Basic Health and Life Saving Skills

Module 5:
Basic Health Care and Life Saving Skills

Objectives:
By the end of this Module,participants will be able to:
• Identify common illnesses affecting children and adults in
the community.
• Identify danger signs in children under five years,
pregnant women and general public
• Demonstrate lifesaving skills
• Make appropriate referral
Unit 1
BASIC HEALTH CARE
Common illness at household level
a. Cough or cold: Any cough needs immediate referral
b. Minor cuts: Cuts are mainly caused by sharp objects;

• Cuts can lead to bleeding
• If not properly handled can become infected
For first aid, clean the cut with clean running water, wrap with
a clean piece of cloth and refer
Common illness at household
level
c. Nose bleeding: Can be as a result of physical trauma, common
cold or a bleeding problem
For first aid:

• Tell client to sit, tilt face downwards, and apply pressure on
soft part of the nose for a few minutes
• Encourage client to breath by mouth
• Ensure pressure on client’s nose does not obstruct breathing.
• Do not handle blood if you are unable to protect yourself with
gloves
• Refer the client
Common illness at household
level
d. Fainting: Occurs due to reduced blood flow to the brain
For first aid:

• Ensure client is lying down and breathing, elevate legs to help increase blood
flow to the brain
• Refer immediately
e. Burns: Burns are caused by fire, hot objects or fluids. Skin can become
infected or might be unable to maintain normal body temperature
For first aid:

• Pour cold water on the burn for at least 10 minutes
• Give painkiller and refer to a health facility
Danger signs in under fives 1/4
i. High Fever /hotness of the body;

• It occurs when the body temperature is more than 37.5 degrees Celsius
in a newborn
• Advise the mother to remove excessive clothing to help reduce body
temperature
ii. Seizures/convulsions;
• Occurs when the brain malfunctions, resulting in a change in
movement, attention, or level of awareness
• It is characterized by jerking or muscles spasms
• Refer the patient to health facility immediately
iii. Chest wall in-drawing;

Occurs when;
• The lower chest wall goes in when the infant breathes in
• The infant’s effort to breathe in, is much greater than normal
NOTE: In normal breathing, the whole chest wall (upper and lower) and the
abdomen move out when the infant breathes in. The child should be referred to health
facility if they have chest wall in-drawing
iv. Not easily aroused/less active;

• Child is unusually sleepy, tends to sleep for longer time than
normal and is not easily woken up
• Refer immediately to the health facility
v. Difficulty in breathing:
Signs;
• Blue or gray coloring on the skin of the face or chest
• A high-pitched whistling sound made when a child breaths out
• The skin pulls in and out between each rib with each breath
• When a child is congested, their nostrils flare in and out with each breath
• Refer the child to the health facility
vi. Reduced body temperature;
• Occurs when hands and feet are cold
• Body temperature is below 35.5 Celsius
• Refer the child to the health facility
vii. Diarrhea;
Passing watery loose stool more than 3 times within 24 hour
viii. Sunken eyes and sunken fontanel
• This is result of prolonged diarrhea more than three times a day
Related danger signs;
• Sunken eyes- the eyes tend to intrude inwards
• Inelastic skin- skin that once pinched it goes back slowly.
• Inability to drink orally- not able to take fluids orally.
• Lethargy/Fatigue- child is tired and weak
• Drinking eagerly- child drinks thirstily when offered water
Note: Refer the child to health facility to rehydrate the child with
ORS
Management of Diarrhoea at the
household level
Give ORS solution if available
How to prepare ORS solution
• Wash your hands with soap and water.
• Pour the entire contents of a packet of ORS into a clean container (a mixing bowl or
jar) for mixing the ORS. The container should be large enough to hold at least 500ml.
• Measure 500ml of safe water (or correct amount for packet used). Use the cleanest
drinking water available
• Pour the water into the container. Mix well until the salts completely dissolves
If ORS is not available, give the following:
• Give plenty of available fluids like uji, fresh fruit juices, home made soup etc.
• Encourage the child to continue breastfeeding as child rehydrate
• Refer to the health facility
Danger signs in pregnancy and delivery
Reduced or no Fetal Movement;
• Fetal movements begin to occur as basic routine by18-20 weeks and should be
monitored by at least twice daily kick counts.
• Refer immediately if there is reduced fetal movement or no fetal movement.
Abdominal Pains;
• Persistent abdominal pain could indicate a miscarriage, or other complications
• Should be referred immediately to a health facility.
Severe or persistent Vomiting;

