We’ve all heard the old advice – pinch the bridge of your nose and tilt your head back.
But according to trainers Emilia and Charlene, that’s a big first aid myth.
In this Trainer’s Corner video, they explain the right way to deal with a nosebleed, and why it matters.
What to do if someone has a nosebleed
🔸 Pinch the soft part of the nose, as high up as possible — that’s where the tiny blood vessels are.
🔸 Tilt the head forwards, not back — this stops blood running down the throat, which can cause nausea or vomiting.
🔸 Use an ice pack on the bridge of the nose or the nape of the neck to help narrow blood vessels and reduce bleeding.
🔸 If bleeding lasts more than 30 minutes, or the person is taking blood thinners, seek medical help.
For children, if the bleeding hasn’t stopped after around 10 minutes, call 111 for advice.
It’s a great reminder that first aid is always evolving, and that small updates to our knowledge can make a big difference in real-life emergencies.
If you found this Trainer’s Corner helpful, you might enjoy exploring some of our other videos too. We’ve built a whole library of short, practical clips where our trainers talk through common first aid questions in a really simple, down-to-earth way. You can find them all on our website, or watch them over on our YouTube channel.
We also share quick, easy-to-follow guidance on our In Case of Emergency podcast – perfect if you like learning on the go. Each episode covers a real first aid question we’re asked during training, from choking to CPR to AEDs.
And if you prefer learning face-to-face, we’d love to welcome you to one of our tutor-led first aid courses at our training centre in Exeter.
