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First Aid News & Features
Strikes in U.K. Throw Health Services into Turmoil
- FDA Moves to Ease Restrictions on Gay Men Giving Blood
December 1, 2022 — Currently, FDA policy does not allow blood donation from men who have had sex with other men in the past three months.
- Check Smoke, Carbon Monoxide Alarm Batteries as Clocks Go Back on Sunday
November 3, 2022 — When resetting clocks, make it a priority to also check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors to be sure they're working and replace their batteries.
- Black Americans Less Likely to Receive Lifesaving CPR: Study
October 27, 2022 — A new study suggests that when someone collapses in front of witnesses, the chances of receiving potentially lifesaving CPR may partly depend on the color of their skin.
- Healing Broken Bones Is More Complicated Than It Looks
August 26, 2022 — Sometimes broken bones fail to fuse together, and understanding why some bones mend while others need more help will improve care for people with fractures.
- No Need to Rip It Off Like a Bandage With This Wound Cover
August 17, 2022 — A new band-aid is being designed to stick twice as well to skin, but hurt half as much to pull off. Scientists are tapping into the main ingredient in school glue to make this possible.
- Heat Wave Warnings Stretch Across U.S., Europe
July 19, 2022 — Record-breaking temperatures are being recorded across the U.S. and Europe, prompting heat wave warnings about potential health risks.
- How to Keep Cool During a Heat Wave
June 15, 2022 — Talk about a summer sizzler: A record-breaking heat wave is making its way across the United States this week. Read on for a look at signs of heat-related illness and how to stay safe and cool as temperatures rise.
- Heat Wave Prompts Warnings Across U.S.
June 13, 2022 — More than 65 million Americans from California to Tennessee are under heat alerts this week as a heat wave creates triple-digit temperatures across parts of the South, Southwest, and Central Plains.
- Surgeons, Who See It Up Close, Offer Ways to Stop Gun Violence
June 2, 2022 — For example, high-capacity, magazine-fed semiautomatic rifles, such as the AR-15, should be considered for reclassification as NFA Class 3 firearms, or they should get a new designation with tighter regulation.
- Amazon Employee Injuries Rose 20% Last Year: Report
April 14, 2022 — About 38,000 Amazon workers were injured on the job in 2021, a 20% increase over the previous year, according to a new report from the Strategic Organizing Center, a group representing four major unions.
- From ‘Go Bags’ to Evacuation Routes, Prepare for a Disaster
January 11, 2022 — The unfortunate reality is that natural disasters strike year round and often. Here’s how to ensure your family is ready.
- Were These True Medical Miracles? Doctors Disagree
January 4, 2022 — These patient recoveries seemed impossible. But were they medical miracles?
- Woman Walks Away After Semitruck Flattens Her Car
November 18, 2021 — A Washington state woman miraculously survived an accident in which a semi-truck flattened her car.
- Scientists Regrow Lizard's Tail with Stem Cell Technology
November 5, 2021 — Regenerated lizard tails usually lack bone and nerve tissue, but with edited stem cells, this all-female gecko species can regrow a complete tail, holding promise for advances in wound healing.
- The No. 1 Cause of Halloween Injuries: Carving the Pumpkin
October 23, 2021 — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says pumpkin carving is the leading cause of injuries associated with Halloween.
- Big Rise in Injuries From E-Scooters, Hoverboards
October 5, 2021 — Injuries associated with the "micromobility products" skyrocketed 70% between 2017 and 2020
- What to Do if You're in a Car Accident
September 22, 2021 — Getting into a car crash can be scary, but being prepared and knowing what to do can help. Here’s what to know after getting into a car accident.
- 11 Things You Should Keep in Your Car
August 30, 2021 — Learn about 11 essential items you should always keep in your car.
- 12 Items to Keep in Your Home’s First Aid Kit
August 30, 2021 — Learn about 12 essential items every home’s first aid kit should have.
- How Heat Kills: Deadly Weather 'Cooking' People From Within
August 2, 2021 — In the final week of July, the National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings for 17 states, stretching from the West Coast, across the Midwest, down south into Louisiana and Georgia. Temperatures 10 to 15 F above average threaten the lives and livelihoods of people all across the country.
- Facing Killer Heat, ERs Use Body Bags to Save Lives
July 22, 2021 — Doctors in Washington state used human body bags filled with ice and water to rapidly cool the sickest patients affected by record heat last month.
- Man Gets Lifesaving Intestinal Transplant After Bull Attack
July 22, 2021 — A man who was attacked by a bull later got a lifesaving intestinal transplant.
- Deaths From Carbon Monoxide Rise Amid Winter Storms
February 18, 2021 — In Harris County, which includes Houston, more than 300 carbon monoxide poisoning cases have been reported.
- Will CPR Save Your Life? Probably Not, Study Says
July 17, 2020 — Not only does the general public consider CPR more effective than it really is, they tend to discount the negative effect it can have, the researchers said.
- Band-Aid to Launch New Racially Diverse Bandages
June 22, 2020 — In an Instagram announcement, Band-Aid says it is committed to making tangible change for the black community, and also noted its plan to donate to Black Lives Matter.
