First aid News

Helping hands

We use our hands for everything, but what happens when an injury or condition makes even simple tasks painful? CyberDoc answers questions about conditions that affect hands.

Paramedics needn't stand to do CPR

Rescuers performing chest compressions in a moving ambulance should sit down instead of standing, experts now advise.

Prolonged CPR no help for heart

Increasing the time spent administering CPR to cardiac arrest patients won't increase their chances of survival, researchers said, putting to rest the debate in emergency medicine.

Saturday night on an ambulance

It's a busy and bloody Saturday night on an ambulance in Cape Town. Chris Erasmus went along for an exhilirating, scary and surprising ride. Here's his story.

The Golden Hour

In emergency medicine, the golden hour refers to a period following traumatic injury being sustained by a casualty during which there prompt medical treatment will prevent death.

Public defibrillators save lives

The odds of surviving a "shockable" arrhythmia cardiac arrest are greater if bystanders can give CPR and use a nearby automated external defibrillator (AED), says study.

Be wary of CPR lessons on YouTube

YouTube may be a great place to watch a dog play the accordion, but a new study suggests it's not the most reliable source for learning to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Take care not to overheat

It is not for nothing that our country is known abroad as "Sunny South Africa" and most of us here take full advantage of our wonderful warm climate.

Packing for the holidays

When going on holiday you can forget you toothbrush or sunglasses at home. However, there is one thing that you should never forget to pack – a First Aid kit.

CPR for the untrained bystander

If you haven't been trained in CPR just doing chest compressions to help keep blood flowing can be as effective as CPR that includes mouth-to-mouth breathing, new research claims.