Calls for all university students to learn first aid, as Red Cross warns majority of deaths could be prevented

Research from the Red Cross reveals 70 per cent of students lack the confidence to perform first aid - but the majority of deaths from injury could be prevented

Your first term at university often coincides with your first time living away from home – and with that comes a torrent of newfound responsibilities and necessary skills.

Learning first aid is likely to come far below setting up the wifi and sorting out bills in terms of priority. But with shocking new research revealing that 70 per cent of university students lack the confidence to perform simple but potentially life-saving tasks, it’s worth taking a moment to brush up.

Research commissioned by the British Red Cross and conducted by the University of Manchester suggests the majority (59 per cent) of pre-hospital deaths from injury could be prevented if more people stepped in with basic first aid knowledge.

Head of First Aid Education at the leading charity, Joe Mulligan, said: “The good news is that most people are calling 999. But after calling 999 we want students do something in those crucial minutes before the ambulance arrives.

“Sadly in the majority of deaths we looked at, the simplest interventions could have helped keep someone alive.

“For example something as simple as turning your friend on their side and tilting their head back to keep their airway open – could be all it takes to make that difference between life and death in certain situations”.

Despite 93 per cent of those finding someone with an injury calling for an ambulance, first aid intervention of any kind was infrequent, researchers said.

Around half of people in this position did not attempt any form of first aid whilst waiting for emergency medical services to arrive.

The research is the first of its kind to undertaken for 22 years, and is published alongside a campaign for all university students - that’s more than two million people- learn first aid.

Here’s how to save a life using first aid:

In case of victim being unresponsive and breathing

1. Check breathing by tilting their head backwards and looking and feeling for breaths.

2. Move them onto their side and tilt their head back (recovery position).

3. As soon as possible, call 999 or get someone else to do it.

In case of victim being unresponsive and NOT breathing

1. Check breathing by tilting their head backwards and looking and feeling for breaths.

2. Call 999 as soon as possible, or get someone else to do it.

3. Push firmly downwards in the middle of the chest and then release to perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

4. Push at a regular rate (think of the “staying alive” tune) until help arrives.

In case of heavy bleeding

1. Put pressure on the wound with whatever is available to stop or slow down the flow of blood.

2. Call 999 as soon as possible, or get someone else to do it.

3. Keep pressure on the wound until help arrives.

Would you be able to save a life? Take the quiz here.