Bleeding can be defined as blood loss from the patient’s circulatory system. The causes for bleeding can be different, including cuts on the external layer of the skin to deeper wounds and the kinds...

Drowning is a common cause of accidental death, especially amongst children and toddlers.  Contrary to popular opinion, a casualty who drowns does not usually inhale large amounts of water into the lungs. 90% of...

Anaphylaxis is an extremely dangerous life-threatening allergic reaction. The name ‘anaphylaxis’ means ‘without protection’ and indeed, the condition is caused by a massive over-reaction of the body’s protection (immune) system. Luckily, severe anaphylactic reactions are...

Choking is a common cause of accidental death and often preventable. Objects such as food, sweets or small objects can easily become lodged in the airway if they are accidentally ‘breathed in’ rather than...

Head injuries are a common and potentially life-threatening. It is important for first aiders to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of a serious head injury and seek early medical advice. In...

Meningitis refers to an infection and inflammation of the fluid and membranes that surround a human being’s spinal cord and brain. The membranes are known as meninges. Anyone can get afflicted with meningitis, but...

A heart attack occurs when a blood vessel supplying the heart becomes blocked causing a lack of oxygen to reach the heart. A heart attack is a medical emergency and requires prompt emergency treatment in...

First aiders and first responders need to have a basic understanding of medical terminology. Here’s our list of common medical terms and what they mean. Please leave a comment on this post if you...

Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction which occurs when a person’s immune system overreacts to a trigger. Adrenaline is one of the emergency treatments used to treat this reaction, as it reduces the...

Are you preparing for a Basic First Aid exam or written test? Here are fifteen practice first aid questions to help you revise. The answers to these practice questions are at the end of...

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) comprises of cycles of chest compressions and rescue breaths in a ratio of 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths (30:2). One ‘cycle’ of CPR is one round of 30:2. In order to maintain effective...

Are you preparing for an upcoming CPR or AED written exam? Here are some practice written questions to help you improve your performance. They are all multiple choice and the answers are at the...

Chest compressions are the most important component of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). They work by manually ‘squeezing’ the heart and pushing blood around the body in order to keep vital organs alive. In order for...

The very first thing you should do if you find someone collapsed is to assess the situation for any hazards to yourself or bystanders. A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm. It is important...