- Record Number of Pedestrian Deaths Seen in U.S.
February 27, 2020 — The 2019 figure is the highest number of such deaths in more than 30 years, according to the association.
- Medical 'Yarn' Is Made From Human Skin
February 6, 2020 — The researchers said that unlike synthetic material currently used in most surgeries, this yarn wouldn't pose any risk of causing a reaction in patients' bodies, CNN reported.
- Smartphone Distractions Landing Pedestrians in ER
December 5, 2019 — According to one database, more than 2,500 men and women went to an emergency room for head and neck injuries sustained while using a smartphone between 1998 and 2017. When that number is extrapolated to include the whole country, the total is likely to be more than 76,000 people.
- You Won't Get Sued If You Do CPR, Review Suggests
November 12, 2019 — You're more likely to get sued if you don't intervene.
- Simple Fix Freed This Boy's Tongue Trapped in Bottle
November 1, 2019 — The boy was trying to get the last drop of juice when his tongue created a vacuum and he couldn't get it out of the bottle.
- Could Tissue-Sealing Tape Replace Stitches?
October 31, 2019 — Tests with rats and pig tissues showed that the tape can tightly seal tissues, such as the lungs and intestines, within 5 seconds, according to the study published Oct. 30 in the journal Nature.
- In Heat Waves, Fans May Do More Harm Than Good
August 6, 2019 — Electric fans might make you feel cooler, but they can actually increase your risk of becoming heat sick and even dying from a heat stroke, the evidence shows.
- Could Your Cellphone Charger Electrocute You?
July 29, 2019 — The report describes instances of people who were accidentally electrocuted and burned by phone charging cords.
- Electric Shock Drowning: A Silent Killer
July 22, 2019 — From 2005 to 2014, there were about 3,536 unintentional drownings not related to boating every year. Overall, about one in five victims of drowning are children 14 and younger.
- Guns in Home, Greater Odds of Family Homicide
July 22, 2019 — For each 10% jump in home ownership of guns, the risk of someone in the household being killed rises by 13%. The risk of a nonfamily member getting murdered is increased only 2% with gun ownership, researchers found.
- Heat Bakes the Nation, Here Are Some Safety Tips
July 18, 2019 — Across two-thirds of the United States, over 115 million Americans live where some level of heat alert is already in effect, and 290 million will see temperatures soar past 90 degrees at some point in the next week, USA Today reported Wednesday.
- CPR Less Likely for Poor Black Kids Study Finds
July 11, 2019 — The findings suggest there's a crucial need for CPR training programs in poor, non-white, lower-education neighborhoods, said study lead researcher Dr. Maryam Naim.
- Massive Fireworks Recall in Three States
June 27, 2019 — The commission says two boys were injured using the broken end of one of the recalled products. One of the boys lost a hand in the explosion.
- Report: Hundreds of Kids Drown in Pools Each Year
June 7, 2019 — The new report indicates a spike in drowning incidents among all children younger than 15.
- Texas Couple's Death in Fiji Under Investigation
June 7, 2019 — The Fiji Health Ministry is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization to investigate the mysterious death of a Texas couple on vacation on the South Pacific Island.
- Simple CPR Doubles Survival Odds
April 4, 2019 — During the 18-year study, patients receiving standard and hands-only CPR were twice as likely to survive 30 days as patients who received no CPR, according to the report published online April 1 in the journal Circulation.
- Many Black Americans Live in Trauma Care 'Deserts'
March 8, 2019 — Many "safety net" trauma hospitals in poorer urban areas have shut down or scaled back operations over the years, as funding has tightened.
- Six Deaths Blamed on Faulty Defibrillator
February 5, 2019 — The Stryker company sells the LIFEPAK 15 Monitor/Defibrillators and reports that the it has received 58 complaints of devices freezing after delivering its electric shock.
- Medical Scribes Could Help Improve ER Care
January 31, 2019 — Medical scribes do administrative tasks, such as documenting visits while a doctor evaluates the patient, printing out paperwork and arranging tests and appointments.
- Injuries Pile Up from Electric Scooters
January 25, 2019 — Most of the 249 patients in the JAMA Network Open study were discharged after being patched up, but 15 people had to be hospitalized, including two with severe head injuries.
- Hospital Discharge Around Holidays Can Be Riskier
December 10, 2018 — People discharged from the hospital during the Christmas break period had a higher risk of death or readmission compared with people discharged at other times, new research shows.
- Why Bystanders Are Less Likely to Give Women CPR
November 5, 2018 — People may worry about hurting a woman while doing CPR chest compressions -- or fear being accused of sexual assault. Some said people also might believe women's breasts get in the way of CPR, two new studies report.
- 1 in 6 Americans Over 40 Has Been Knocked Out
September 19, 2018 — Further, these head injuries are associated with neurological and psychological problems such as depression, sleep disorders, stroke and alcoholism, the researchers found.
- Flooding One of Florence's Big Dangers
September 14, 2018 — Florence's winds have weakened slightly, dropping to between 90 and 100 miles per hour, but weather experts stress that the slow-moving storm will likely dump catastrophic amounts of rain on coastal and inland areas in the coming days.