Category: First aid blog

First aid is the immediate, basic, medical assistance given to an injured or suddenly ill person. It provides a stop-gap until the victim can receive professional medical care. Anyone can give first aid to...

At some time in the future, you may be called on to assist with childbirth. This activity is a most rewarding one for a first aider/first responder, and there is no need to be...

CPR is a medical acronym which stands for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.  CPR is used when a person suffers a cardiac arrest where the heart stops pumping blood around the body. A cardiac arrest is a medical emergency requiring...

An unconscious patient is at risk of blocking their airway and suffocating. The main reason for this occurring is due to the tongue. An unconscious patient loses all their muscular tone, and this includes...

The majority of bleeding noses can be treated at home with simple first aid steps. Nosebleeds are common and rarely serious. However, it’s important to know the correct first aid treatment for dealing with...

All open wounds are at risk of becoming infected. An infected wound can cause complications such as scarring, delayed healing and even blood poisoning (sepsis). Early medical treatment is vital to fight the infection....

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is sometimes called the “invisible killer”,  and here’s a good reason for this. Carbon Monoxide is a deadly gas produced by the incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels (for example, coal or...

Giving rescue breaths is an important component of conventional CPR. Although some guidelines now promote ‘Hands-only CPR’ (chest compressions only), rescue breaths remain taught as part of conventional CPR. There is increasing evidence of...

This blog post is an opinion post following a discussion amongst our team. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments! We want to have a debate about the future of first aid...

If you’ve ever been on a first aid/CPR training course, it’s likely you’ve heard about the ‘recovery position’. The recovery position is used when someone is unconscious, but breathing normally. But, how exactly does...

An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a medical device used to help victims of sudden cardiac arrest. AEDs work by delivering an electrical shock to the heart if indicated. This clears excessive electrical activity...

First aid can be lifesaving. Knowing the correct first aid treatment can make all the difference before the arrival of professional medical help. Unfortunately, there are several first aid myths still circulating that could...

Many of us will have fainted, or seen someone faint before. But what exactly goes on during a fainting episode? We’ll take a closer look at fainting, and the correct first aid treatment in...

There are many different forms of seizure that can occur. A tonic-clonic seizure occurs when the person first becomes very rigid (tonic) and then has rhythmical muscular contractions (clonic). The person is not usually...