Category: First aid blog

SCALD is an acronym used to recall the important steps when assessing the severity of a burn injury. Burns are common accidental injuries in the home. Effective first aid is vital to stop the...

Choking is one of the leading causes of accidental death worldwide. Choking occurs when an object (‘foreign body’) blocks the upper airway of the victim. This obstruction prevents air from reaching the lungs causing...

ACVPU is a scale used to assess and track a patient’s neurological status and level of consciousness. ACVPU stands for: Alert Confusion Voice Pain Unresponsive ACVPU has been developed from the more widely known...

CPR guidelines are revised every five years and the next major revision is expected in 2020. The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) co-ordinates guideline development and publishes consensus documents on resuscitation. The European...

The American Heart Association (AHA) Chain of Survival describes the critical actions required to treat victims of cardiac arrest. When all links of the Chain of Survival are completed this provides the best possible...

Opiate drugs are an increasingly common cause of deaths from accidental and deliberate overdose. In the United States, the CDC describes opiate overdoses as an “epidemic” which claimed more than 47,000 lives in 2017....

The abdomen can be divided into four quadrants. Dividing up the abdomen in this way can help when assessing a patient with abdominal pain. The location of the abdominal pain can give first responders...

CPR is made up of performing chest compressions and rescue breaths to help a victim in cardiac arrest. Chest compressions work by compressing the heart and pushing blood around the body. CPR buys vital...

The commonest cause of a blocked airway occurs with loss of consciousness when the muscles that support the tongue become relaxed and the tongue drops back into the throat. Since the tongue muscles are...

Testicular pain and injuries are an unusual but important first aid presentation to consider. Many individuals presenting with this complaint may feel uncomfortable discussing this with a stranger or even close family member. There...

A seizure (fit) is caused by a disturbance of electrical activity in the brain. It usually results in uncontrolled movements and impaired consciousness. A seizure can be very alarming to witness, especially if it...

Any open wound – one where there is a break in the skin – should be covered with a dressing to help prevent infection until new skin has had a chance to form over...

When treating open wounds it is important to protect both yourself and the patient from any risk of infection. The most likely source of contamination is body fluids – saliva, vomit or other secretions...

An injury to the head, neck or back may damage the bones (vertebrae) of the spinal column, the discs between them, the supporting ligaments and muscles, or the spinal cord itself. A spinal injury...