• Severe vomiting that lasts for more than a day puts a pregnant woman at risk of
dehydration.
• Should be referred to health facility
Leaking of baby fluid before due time for delivery-
• A persistent leak or sudden gush of fluid indicates that the woman is losing
amniotic fluid.
• Refer immediately to health facility
Swelling of legs, arms or face;

• Most women notice a little swelling in their legs and ankles during
pregnancy, but severe swelling, especially in the face/legs or fingers,
is cause for alarm.
Anemia ;
• If a woman is feeling tired, weak, and dizzy, or if the insides of her
eyelids or her palms are especially pale, she might be having
anaemia.
• Refer to a health facility
Convulsions/fits;
• Is a medical condition where body muscles contract and relax rapidly and
repeatedly resulting in an uncontrolled shaking of the body.
Vaginal bleeding during pregnancy or profuse/persistent
bleeding after delivery;
• Any vaginal bleeding during pregnancy or profuse / persistent bleeding after
delivery must be referred to health facility.
Severe Headache
• This is a persistent headache not relieved by any pain killers.
• It may show signs of increased blood pressure thus needs immediate
referral to health facility
Prolonged labour
• can be longer in a woman having her first baby.
• It is recommended that all women should deliver at health
facility,
• Refer all women in labour to health facility.
Unit 2
LIFESAVING SKILLS
Definition
Basic lifesaving skills, builds on a foundation of practical

skills in knowing who, when and how to recognize and treat a
person in need of emergency medical assistance.
Signs Management
Drowning -Occurs when water • Keep the head lower than the body when getting the
enters the person from the water
lungs, blocking air entry • Thereafter lay the person down.
• If the person is breathing place them in recovery
position.
• Treat low body temperature by removing all the wet
clothes and covering with blanket or extra clothing
• If conscious, give a warm drink.
• Refer to a health facility even if fully recovered.
Signs management
Choking-Is when a • If client is breathing, encourage to continue
foreign object or food coughing.
stuff is stuck at the back • If obstructed stand to the side and slightly behind
of the throat causing a them.
blockage of the airway. • Support his chest with one hand and let him lean
well forwards.
• Give up to 5 sharp slaps between the shoulder
blades and stop if the obstruction clears.
• Refer to a health facility if the
obstruction has not cleared
Signs Management
Snake Bite • Keep the person calm, restrict movement, and
keep the affected area below heart level to
reduce the flow of venom.
• Remove any rings or constricting items.
• Create a loose splint to help restrict movement
of the area.
• If there are signs of shock (such as paleness), lay
the person flat, raise the feet about a foot high,
and cover the person with a blanket.
Unit 3
Referral and Linkages
Referral
• It is the act of sending a person to a link health facility for

further management
• Timely referral reduces the risk of severe disease, disability or
death.
• Early referral ensures correct assessment and treatment.
The Referral Process 1/2
1. Contact with client;
• Screening is conducted and decision for referral is made
2. Filling referral form- MoH 100
• Data of client: Date, time of referral, name of the patient, age, sex &
name of community Health unit.
• Reasons for referral: Main problem, treatment given, comments
• Data of CHV referring client: Name, mobile number, Village/Estate,
sublocation, location, name of community Health unit.
The Referral Process 2/2
3. Action taken by the health care provider & CHV
• Data of the health care provider who recieved the patient: Date, Time, name of the
health care provider, profession, Name of the health facility, action taken
• Feedback to the community: Name of the health care provider, Name of the CHV,
mobile no, Name of the community Health unit, call made by referring CHV
4. Health care provider to put an official rubber stamp & signature on the
referral form
Barriers to referral
The caregiver does not want to take the child to How to help and calm the
the health facility because: caregiver’s fears:
The health facility is scary, and the people there Explain what will happen to the child at the
will not be interested in helping my child. health facility. Write a referral note to help her get care for the
child as quickly as possible
I cannot leave home. I have other children to Ask questions about who is available to help the family, and
care for. locate someone who could help with the other children.
I don’t have means to get to the health facility. Help to arrange transportation. In some
communities, transportation may be difficult you may need to
help community leaders identify ways to find transportation
e.g. the community might buy a motorbike.
I know my child is very sick. The nurse at the Explain that the health facility and hospital
health facility will send my child to the hospital have trained staff, supplies, and equipment to
to die. help the child.

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Module 5:

Basic Health Care and Life Saving Skills

b. Minor cuts: Cuts are mainly caused by sharp objects;

For first aid:

For first aid:

For first aid:

i. High Fever /hotness of the body;

iii. Chest wall in-drawing;

iv. Not easily aroused/less active;

Severe or persistent Vomiting;

Swelling of legs, arms or face;

Basic lifesaving skills, builds on a foundation of practical

• It is the act of sending a person to a link health facility for

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