First Aid and CPR Glossary

Name: Horizon Training
Address: 2 Margaret Street, Coolum Beach, QLD, 4573, AU
Telephone: +61 431 311 379

Plain-English explanations of common Australian first aid and CPR terms.

ABC: Airway, Breathing, Circulation — the fundamental assessment order in first aid to identify and treat life-threatening emergencies.
ABCDE: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure — an extended systematic approach used to assess and manage critically ill or injured patients.
Abrasion: A superficial wound caused by skin rubbing or scraping against a rough surface, removing the top layer of skin. Also called a graze.
Acute: Describing a condition that comes on suddenly and is short in duration, often requiring immediate medical attention.
Adrenaline (Epinephrine): A hormone and medication used in anaphylaxis treatment to rapidly reverse severe allergic reactions by constricting blood vessels and relaxing airway muscles.
AED (Automated External Defibrillator): A portable device that analyses heart rhythm and delivers an electric shock to restore a normal rhythm in cardiac arrest. Designed for use by untrained bystanders.
Airway: The passage through which air travels from the mouth and nose to the lungs, including the throat, larynx, and trachea. Keeping the airway open is the first priority in first aid.
Airway Obstruction: A blockage preventing air from reaching the lungs, which can be partial (patient can cough) or complete (patient cannot speak, cough, or breathe). A complete obstruction is life-threatening.
Allergic Reaction: An immune response to a foreign substance (allergen) that the body mistakenly identifies as harmful. Ranges from mild (hives) to life-threatening (anaphylaxis).
Amputation: The complete severing of a body part due to trauma. First aid involves controlling bleeding, preserving the severed part, and seeking urgent medical care.
Anaphylaxis: A severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction causing swelling of the airway, a dangerous drop in blood pressure, and breathing difficulty. Treated with adrenaline (EpiPen).
Angina: Chest pain or discomfort caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle. Usually triggered by exertion and relieved by rest or nitrate medication.
Antidote: A substance that counteracts the effects of a poison or drug overdose.
ARC (Australian Resuscitation Council): The national body that sets evidence-based guidelines for resuscitation and emergency care in Australia. HLTAID courses are based on ARC guidelines.
Arterial Bleeding: Bright red blood that spurts with each heartbeat, indicating a damaged artery. The most dangerous type of bleeding, requiring immediate direct pressure.
Aspiration: The inhalation of a foreign substance (such as vomit or liquid) into the airway or lungs. A significant risk in unconscious patients — placing them in the recovery position reduces this risk.
Asthma: A chronic condition causing the airways to narrow and swell, producing extra mucus, making breathing difficult. During an attack, a blue reliever puffer is the first-line treatment.
Avulsion: A wound where skin or tissue is forcibly torn away from the body. May involve partial or complete detachment.
Bag-Valve-Mask (BVM): A hand-held resuscitation device used by trained responders to deliver positive-pressure ventilation to a non-breathing patient.
Bandage: A material used to support, compress, or cover a wound or injury. Types include roller bandages, triangular bandages, and crepe bandages.
Basic Life Support (BLS): The foundational level of emergency care involving airway management, rescue breathing, and CPR to maintain circulation until advanced care arrives.
Bystander CPR: CPR performed by a person on the scene who is not a professional first responder. Bystander CPR significantly increases survival rates from cardiac arrest.
Bleed Control: Techniques used to manage significant bleeding, including direct pressure, wound packing, elevation, and tourniquet application.
Blood Pressure: The force of blood against artery walls, measured as systolic (heart contracting) over diastolic (heart relaxing). Normal adult range is approximately 90–120 / 60–80 mmHg.
Bruise (Contusion): Discolouration of the skin caused by blood leaking from damaged capillaries into the surrounding tissue after an impact.
Burns: Tissue damage caused by heat, chemicals, electricity, radiation, or friction. Classified as superficial (1st degree), partial thickness (2nd degree), or full thickness (3rd degree).
