New first aid guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Red Cross published in Circulation expand the scope of emergency care conditions addressed and provide greater specificity for first aid action steps. It is the first major update since 2010. Key topics that are new, substantially revised, or have significantly updated literature include: opioid overdose; bleeding control; open chest wounds; spinal motion restriction; hypothermia and frostbite; presyncope; anaphylaxis, snakebite; oxygen administration; and the use of pulse oximetry in first aid with the inclusion of pediatric-specific guidance.
Training update: Urgent care operators might have protocols to include first aid training for front desk staff and other non-clinicians. Therefore, this update from the AHA and Red Cross warrants a close review to determine whether educational programs should be revised since the last first aid update more than a dozen years ago.