Abdominal emergencies usually present with abdominal pain in association with other signs and symptoms. Even in hospitals with a wide range of diagnostic facilities it can be difficult to rapidly assess and diagnose an...

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is an essential first aid skill which everyone should know. Online CPR courses are a great way to learn this skill. CPR is used to help victims of a cardiac arrest...

Meningitis refers to the inflammation of the membranes (also called meninges) that surround the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis can be caused by a viral, bacterial or rarely a fungal infection.  Whether meningitis is mild or life-threatening...

When conducting physical examinations and head to toe surveys the acronym DCAP-BTLS can help in your discovery of injuries. Although not everyone likes acronyms, DCAP-BTLS is a useful way to structure your thinking when...

Real life heart attacks aren’t like the ones in the movies. You won’t see a heart attack announcing itself dramatically – heart attacks are usually sneaky and confusing, causing abdominal pain, unexplained fatigue and...

First aiders should be aware of how to assess a mechanism of injury (MOI). Mechanism of injury describes how energy of motion is transferred to an individual resulting in injury. A classic example is...

Medical emergencies can happen at any given time, and an emergency childbirth falls under the same category. One could find themselves in a situation where it’s required for them to help a woman who...

A lifeguard is a professional responsible for keeping people safe in and around water. Lifeguards work in a variety of environments including swimming pools, water parks and beaches & open water. In many countries lifeguards have...

Lifeguards work all over the world keeping people safe in and around water. Being a professional lifeguard can be a challenging job and requires a high level of professionalism and training. Following on from...

Here at firstaidforfree.com we offer free online CPR & first aid certification. Our range of free online first aid courses cover a wide variety of first aid topics including: Incident management Cardiopulmonary resuscitation The recovery...

A paramedic serves as an emergency response staff for medical emergencies such as automobile accidents, heart attacks, and others. In adherence to state regulations, each individual who wishes to enroll in paramedic school must...

Hyperventilation is a state of breathing faster or deeper than normal causing excessive expulsion of carbon dioxide within the body matched by an increasing oxygen level. There can be many causes of hyperventilation, and common triggers...

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction – at the extreme end of the allergic spectrum. The whole body is affected, often within minutes of exposure to the allergen but sometimes after hours. Food is...

Anaphylaxis is a severe life threatening allergic reaction. Epinephrine, also called adrenaline, should be administered as soon as the patient experiences any severe symptoms of anaphylaxis such as respiratory distress, hypotension or a sense of...