The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) for first aiders
The Glasgow Coma Scale (commonly shortened to GCS) is a measurement of a patients level of consciousness, ie how awake the patient is. As the name suggests, the scale was first designed in Glasgow for...
Category: First aid blog
How to take a pulse in first aid
Taking a pulse is an important first aid skill which first aiders should feed confident in doing. There are several reasons why taking a pulse is important and several techniques which you can use....
‘Witness’ a stabbing live on Facebook
‘Witness’ is a new interactive first aid film from the British Red Cross encouraging young people to learn basic first aid knowledge. In the film the viewer is a witness to a stabbing on...
ACLS: Advanced Cardiac Life Support
We get quite a few hits to this blog for people looking for online information about Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or how to get certified in ACLS. Here’s a quick blog post which...
First aid app goes global
The British Red Cross’s first aid app has become so successful that it is now launching in in 17 countries by the end of this year. On World First Aid Day (14 September), the mobile...
Red Cross warns on child poisoning
A new British Red Cross survey is warning of the dangers of accidental poisoning in children. New figures show that cases of child poisoning at home are increasing across the country with many being...
Save the Boy: emotive new campaign from St John Ambulance
St John Ambulance has launched a new campaign encouraging parents to learn first aid after a survey showed over half of parents lack basic first aid skills. In the film, a boy and his...
What is the difference between cardiac arrest and a heart attack?
A cardiac arrest and a heart attack both affect the heart. Many people believe these serious conditions are the same but in fact, they’re not – they are totally different medical emergencies. In this...
Lifesaver – interactive online first aid film
The Resuscitation Council (UK) has combined forces with award-winning production company UNIT9 to develop Lifesaver. Lifesaver combines interactivity with live-action film to teach how to save someone’s life. It throws you into the heart...
St John Ambulance launch controversial first aid campaign
St John Ambulance (UK) have launched a controversial new campaign to encourage people to learn basic first aid skills. Entitled “Helpless”, the TV advert follows the story of a cancer survivor who dies after...
What is the Chain of Survival?
Have you ever attended a first aid or CPR course? If so, you may have heard the term Chain of Survival used, so what exactly is the chain of survival and what does it mean...
First aid statistics
First aid saves lives, but how important is it to learn basic first aid skills? Check out these first aid statistics. – Up to 150,000 people in the UK die each year in situations where...
How to become a first aid trainer
Teaching first aid and CPR skills can be a rewarding & useful experience. In addition, the demand for first aid courses is high due to health & safety requirements in various countries (for example,...
Find your nearest community defibrillator (UK)
Public access defibrillators (Don’t know what a defibrillator is? Check out our guide – What is a Defibrillator?) are instrumental in improving out of hospital cardiac arrest survival. Recently, more and more defibrillators are being...
