The recovery position in the event of unconsciousness and resuscitation in the event of cardiovascular arrest are among the most important life-saving first aid measures. Both emergencies require emergency medical assistance as quickly as possible.
The first aider can save lives!
But time passes before an emergency doctor arrives. While an ambulance with an emergency doctor is available after just a few minutes in urban centres, it can take up to 20 minutes in rural areas. The time until the emergency doctor arrives must therefore be bridged. The term "life-saving first aid" is meant literally here. The first aider can actually become a lifesaver with just a few correct actions. If this rescuer acts correctly, the chances of the emergency services arriving later also increase. The first aider is a particularly important link in the overall rescue chain. If this link is missing, the chances of survival are also reduced.
Stable lateral position: first aid measure for unconsciousness
In order to determine whether someone is unconscious or in cardiovascular arrest, a kind of "examination" of the emergency patient is required, i.e. a check. In technical jargon, this is called an "emergency check". This word sounds complicated, but the implementation is very simple. During such an emergency check, the first aider simply looks at what has happened and what condition the patient is in.
Don't be afraid of mistakes!
There are doctrines on the emergency check, the measures to be taken with an unconscious person and a person in cardiovascular arrest, which are also taught in training courses. However, the precise explanations of the individual steps are often too complicated for the lay rescuer. This leads to the rescuer feeling unsure and perhaps not doing anything at all. It is therefore important to know the absolutely necessary measures. Steps that are easy to implement in practice.
Doing something is definitely better than doing nothing! - Thomas Widerin, paramedic and touring cyclist
The first aider is often alone at the scene of an emergency and it is not possible to carry out certain steps exactly. The illustrations in the videos in the photo series do not always correspond exactly to the doctrine, but are based on practice.
In the event of cardiac arrest, every minute counts. It is essential to start chest compressions until the emergency doctor arrives.
