An expert's disturbing opinion: Spain fails in first aid

In Spain, first aid training remains "an outstanding issue for the majority of the population," according to University of Cantabria (UC) professor Paula Parás, who has been leading the Summer Course "Learn to Respond in an Emergency: Basic Life Support for the General Population" in Laredo since Monday.

This expert stated that "there is increasing awareness about the issue; it is addressed in schools and colleges, but it is not something we have fully systematized, " and she compared this situation with other countries, such as the Nordic countries, where 80% of the population knows how to perform CPR effectively and correctly. "In Spain, we are light years ahead," she concluded.

For this reason, he considered it "essential" to integrate this training into formal education . "It's necessary to systematize that, just as we have training in mathematics, languages, or foreign languages, we also have training in health, in how to prevent problems, in how to promote healthy habits, in how to take care of ourselves, and in how to react in an emergency situation."

And precisely to provide training in these areas is the objective of this two-day course. Over the course of two days, students will learn how to respond to cardiac arrest, cuts, heat exhaustion, fractures , and even how to assist if they encounter an out-of-hospital birth.

Call to 112

UC professor Manuel Herrero also emphasized that when making an emergency call to 112, it is necessary to provide as much information as possible, such as the number of victims, whether they are conscious or not, whether they are breathing, and detailing their exact location, providing as much information as possible.

He explained that "sometimes, when healthcare workers respond to an emergency in a town, the streets aren't as easy to find as they are in a city," and therefore insisted that " the more signs you provide, the better, such as, for example, 'it's next to the town bar ,' 'next to the town square.' The more precise the location information, the better," he emphasized.

Heat strokes

And regarding the high temperatures being recorded this year, Herrero stressed the importance of preventing heat exhaustion, citing tips such as staying well hydrated, wearing light-colored clothing , sun protection, and avoiding high-intensity activities during the hottest hours of the day.

In addition, he recommended that older people take special care "because, sometimes, they are not fully aware of the heat and are more prone , due to their own characteristics, to heat stroke."

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In the event of heat stroke, the professor emphasized that "the most important thing is to remove the person from the heat source , as may seem quite logical, and then try to cool them down as quickly as possible, either by wetting them or using whatever system is available."

Throughout the course, more advice will be given for dealing with various emergency situations, and guidelines on what not to do in these cases will also be addressed, as European recommendations have changed and some "had become deeply felt among the population."

One of these recommendations relates to the belief that sticking out a patient's tongue can prevent choking. "Absolutely not," asserted Parás, who pointed out that " the tongue doesn't get tied, and putting your hand inside someone's mouth is completely contraindicated ."