Capillary Bleeding: Slow oozing of dark red blood from the smallest blood vessels (capillaries). The most common type, usually controlled easily with direct pressure.
Cardiac Arrest: The sudden cessation of effective heart pumping, causing blood to stop circulating. Requires immediate CPR and defibrillation. Distinct from a heart attack, which is a circulation blockage.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): An emergency procedure combining chest compressions and rescue breaths to maintain circulation and oxygenation in a person whose heart has stopped. Rate: 100–120 compressions per minute, depth: 5–6 cm.
Carotid Pulse: The pulse felt in the carotid arteries on either side of the neck, used to assess circulation in adults during resuscitation assessment.
Cervical Spine: The seven vertebrae of the neck. In trauma, this area must be stabilised to prevent spinal cord injury.
Chain of Survival: A sequence of four critical actions that maximise survival after cardiac arrest: early recognition and call for help, early CPR, early defibrillation, and early advanced care.
Choking: Partial or complete airway obstruction by a foreign object. A conscious adult who cannot cough effectively should receive back blows and chest thrusts.
Circulation: The movement of blood through the body, delivering oxygen and nutrients and removing waste. In first aid, assessed by checking pulse, skin colour, and capillary refill.
Compression Depth: In CPR, compressions should press the chest down 5–6 cm (about one-third of the chest depth) to effectively pump blood.
Compression Rate: The speed of chest compressions during CPR, recommended at 100–120 compressions per minute by the ARC.
Concussion: A mild traumatic brain injury caused by a blow or jolt to the head that temporarily disrupts brain function. Symptoms include headache, confusion, dizziness, and memory problems.
Consent: In first aid, an implied or explicit agreement from the patient to receive treatment. Implied consent exists when a person is unconscious or unable to respond.
Contusion: A bruise or internal soft-tissue injury caused by blunt trauma without breaking the skin.
Convulsion: Involuntary muscle contractions or spasms, commonly seen in epileptic seizures. First aid focuses on safety — clearing the area and not restraining the person.
Crepitus: A grating or crackling sound or sensation felt when broken bone ends rub together, or from air in tissues, indicating injury.
CREST (Compression, Rest, Elevation, Seek help, Tension bandage): A guideline for managing soft tissue injuries including sprains and strains, updating the older RICE method.
D.R.S. A.B.C.D: The ARC-recommended sequence for managing emergencies: Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR, Defibrillation.
Danger (Assessment): The first step in any emergency — assessing the scene for hazards before approaching the patient, to protect yourself, bystanders, and the patient.
Defibrillation: Delivery of a controlled electrical shock to the heart to terminate life-threatening arrhythmias (such as ventricular fibrillation) and restore normal rhythm.
Dehydration: A condition in which the body loses more fluid than it takes in, affecting normal function. Signs include thirst, dark urine, dizziness, and confusion.
Dislocation: The displacement of a bone from its normal position in a joint, commonly affecting the shoulder, fingers, or hip. Do not attempt to relocate — immobilise and seek medical aid.
DRSABCD: See D.R.S. A.B.C.D — the standard ARC emergency action plan used in all HLTAID courses.
Duty of Care: A legal and ethical obligation to take reasonable steps to avoid causing harm. First aiders have a duty of care once they begin assisting a patient.
Electrodes (AED Pads): Adhesive pads attached to the chest and connected to an AED. They deliver a shock and monitor heart rhythm.
Embedded Object: A foreign object lodged in a wound. Should never be removed as it may be preventing blood loss — build padding around it and immobilise.
Emergency Action Plan: A pre-determined set of steps for responding to emergencies, including DRSABCD, calling 000, and applying appropriate first aid.
EpiPen: A brand name for a pre-filled auto-injector containing adrenaline, used to treat anaphylaxis. Administered to the outer mid-thigh.
