Books & Cas Cards

What These Are Used For

Books and reference cards are used to reinforce medical knowledge, guide structured response, and support accurate documentation during patient care.

Casualty cards are used to record patient information, injuries, treatments, and timelines, ensuring critical information is communicated clearly during handover or ongoing care.

Who These Are For

Books, casualty cards, and reference cards are used by first aiders, emergency responders, instructors, students, and organisations responsible for medical preparedness.

They are commonly used in training environments, workplaces, emergency services, and field operations. If your role involves learning, teaching, documenting, or supporting medical response, reference materials are an important part of your setup.

What to Look For

Selecting appropriate medical reference materials depends on clarity, relevance, and durability.

• Content relevance: Aligned with current training and response protocols.
• Clarity: Easy to read and understand under pressure.
• Durability: Suitable for field or operational environments.
• Portability: Compact formats for kits, pouches, or bags.
• Purpose-specific design: Structured layouts for quick reference or documentation.

Effective reference materials should support decision-making without slowing response.

Common Mistakes We See

A common mistake is relying on reference materials as a substitute for proper training.

We also see reference cards that are outdated, poorly protected, or difficult to read in the field. Another issue is failing to integrate casualty cards into standard documentation and handover processes.

Reference materials should support training and response, not replace hands-on competence.

Questions We Get Asked

What are medical reference cards used for?

They are used to support recall of key information and guide structured response during medical incidents.

What is a casualty card?

A casualty card is used to document patient details, injuries, treatments, and timelines during care and handover.

Do reference cards replace medical training?

No. Reference cards support trained responders but do not replace formal training or clinical judgement.

Who should use casualty cards?

Casualty cards are commonly used by emergency responders, first aiders, and organisations managing patient care.

Are these materials suitable for field use?

Yes. Many reference cards and books are designed for durability and use in operational environments.

Can reference cards be carried in first aid kits?

Yes. Compact reference cards are often carried in first aid kits, trauma kits, or medical bags.