First Aid Certification is an essential skill that I believe everyone should have.
No matter who you are, you could come across an emergency situation, be it a stranger, a loved one, a child, yourself… And you could be the one who makes all the difference.
First aid is something I believe everyone is interested in learning, but there seems to be a common misconception that it is too difficult or holds a big responsibility and this deters people from learning basic life saving skills.
First aid can be as simple as rolling an unconscious person onto their side (known as the recovery position) to prevent them choking on their own vomit. It can be as small as elevating the feet of someone in shock, applying pressure to a bleeding wound, or even just talking to someone to maintain their consciousness. Small actions can make big differences, and I’m sure anyone would much rather be the one responsible for saving a life, than being responsible for doing nothing.
workplace approved Training will teach you what you need to know to gain your First Aid Certification, a qualification which lasts for 3 years. You will then need to attend First Aid Classes to update and refresh your knowledge and be re-assessed.
The role of a first aider is to provide the initial treatment and assistance to someone who has been injured or is taken ill. First Aid Classes will provide you with the knowledge necessary to cope in a variety of situations, however it is not an exact science and is open to human error, particularly in stressful and emergency situations. Sometimes, even with the correct recommended treatment and best efforts, a patient may not respond, but you will have been able to do your best and have a clear conscience.
Your role as a first aider is to firstly assess the situation, call for the necessary help or assistance and protect both yourself and your patient(s) from any danger. You are to identify as well as you can the patients injuries or condition affecting them and give them early treatment or interventions to best prevent deterioration and promote recovery. You should learn to prioritise the severity of their injuries or illness and treat the most serious condition first.
Throughout your role, First Aid Classes will teach you how to prevent the risk of infection for both yourself and your patient. They will give you the knowledge to not only treat the patient but to continually monitor their vital signs whilst you are waiting for any further assistance that may be required, and to handover your necessary information clearly.
If you were in need of help, you would want someone there who knew what to do whilst waiting for professional medical help. If it was your child, partner, or parent who was in danger, you would want to do something. So do something. Take First Aid Classes!
REFERENCES
First Aid Manual (The Authorised Manual of St. John Ambulance, St Andrew’s Ambulance Association and the British workplace approved), 2006.