Epilepsy: A neurological disorder characterised by recurrent seizures caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
Exposure (Assessment): The fifth step in ABCDE assessment — exposing the patient's body to identify injuries, rashes, or skin changes that may not be visible through clothing.
Fainting (Syncope): A brief loss of consciousness caused by a temporary reduction in blood flow to the brain. Often preceded by dizziness, nausea, and pale skin. Lay the patient flat and elevate their legs.
Femoral Artery: The major artery running through the thigh. Injury here can cause rapid, life-threatening blood loss.
Febrile Convulsion: A seizure triggered by a rapid rise in body temperature, typically in children aged 6 months to 5 years.
Fracture: A break or crack in a bone. Types include closed (no wound), open/compound (bone pierces skin), comminuted (multiple fragments), and stress fractures.
Frostbite: Tissue damage caused by freezing, usually affecting the fingers, toes, ears, and nose. Skin appears white or pale, waxy, and is numb.
Gastric Distension: Inflation of the stomach with air, a common complication when rescue breaths are given too forcefully. Increases the risk of vomiting.
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS): A clinical scoring tool (3–15) used to assess a patient's level of consciousness based on eye opening, verbal response, and motor response.
Gurney (Stretcher): A wheeled or portable stretcher used to transport injured or ill patients.
Haemorrhage: Excessive or uncontrolled bleeding, either externally (visible) or internally (within body cavities). Severe haemorrhage can lead to hypovolaemic shock.
Head Tilt–Chin Lift: A technique for opening the airway in an unconscious patient without suspected spinal injury, by tilting the head back and lifting the chin forward.
Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction): Occurs when a blockage in a coronary artery cuts off blood supply to part of the heart muscle. Symptoms include chest pain, arm pain, breathlessness, and sweating. Call 000 immediately.
Heat Exhaustion: A heat-related illness caused by excessive fluid and salt loss through sweating. Symptoms include heavy sweating, pale cool skin, weakness, nausea, and headache.
Heat Stroke: A life-threatening emergency where the body's temperature regulation fails, causing core temperature above 40°C. Symptoms include hot dry skin, confusion, and loss of consciousness.
Heimlich Manoeuvre: Abdominal thrusts performed from behind a conscious choking adult to expel a foreign airway obstruction. Now supported alongside back blows in Australian guidelines.
HLTAID009: The national unit of competency for 'Provide CPR'. Covers the DRSABCD framework, CPR technique, and AED use. Certificate valid for 12 months.
HLTAID011: The national unit of competency for 'Provide First Aid'. The most common first aid qualification, covering CPR, bleeding, burns, fractures, and medical emergencies. Certificate valid for 3 years.
HLTAID012: The national unit of competency for 'Provide First Aid in Education and Care Settings'. Required for workers in childcare and educational environments. Certificate valid for 3 years.
Hyperventilation: Abnormally rapid or deep breathing that lowers carbon dioxide levels in the blood, causing dizziness, tingling, and sometimes fainting.
Hypoglycaemia: Abnormally low blood glucose levels, common in diabetic patients. Symptoms include shakiness, confusion, sweating, and weakness. Treat with sugar if the patient is conscious.
Hypothermia: A dangerous drop in body temperature below 35°C caused by prolonged exposure to cold. Signs include shivering, confusion, and drowsiness progressing to unconsciousness.
Hypovolaemic Shock: A life-threatening condition caused by significant blood or fluid loss, reducing the body's ability to deliver oxygen to tissues.
Hypoxia: A deficiency of oxygen in the body's tissues. Can result from respiratory failure, airway obstruction, or poor circulation.
Immobilisation: Keeping an injured body part still to prevent further damage and reduce pain. Achieved using splints, slings, or padding.
Impaled Object: See Embedded Object — a foreign object lodged in the body. Do not remove; stabilise in place.
Incident Report: A written record documenting an injury, illness, or near-miss in a workplace or care setting, required by law in most Australian workplaces.
