or at other times when the School Nurse is on Duty Anyone requiring attention should report to the Health Room. In cases where the member of staff cannot leave the sick or injured child, a responsible pupil should be asked to immediately inform the School Nurse or another member of staff such as the teacher in the neighbouring classroom (as appropriate) that assistance is needed. Alternatively, the internal telephone system should be used to contact the School Nurse or Reception. If a pupil requires non-emergency hospital attention, the School Nurse will contact their parents/carers in the first instance. If the pupil s parents/carers are not available, a taxi will be called by the School Nurse to transport the pupil to hospital, accompanied by a member of staff of the same gender with some knowledge of first aid, where possible. In some cases, it may be necessary for two members of staff to accompany the patient. This will be decided by the School Nurse. Personal cars must not be used to transport patients to hospital unless there is no alternative. 2.2.2 Outside School hours, when the School Nurse is Off-Site or otherwise Unable to Assist Outside the normal school day, the School Nurse will not normally be on-site. At these times, the member of staff responsible for the activity should ensure that he or she knows the location of the nearest first aid kit and has a mobile phone on their person to call an ambulance if necessary. The School recommends that, unless it can be avoided, no member of staff should administer first aid without a witness who is preferably also a member of staff. No member of staff should administer first aid (except for the treatment of minor cuts and grazes) without having received first aid training unless it would result in emergency first aid being delayed. If a broken bone or spinal injury is suspected, the casualty should NOT BE MOVED unless they are in immediate danger such as proximity to fire or if their position means that their breathing is compromised. It is important for staff to be aware that many activities/events take place outside school hours when the presence of a person with first aid training is not guaranteed. This should be communicated to parents at the time that pupils enrol for such activities. Page 4 of 14
When an ambulance is called somebody should be sent to the site entrance to wait for the emergency services to arrive so that they can be directed immediately to the patient. 2.2.3 When an Emergency occurs that requires Immediate Attention before the School Nurse can Arrive In an emergency situation, it may not be appropriate to wait for the School Nurse or other first aider to arrive at the scene before any action is taken. In these circumstances, an ambulance should be called without delay. Call 999 to reach the Emergency Services (or 112 from a mobile phone if 999 are busy). Somebody should be sent to the site entrance to wait for the Emergency Services so that they can be directed immediately to the patient. If a broken bone or spinal injury is suspected, the casualty should NOT BE MOVED unless they are in immediate danger such as proximity to fire or if their position means that their breathing is compromised. Basic advice of what to do if a person is unresponsive and / or is not breathing normally can be found at Appendix A (CPR) and Appendix B (Use of AED). 2.2.4 PE Lessons and other Lessons held outside the School Building It is essential that any staff holding outdoor lessons have a mobile telephone with them in case of the need to call either the School Switchboard or the Emergency Services. PE staff should also have their School Nurse s work mobile phone number saved on their mobile phone. 2.3 Knocks to the Head Any injury to the head such as banging heads in the playground should be reported to the School Nurse, regardless of whether the pupil shows symptoms of discomfort or concussion. The effects of a head injury may only develop after time and, as such, the School Nurse will be aware should any symptoms develop later during the school day and will also send a note home with the pupil advising them/their parents of the symptoms to watch out for. Where possible, the School Nurse will also make a telephone call to the pupil s parents to advise them verbally and in addition to the note. 2.4 When a Call is made to the Emergency Services Whenever a call is made to the Emergency Services the street address of the site should be given in full: Saar: Isa Town: Gate 790 Building 115 Road 1322 Road 4109 Muqabah 513 Block 841 Saar Isa Town Should there be any possibility that the ambulance will need to come onto the school site, someone must advise Security to open all necessary gates and wait for the ambulance in the street so it can be flagged down. The Caretaker must be called and advised of the incident so he can clear any obstructions for the ambulance entering the site (such as picnic benches etc), as a matter of urgency. The person s parent or family member must be called and advised of the incident. This information is shown in a flowchart in Appendix D. Page 5 of 14
