There are many answers to the question! Here are a range of definitions we have come across:
| Definition 1: | “Emergency care or treatment given to an ill or injured person before regular medical aid can be obtained.” |
| Definition 2: | “First aid is emergency care given immediately to an injured person. The purpose of first aid is to minimize injury and future disability.” |
| Definition 3: | “First aid is simple medical treatment given as soon as possible to a person who is injured or who suddenly becomes ill.” |
| Definition 4: | “The initial process of assessing and addressing the needs of someone who has been injured or is in physiological distress.” |
Our Definition of First Aid and its 3 priorities:
These are all fine and give a sense of first aid is all about. But we tend to say “First Aid is immediate temporary care for the ill and injured” on our first aid courses. We also always explain that the First Aider has three priorities which are covered in every first aid course:
1. Preserve Life
Stop the casualty from dying. Keep everyone alive. Basic ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) as part of an Incident Protocol or Procedure.
2. Prevent further worsening
Stop the casualty from getting any worse by treating their injuries. Also managing the incident, to prevent the situation worsening.
3. Promote Recovery
Try to help the person feel better by talking to them and supporting them emotionally. Being calm and reassuring helps their recovery.
Of course in the most common first aid incidents are minor. In these instances of minor cuts, bruises and burns in the kitchen, sticking to the three priorities should be easy enough. What about the larger incidents that happen less often? Then we may really need to concentrate on the priorities to ensure that we are making good decisions in a stressful situation.
Some FAQs and links about the world of first aid:
What are the responsibilities of a first aider? What to do in an emergency, a first aider’s responsibilities in different workplace and public settings.
What should I have in my first aid kit? What the law says, contents for a basic kit, an outdoor and workplace kit plus questions about medications.
Will I be sued for doing first aid? Information on duty of care, being a bystander first aider, a ‘good samaratan’ and best practice.
What type of course should we do for my workplace? A first aid workplace needs assessment helps you as a business or training manager to identify your needs in terms of first aid cover required for your business.
Is mental health part of first aid provision? The HSE has issued guidance to urge employers to consider the mental health needs of their workforce.
Where can I get a First Aid Manual? Everyone on our courses receives a FREE digital first aid manual. We have a range of manuals relevant to the courses we teach – Sports, Outdoor, First Aid at Work, Paediatric and Equestrian. They are a great resource that you can download onto your phone or other device and have all that first aid knowledge at your fingertips. You can also buy them through our website
Want to read more about specific first aid topics? Search our series of over 300 First Aid blogs on our website. (There’s a search function so you don’t have to scroll endlessly!)
Get confident – get first aid trained!
Knowing what to do BEFORE something happens is essential in first aid. Attending a first aid course will give you the knowledge to deal with many emergency incidents. Our courses are structured to give you confidence in dealing with an incident as well as the competence to do good quality first aid.
Find out more about our full range of courses here.