Incision: A clean cut made by a sharp object such as a knife or glass. Edges of the wound are typically straight.
Infection: The invasion of body tissue by disease-causing pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Wounds must be cleaned to reduce infection risk.
Inflammation: The body's protective response to injury or infection, characterised by redness, heat, swelling, and pain.
Jaw Thrust: A technique used to open the airway in patients with suspected spinal injury, avoiding head tilt by pushing the jaw forward without moving the head or neck.
Ketoacidosis (Diabetic): A life-threatening diabetic emergency caused by a severe lack of insulin. Signs include rapid breathing, fruity breath odour, nausea, and altered consciousness.
Laceration: An irregular or jagged wound caused by tearing of tissue, often from blunt trauma. May have ragged, uneven edges.
Lateral Position: See Recovery Position — placing an unconscious but breathing patient on their side to maintain airway patency.
Level of Consciousness (LOC): An assessment of how alert and aware a patient is, ranging from fully alert to completely unresponsive. Commonly assessed using AVPU or the Glasgow Coma Scale.
Mechanism of Injury (MOI): The way in which an injury occurred, used to predict the type and severity of injuries. For example, a fall from height may indicate spinal injury.
Medical Alert Bracelet: Jewellery indicating a patient's specific medical condition (e.g. epilepsy, penicillin allergy, diabetes) to guide first aiders.
Meningitis: Inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, usually caused by infection. The non-blanching rash (petechiae) is a key warning sign requiring urgent medical care.
Myocardial Infarction: See Heart Attack — the medical term for a heart attack caused by blocked coronary arteries.
Nitrates (GTN): Medications (glyceryl trinitrate) used to relieve angina by dilating blood vessels. Administered as a spray or tablet under the tongue.
Non-Rebreather Mask: An oxygen delivery mask with a reservoir bag and one-way valves that deliver high-concentration oxygen (up to 90%) to a patient.
Open Fracture: A fracture where the broken bone pierces through the skin. Carries a high risk of infection and requires urgent hospital treatment.
Overdose: Ingestion of a substance in quantities exceeding safe or recommended levels, causing toxic or life-threatening effects.
Oxygen Saturation (SpO2): The percentage of haemoglobin in the blood carrying oxygen, measured by a pulse oximeter. Normal range is 95–100%.
Pads (AED): See Electrodes — adhesive pads used with an AED. Placed on the upper right chest and lower left side of the chest.
Paediatric First Aid: First aid adapted for infants and children, with key differences in CPR ratio (30:2), compression depth (one-third chest), and airway management.
Panoramic Assessment: A quick visual sweep of the scene to identify dangers, the number of patients, and the mechanism of injury before approaching.
Perfusion: The passage of blood through the capillaries to deliver oxygen to tissues. Poor perfusion is an indicator of shock.
Petechiae: Tiny red or purple spots caused by bleeding under the skin. A non-blanching rash can indicate meningococcal disease — a medical emergency.
PPE (Personal Protective Equipment): Equipment worn to minimise exposure to hazards, including gloves, face masks, and eye protection. Essential for safe first aid practice.
Pulse: The rhythmic expansion and contraction of arteries caused by the heart pumping blood. Used to assess circulation; normal adult resting rate is 60–100 beats per minute.
Puncture Wound: A narrow, deep wound caused by a pointed object such as a nail, needle, or splinter. May carry risk of deep infection despite a small surface opening.
Recovery Position: Placing an unconscious but breathing patient on their side with their upper knee bent, to maintain an open airway and reduce aspiration risk.
Rescue Breaths: Breaths given to a non-breathing patient during CPR, either mouth-to-mouth or with a resuscitation mask. Each breath should last 1 second and make the chest rise.
Response (Assessment): The second step in DRSABCD — assessing whether a patient is conscious by calling their name and tapping their shoulders.
