St John Ambulance Guide to First Aid and CPR. 3rd ed.

Ian W. Toal is a registered nurse in Barrie, Ontario.

First-aid books have become more complex over the years. Many years ago,
the basic Boy Scout first aid guide showed users how to make bandages
and splints, how to transport injured people, and how to stop bleeding.
With the advent of formalized emergency management teaching, first aid
began to assume a more formal structure, so that people are now taught
not only how to perform functions (bandages, cardiopulmonary
resuscitation [CPR]) but also how to manage an accident scene by taking
a formal leadership role.

The third edition of the St. John Ambulance Guide reflects this and
other changes in “accident” management. Repeated throughout the book
are the basic steps needed before intervention even starts—take
charge, assess the scene for danger, call for help, identify yourself as
a first aider, and determine responsiveness. The reader is taught how to
assess a casualty, how to instruct helpers to act, and how to check the
most important functions (airway, breathing, circulation).

As well as first-aid techniques, there is a focus on prevention. For
example, there are safety tips for home and recreational activities, and
risk factors for heart attack are discussed along with personal safety
at an accident. Legal issues are also addressed, and there is a chapter
on basic anatomy and physiology. The easy-to-read text is illustrated
with drawings, sections are color-coded, and there is a good index and
glossary.

This is the definitive guide to first aid. Readers should also receive
from a qualified instructor practical training in CPR and the other
emergency techniques described in the book.