Whether you’re addressing an injury or performing CPR, the central aim of first aid is to save the life of the patient. This is why it’s integral to know about the three Ps of first aid training.

By educating yourself about the aims of first aid, you can determine what to do as a first responder in emergency situations.

When it comes to first aid, the acronym of PPP stands for:

• Preserve Life
• Prevent Deterioration
• Promote Recovery 

In this article, we will be elaborating on what each of the Ps stands for, and how they can be helpful for first aiders and casualties.

Preserve Life

Your first aim is to preserve life by carrying out emergency first aid procedures. For example, opening a casualty’s airway or performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Preserving life should always be the overall aim of all first aiders. Remember though, this includes your own life! You should never put yourself or others in danger.

This is why the first stage in assessing a casualty (think DRABC) is to conduct a risk assessment and check for any dangers to yourself or bystanders.

If a situation is too dangerous to approach, you should stay back and call for professional help.

Here are some do’s and don’t in the preserve life step of first aid. 

Do’s:

• Do check the quality of the patient’s circulation.
• Do make sure the patient has an airway.
• Do ensure that the casualty is breathing.

Don’ts:

• Do not forget to assess the area for any possible dangers.
• Don’t forget to protect yourself first.

Prevent Deterioration

The second aim of first aid is to prevent the casualty’s condition from deteriorating any further. For example, asking a casualty with a broken limb to stay still and padding around the injury will prevent the fracture from moving and causing further injury or pain.

In addition, this aim includes preventing further injuries. You should attempt to make the area as safe as possible and removing any dangers.

If removing danger is not possible you should attempt to remove the patient from the danger or call for specialist help.

Here are some do’s and don’t in the preventive deterioration process of first aid. 

Do’s:

• Do give some sugar to a diabetic patient in case their glucose levels drop.
• Do whatever you can to stop any kind of bleeding.
• Do monitor a seizure victim constantly.

Don’ts:

• Do not forget to immobilize a fractured leg or arm to prevent further injury.

Don’t forget to disinfect and wear gloves while washing a wound.

Promote Recovery

Finally, you can promote recovery by arranging prompt emergency medical help. In addition, simple first aid can significantly affect the long-term recovery of an injury. For example, quickly cooling a burn will reduce the risk of long-term scarring and will encourage early healing.

Here are some do’s and don’t in the promote recovery process of first aid. 

Do’s:

• Do try to make the patient more comfortable by providing support to their limbs or head.
• Do attempt to keep a victim’s body cool by giving them water or providing them shade during extremely hot days.
• Do keep the casualty warm if they’re being treated for shock or if they are in a cold atmosphere.

Don’ts:

• Do not give any medicines to the patient unless an EMT arrives.
• Don’t touch or move anything that could be used as evidence if there is a crime involved.

Conclusion

Brushing up on your knowledge of the three Ps of first aid helps you remember your main responsibilities as a first aider. Just implement everything you can from the training provided to you and wait for the emergency medical services to arrive.

Until then, do everything you can to keep the patient safe, calm, and as comfortable as possible.

Want to start learning first aid? Take a look at our free online first aid courses or have a go at one of our first aid quizzes.