3 First Aid Kits The equipment and materials in the Standard and Travelling kits are intended for minor injuries, i.e. cuts and abrasions. All uses of the contents must be recorded and reported to the School Nurse for that site immediately so that stocks can be replenished. School Nurses are responsible for the regular (at least once per term) checking and re-stocking of all first aid kits on their site. First aid kits are stocked in accordance with the guidelines contained in Appendix C and are suitably marked and easily accessible. 3.1 Locations of Standard First Aid Kits 3.1.1 Senior School Main Reception Area Science Prep Room Design and Technology Office Art Room Office Sports Hall Swimming Pool Office 6th Form HoY Office 3.1.2 Junior and Infant Schools Main Reception Area Accounts Principal s Office Sports Hall All Activity Streets Science Technicians Room 3.2 First Aid Kits for Off-Site Non-Residential Trips (Travelling First Aid Kits) First aid kits for parties going off site are available from the Health Room at each site. The teacher responsible for the trip or visit is responsible for ensuring that they have their own and/or a School mobile telephone in case it is necessary to call for assistance or an ambulance. 3.3 Emergency First Aid Kits Emergency first aid kits are intended for use ONLY in emergencies and one kit is available at each site reception, in each Nurses Room, at each swimming pool and in each PE Office and should be immediately collected in case of any emergency incident. The kits contain specialised bandages and other equipment for more serious incidents where first aid is needed or for instances where there are multiple victims. Emergency First Aid Kits are also taken on all residential trips. Page 6 of 14
4 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is maintained on each site at the School. It is intended for use when a person goes into cardiac arrest which occurs when the electrical impulses of the heart malfunction causing a disturbance in the heart s electrical rhythm. This erratic and ineffective electrical rhythm causes the complete cessation of the heart s normal function of pumping blood and can result in sudden death. The most effective treatment for this condition is the administration of an electrical current to the heart by a defibrillator. An AED is used for this purpose. It is only to be applied to victims who are BOTH of the below: Unresponsive Not Breathing Normally There is no danger in applying the AED even if the operator is wrong as it will not shock unless necessarily. The AED will analyse the heart rhythm and advise the operator if a shockable rhythm is detected. If a shockable rhythm is detected, the AED will charge to the appropriate energy level and deliver shock. Appendix B gives a flowchart for the procedure to follow. There are Infant pads for persons under 8 years of age. 4.1 Locations of AED Devices 1.1.1. Senior School Main Reception behind front desk Sports Hall inside cupboard, left hand side of Sports Hall 1.1.2. Junior & Infant Schools Main Reception behind front desk Sports Hall outside in cupboard near Boys Changing Rooms Swimming Pool near doors to Parent Waiting Area 5 Personal Medication Medicines should only be brought into the School when essential: that is where it would be detrimental to a child s health if the medicine were not administered during the school day. The School will only accept medicines that have been prescribed by a doctor, dentist, nurse prescriber or pharmacist prescriber. Medicines must always be provided in the original container as dispensed by the pharmacist and include the prescriber s instructions for administration. The School will not accept medications that have been taken out of the container as originally dispensed nor make changes to dosages on parental instructions. Medication will be handed in to the School Nurse and will be recorded. Only the School Nurse or their named deputy may administer a drug to the child for whom it has been prescribed, providing it is in accordance with the prescriber s instructions. Pupils will be made aware by the School Nurse of how to access their medication and who is allowed to administer it. Emergency medication, such as asthma inhalers or EpiPens, will not be locked away. Refrigeration is available for products that require temperature control. Page 7 of 14
6 Hygiene Pupils and all staff must cover open or weeping skin grazes, cuts etc. with waterproof or other suitable dressings Staff who administer first aid to children, however, minor, must have breaks in their own skin covered with a waterproof dressing Hand-washing at appropriate times is essential for both children and staff Disposable gloves must be worn if there is bleeding, however slight The basic material for mopping up spillages of blood and other bodily fluids is disposable paper towels. Where small quantities are involved, soft toilet tissue is appropriate as it can easily be flushed down the toilet Splashes of blood on skin must be washed off immediately with soap and water. Splashes of blood into the eyes and mouth must be washed out immediately with water Clothes and linen that are stained with blood should be washed in a washing machine using the hot cycle, or boiled before hand-washing These measures have been agreed by the health authorities as effective against infectious diseases including HIV and Hepatitis B. They should be applied in all cases. Page 8 of 14
