Are you confident enough to give First Aid?
Many people say they would be worried about getting involved in an incident in case they got it wrong and made the situation worse, but even a little knowledge can be a really big help.
How to give first aid
The main thing is not to panic and if it looks like a life-threatening incident that you don't know how to handle, call an ambulance. Let’s face it, if the most you can provide is comfort and reassurance that help is on the way, that in itself is worth a great deal to someone in distress.
Dealing with first aid incidents
An incident could be any situation where a person may require first aid. Incidents can range from someone having a bit of a nose bleed, a sprain or strain to a more serious burn or knife cut, right through to someone having a stroke, heart attack or being hit by a car in a collision. Whatever has happened, always remember that your own safety and that of others comes first, so under no circumstances should you put that at risk.
Three categories of first aid incidents
Let's look at the different types of incidents which typically fall into three categories:
Life threatening
Road accidents, choking, heart attacks, strokes, shock; for example, severe bleeding/blood loss, crush injuries, and stab wounds would fall into this category.
Serious to life threatening
These are serious incidents and could include burns and scalds, falls that could result in broken bones and deeper knife cuts.
Non-urgent
These are non-urgent, day-to-day incidents that befall most of us at some time. Think of insect bites, nose bleeds, sunburn and minor knife cuts; for example, when peeling or chopping vegetables.
Stop and assess the situation
With first aid, the first thing to do with any incidence is to use your common sense to assess the situation and if you feel it's too much to handle, get professional assistance. When you call 999, the operator will be able to give you advice and if necessary, they will send out an ambulance.
In the meantime, if you feel you can help, firstly, ask yourself whether it is safe for you to get involved. The primary rule of first aid is never to become the casualty yourself - that means do not put yourself or others in danger. You must only offer help if it is safe to do so.
Online First aid training course
EduCare has a developed an online First Aid Essentials training course that has been endorsed by the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (WMAS). The course has recently been updated to utilise up-to-date e-learning technology and design techniques. Content has been reviewed by WMAS and updated where appropriate.
The purpose of the course is to provide a practical guide on how to handle an incident that may require first aid. The course is not intended to teach anyone how to be a first aider, but it is designed to give learners the confidence to know what to do when someone urgently needs your help.
The course is made up of three modules and delivers three CPD hours. It covers:
- providing basic life support
- how to react in life-threatening situations
- how to deal with someone who is choking, drowning, seizing, bleeding or having an allergic reaction
- what to do if somebody has a broken bone or experienced a burn
- how to handle day-to-day incidents such as nosebleeds, insect bites, stings, sprains and strains and sunburn.
The course costs £27.00 and can be bought via EduCare’s online shop. It is also included in EduCare’s cost-effective training packages which provide educational settings, sports and leisure providers, charities, businesses and health and care providers access to a comprehensive range of safeguarding and duty of care courses and allow them to make substantial savings when compared to purchasing on a course-by-courses basis.
Get in touch to find out more.
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