First Aid Masterclass: A Complete Guide to First Aid

Learn how chest compressions keep blood flowing during clinical death from cardiac arrest by supporting the circulatory, respiratory, and nervous systems, and why time matters for brain damage risk.

Differentiate cardiac arrest from a heart attack as an electrical versus circulation problem; learn urgent response, CPR basics, aspirin use, calming breathing, and when to call emergency.

Learn adult CPR fundamentals, including safety, recognizing unresponsiveness, calling for help, checking pulse and breathing, and performing 30 chest compressions with mouth-to-mouth breaths.

master hands-only CPR, a simple, no mouth-to-mouth method using continuous chest compressions for adults when not breathing, with safety, responsiveness checks, and help calls.

Define a child as ages 1 to 8; learn child CPR, one-handed compressions about 4 cm deep at 100–120/min, and mouth-to-mouth every four seconds.

Learn baby CPR steps: safety, responsiveness, pulse check, and chest compressions at 100–120/min. Perform mouth-to-mouth with both mouth and nose, head below the body, cycles of 30:2 until help arrives.

Learn the two-person CPR workflow, from safety and calling for help to pulse checks, 30 chest compressions, mouth-to-mouth, and timely switches for adults and children.

Learn how to use an automated external defibrillator to perform CPR, place adhesive stickers correctly, continue chest compressions, and follow device prompts during rhythm analysis and shocks.

Recognize choking signs in adults and children and apply the Heimlich maneuver with proper hand placement, adjusting for pregnant women and for a fat person.

Learn to recognize infant choking signs and apply the Heimlich maneuver on babies, including finger removal of airway block, Gordon taps, 30 chest compressions, and mouth-to-mouth breaths.

Apply direct pressure to bleeding wounds, select appropriate bandages, and assess pulse to prevent excessive constriction, using triangular and Israeli bandages to enhance pressure.

Learn when to use indirect pressure and tourniquets to stop major bleeding, how to place four fingers above the injury, and how to document placement time and name.

Learn to improvise Dutch and Russian tourniquets using cloths or triangles, apply pressure above the injury, and tie the wrap to stop bleeding. Practice with old shirts to learn effectiveness.

Learn to apply a Russian tourniquet with fabric, not thin rope, to create inner pressure by tying knots outside, securing a marker, and twisting until bleeding stops.

master the principles of bandaging to prevent infection and absorb bleeding by cleaning the area, bandaging without pressure, and sealing the edges, with guidance on eye injuries, fragments, and tourniquets.

Explore the trauma treatment scheme, the SABC framework—safety, airway, breathing, circulation—and learn to assess injury mechanisms and potential spinal damage.

Learn the trauma treatment scheme by ensuring safety and using gloves to protect yourself. Assess airway and breathing, control bleeding with bandages or tourniquets, and keep the patient warm.

Learn to use practice sheets to master the trauma treatment scheme, training with friends to build muscle memory through safety checks, airway management, mouth-to-mouth, bleeding control, and call for help.

Explore dehydration and climatic injuries, their signs, and how to treat them with shade, water in small sips, and medical care when needed.

Learn the signs and treatment for frostbite and hypothermia, including warming, removing wet clothes, layering, checking temperature, and avoiding direct heat or rubbing.

Classify burns by depth from first to fourth degree, identify signs like blisters and whitening, and apply urgent care with jewelry removal and special burn bandages.

Identify fractures, sprains, and dislocations, along with their signs and causes. Immobilize and splint safely, manage pain, and seek hospital evaluation for x-rays.

Learn to recognize outer head injuries and skull fractures by signs such as raccoon eyes, battle signs, and csf drainage, then call for help and loosely bandage while monitoring consciousness.

Identify stroke signs quickly using the fast method—face drooping, arm weakness, and speech difficulty—and learn urgent treatment when brain blood flow is blocked.

Recognize severe asthma by breathlessness, wheezing, tight chest, coughing, and blue lips. Learn to support inhaler use with four puffs, pacing, and when to call an ambulance.

Explore epilepsy as abnormal brain activity, distinguish partial and generalized seizures, including absence and grand mal, and apply first aid: cushion the head, monitor, time, and call for help.

Fainting is a loss of consciousness from a drop in blood pressure; respond by ensuring safety, checking breathing and pulse, elevating the legs, and keeping the airway open.

allergies are immune system overreactions to harmless substances, with signs like rash, itching, runny nose, swelling, and in severe cases anaphylaxis requiring an EpiPen, help, and airway monitoring.

Learn to manage animal bites by recognizing rabies and venom risks, washing and sanitizing wounds, and immobilizing the area while seeking medical care.

Explore diabetes basics, insulin's role in glucose uptake, and differences between type 1 and type 2. It covers two diabetic emergencies—high and low blood sugar—and basic first-aid responses.

Use the Z-fold combat bandage on limbs, shoulder, or butt when a tourniquet isn’t possible; locate the bleeding, pack the wound, and hold pressure for three minutes before wrapping.

Explore essential first aid equipment for CPR, including the opah airway device for unconscious patients. Compare NPR devices and suction tools, and understand when to use a defibrillator.

Create a compact, multi-compartment first aid kit using the SABC scheme for quick access, with gloves, tourniquets, gauze, bandages, thermometer, and an emergency blanket.

Learn a standing back carry and two floor lifts to move an injured person, including an easier leg-bend pull and a harder turning method, with spinal injury cautions in emergencies.