7 Appendix A: What to do in an Emergency CPR If you have someone with you have them dial 999 immediately Victim is breathing normally? Place victim in the recovery position and check for continued breathing o Begin CPR only if the person is: o Unresponsive Not breathing or breathing ineffectively If you are alone and the victim is UNDER 12 years of age: Do CPR for one minute before dialing 999 (or 112) Open the airway If you are alone and the victim is OVER 12 years of age: Dial 999 (or 112) and then begin CPR Victim is NOT breathing normally? 30 chest compressions 2 rescue breaths Continue resuscitation with 30 compressions to 2 rescue breaths Page 9 of 14
A AIRWAY To open the airway: Place your hand on the casualty s forehead and gently tilt the head back Lift the chin with two finger tips B BREATHING C CPR Look, listen and feel for normal breathing for no more than 10 seconds. 7.1 For Children from Age 1 to 12 If you have someone with you, send them to dial 999 (or 112) for an ambulance immediately If you are on your own carry out CPR for 1 min before dialling 999 (or 112) for an ambulance Give 5 Rescue Breaths Seal your lips around the child s mouth while pinching the nose Blow gently into the lungs, looking along the chest as you breathe. Take shallow breaths and do not empty your lungs completely As the chest rises, stop blowing and allow it to fall Repeat four more times then check for circulation Give 30 Chest Compressions Place 1 or 2 hands in the centre of the chest (depending on the size of the child Use the heel of that hand with arms straight and press down to a third of the depth of the chest Press 30 times, at a rate of 100 compressions per minute After 30 compressions, give 2 rescue breaths Continue Resuscitation (30 Compressions to 2 Rescue Breaths) without stopping until help arrives. 7.2 For Adults (12 Years +) If you have someone with you, send them to dial 999 (or 112) for an ambulance immediately If you are alone dial 999 (or 112) for an ambulance immediately and then return to help the casualty Give 30 Chest Compressions Place heel of your hand in the centre of the chest Place other hand on top and interlock fingers Keeping your arms straight and your fingers off the chest, press down by 4-5cms, then release the pressure, keeping your hands in place Repeat the compressions 30 times, at a rate of 100 per minute Give 2 Rescue Breaths Ensure the airway is open Pinch nose firmly closed Take a normal breath and seal your lips around the casualty s mouth Page 10 of 14
Blow into the mouth until the chest rises Remove your mouth and allow the chest to fall Repeat once more Continue Resuscitation; 30 Compressions to 2 Rescue Breaths. Do Not Stop Unless Emergency help arrives and takes over The casualty breathes normally or You become so exhausted that you cannot carry on These procedures for CPR have been approved by: Pamela Kamal RN SCM First Aid Instructor Leven First Aid Training Organisation UK HSE Approved Certificate No 1706/96 Page 11 of 14
8 Appendix B: What to Do in an Emergency Using the AED Get the AED or send someone to go and get it Call 999 (or 112) Place the AED near the head of the victim. Switch on and follow the prompts Bare and prepare the chest. Apply pads Follow visual and voice prompts Stop CPR whilst the device analyses the heart rhythm Follow the machine prompts for further action. If a shock is indicated, be sure all persons are clear before it is administered Begin CPR (Procedure described in Appendix A) Designate someone to take responsibility for the tasks in Appendix D Page 12 of 14
9 Appendix C: First Aid Kit Contents Travelling Kit (nonresidential trips) Standard School kit Emergency Kit (also taken on residential trips) First aid advice leaflet 1 1 1 Individually wrapped plasters 6 30 45 Sterile eye pads 2 2 5 Triangular bandages 2 4 4 Safety pins 2 6 6 Medium sterile wound dressings (12cm x 12cm) Large sterile wound dressings (18cm x 18cm) 6 6 1 2 4 Extra large dressings 3 Disposable gloves 4 pairs 4 pairs 4 pairs Individual moist wound wipes 6 6 10 Conforming bandage 2 Blunt-end tuff-cut scissors 1 Instant Ice Pack 2 Burn-aid Burn dressings 3 Sterile Eye Wash 5 Foil blankets 4 Resuscitation Mask 1 Sick bags and gloves 2 No medicines are to be kept in First Aid Kits however paracetamol and ibuprofen will be included in the Emergency Kits taken on Residential Trips; with these drugs only being administered with parental consent. Page 13 of 14
10 Appendix D: When a Call is made to Emergency Services Someone must call the Caretaker to tell him where the incident is so that he can clear the route for an ambulance onto the site. Saar Junior 39746484 Infant 39446818 Isa Town 39683090 Call 999 (or 112 from a mobile phone) and give the full street address Saar Isa Town Gate 790 Building 115 Road 1322 Road 4109 Muqabah 513 Isa Town 841 THEN Someone must call the victim s parent/family member Someone must tell Security to expect an ambulance open any locked access gates which it may need to use wait in the road to guide it in Saar 17605430 Isa Town 17605377 Page 14 of 14