Medical First Aid Skill: Listening to the Heartbeat

Listening to the heartbeat is as important as taking a pulse. When you hear the person’s heartbeat means he or she is alive even if the pulse is so weak. How to listen a heartbeat: Here are the ways:

1. For men, put your ear below the breastbone slightly to the left of the nipple. For women, put your ear right below the left breast. For children, put your ear slightly to the left of the nipple
2. Count heartbeats for one full minute. You will find normal heartbeats for adult 60-90 times per minute. Children and babies can have higher ranges.

When the heartbeat is too fast, it means the person is suffering from agitation or panic, shock, or fever.

Medical First Aid Skill: Taking Pulse – Finding Heart

What is a pulse? The pulse is the rhythmic expanding and contracting of the arteries (heart) caused by blood moving through them. It’s also called as a heartbeat. Everyone has heartbeat. Then how to take a pulse or heartbeat?

Normally pulse ranges from 60 to 90 beats per minute in adult, 80 to 160 beats per minute in young children, and up to 120 beats per minute in babies. A rapid pulse can be sign of shock or severe strain on the heart.

There are several ways to take a pulse / heart beat. Every time you can’t feel a pulse at one location, you should tray another location on the individual’s body. Here are the steps:

1. Place your index and middle finger on the inside of the person’s wrist
2. If you can’t feel it at the wrist then try the carotid artery at the neck. It is located below the ear on the side of the neck directly below the jaw. This way is the best when you have to give victim mouth-to-mouth ventilation
3. If you still fail to feel a pulse, use the same two fingers on either side of Adam’s apple at the throat, the femoral pulse at the groin, or in between the muscle on the inner side of the upper arm
4. When you feel a pulse, count it for 15 seconds
5. Multiply the number you get by four, you will find the individual’s heartbeats per minute

Medical First Aid Kit For Older Family Members

Here are some specific items that should be kept on hand especially for adults:

• Anaphylaxis kits, for allergic reaction, such as allergic to bee stings, to reduce inflammation effects and swelling in the airways
• Nitroglycerin tablets, specially for family member has a history of chest pain or angina
• Inhalators for asthma cases
• Eye drops
• Ear drops, can be use to remove wax or a stubborn insect
• A vial of glucose or solution of glucose and a few packets of sugar to fight a low blood sugar reaction
• Insulin injections for someone has diabetes
• A warm blanket
• A plain brown paper lunch bag and anti-anxiety medicines that can be used to ward off panic attacks