Communication

hellonotarealdr
Jun 10
2 min read

Updated: Jun 23

How you communicate with the casualty* can be as important as the actual first aid itself. In many cases, injuries can be aggravated* by fear or discomfort - for example, if a casualty is bleeding severely, being anxious elevates the pulse rate which causes them to bleed out faster. So, it is important to keep the casualty calm by communicating clearly and effectively.

Younger children

Act like nothing is wrong - speak with a gentle, even excited tone if you can manage it.
Act like a professional - do not look scared where they can see you, as they will mirror that fear.
If you can, talk them through what you are doing in child-friendly language.
Praise them for being brave, staying calm, etc.
Ask questions to distract them - favourite food, pets, friends, etc.

Adults

Speak calmly and clearly
Speak on their level - explain what is happening and what you are doing
No need to act like nothing is wrong, but be careful to not emphasise severity of injuries
Ask questions to distract them - job, children, family, etc.

Also, it's important to remember that the casualty may be unable to communicate effectively - whether because of injuries or stress. So you should listen carefully to what they are saying in order to give the best care possible.

Summary:

There are different kinds of communication you should use when speaking to children and adults. For children - minimising the situation, and getting on their level are the most important. For adults, you should speak on their level and explain what you are doing.

Glossary:

Casualty: the person that's hurt in a first aid scenario.

Aggravate: make something worse

For Older Learners:

Use these questions to challenge yourself!

In what ways can fear and anxiety become physical medical issues, rather than just emotional ones? How does this affect the role of a first aider?
Why do you think communication strategies need to be different for children and adults? What might happen if you used the wrong approach?
Some people may say it's unethical to downplay the severity of injuries to stop a casualty from panicking. Do you agree with this? Why or why not?