Resuscitation Mask: A one-way valve mask placed over the patient's mouth and nose to deliver rescue breaths while preventing cross-contamination.
RICE: An older soft tissue injury protocol: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Largely replaced by CREST in current Australian guidelines.
SAMPLE History: A structured patient history framework: Signs & Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last meal, Events leading to the incident.
Seizure: A sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain causing changes in behaviour, movement, or consciousness. Protect the person from injury and do not restrain them.
Sepsis: A life-threatening condition where the body's response to infection damages its own tissues and organs. Signs include high fever, rapid heart rate, confusion, and difficulty breathing.
Shock: A life-threatening medical emergency where insufficient blood flow reaches the body's organs. Signs include pale, cold, clammy skin, rapid pulse, and altered consciousness.
Sign (Medical): An objective indicator of a medical condition that can be observed or measured, such as skin colour, respiratory rate, or swelling.
Sling: A bandage used to support an injured arm or shoulder, reducing movement and pain. Made from a triangular bandage.
Soft Tissue Injury: Damage to muscles, tendons, or ligaments — includes sprains, strains, and contusions. Initial management follows CREST.
Spinal Injury: Damage to the vertebral column or spinal cord, potentially causing paralysis. Suspected after high-impact trauma — do not move the patient unless airway management requires it.
Splint: A rigid or semi-rigid device used to immobilise a fractured limb and reduce pain and further injury during transport.
Sprain: A stretch or tear of ligaments at a joint, commonly the ankle or wrist. Causes pain, swelling, and bruising.
Strain: A stretch or tear of a muscle or tendon. Causes pain, swelling, and muscle weakness.
Stroke: A brain emergency caused by a blocked or burst blood vessel, cutting off blood supply. Assessed using the FAST test: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 000.
Subcutaneous: Beneath the skin — relating to the layer of tissue found just below the dermis. Some medications are injected subcutaneously.
Sucking Chest Wound: An open chest wound allowing air to enter the chest cavity, causing lung collapse. Covered with a seal to prevent air entry.
Symptom (Medical): A subjective indication of a condition reported by the patient, such as pain, nausea, or dizziness — as opposed to a sign, which is observed.
Syncope: See Fainting — a brief, self-limiting loss of consciousness.
Tachycardia: A heart rate above 100 beats per minute in adults. Can indicate infection, blood loss, pain, anxiety, or cardiac conditions.
Tension Pneumothorax: A life-threatening build-up of air in the chest cavity that compresses the heart and major vessels. Requires urgent medical intervention.
Tourniquet: A device applied tightly around a limb to compress blood vessels and stop life-threatening haemorrhage when direct pressure fails. Note the time of application.
Trachea: The windpipe — the tube connecting the throat to the lungs through which air passes. Obstruction is rapidly life-threatening.
Triage: The process of prioritising patients in a multi-casualty incident based on the severity of their injuries and likelihood of survival.
Triple Zero (000): Australia's emergency services number. Calling 000 connects the caller to police, fire, or ambulance dispatchers.
Unconscious: A state of unawareness with no response to stimulation. An unconscious patient requires airway management and monitoring, and potentially CPR.
Universal Precautions: An approach that treats all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious, requiring appropriate PPE for all patient contacts.
Venous Bleeding: Dark red blood that flows steadily from a damaged vein. Less forceful than arterial bleeding but still requires prompt direct pressure.
Ventricular Fibrillation (VF): A chaotic, disorganised heart rhythm that prevents effective pumping — the most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest in adults. Treated with CPR and defibrillation.
Vital Signs: Core physiological measurements used to assess a patient's condition: pulse, respiratory rate, blood pressure, temperature, and oxygen saturation.
Wound: A break in the continuity of body tissue, whether skin, muscle, or organ. Types include lacerations, abrasions, incisions, punctures, and avulsions.
Wound Closure Strip (Steri-Strip): An adhesive strip used to hold the edges of a minor wound together without sutures.