If you are applying for a job in a high-risk environment, First Aid training will usually be stipulated as a prerequisite. Such job roles include that of nannies, lifeguards, childcare workers and aged care workers. Though low-risk environments may not require First Aid training, it’s always good to have this skill set on your resume, for you will be preferred over another candidate who has similar skills but is not trained in First Aid!
Even though a First Aid course may not be mandatory, it is important that as many people as possible should be equipped with basic First Aid skills and the knowledge to be able to administer lifesaving First Aid in an emergency. This could be within your workplace, at home or even when you are out shopping.
What are some of the industries that require First Aid Training?
Healthcare professionals such as doctors and nurses are not the only jobs that require Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid training. If you are looking for a career in the following fields, you may want to undertake formal training:
- Childcare Providers
- Electricians
- Coaches and Personal Trainers
- Construction Workers
- Fire Fighters
- Lifeguards
- Social Workers
- Flight Attendants
- Prison Staff
- Policemen
- And, of Course, Medical and Healthcare Professionals
Advances in Medical Technology for Providing First Aid
Medical technology is always advancing at an incredible pace and there are many advancements coming to the ways in which First Aid is administered. New technologies are being made available for CPR and emergency aid so it is good to stay updated with these new-age methods and practices.
AED Drone Deliveries
Drones are being used to expedite jobs that are too hazardous for humans or for those that can be done better and faster by a machine. In Sweden, an experiment was carried out where drones carrying AEDs were sent to simulated sites in response to 18 cardiac arrests. The chosen sites were places where ambulances had previously responded to actual occurrences. It was found that ambulance travel times to the site on the average were roughly 20 minutes, whereas the delivery times for the drones were just around 5 minutes.
Mechanical CPR
Many a time during an EMS response to cardiac arrest, chest compressions need to be interrupted in order to administer medications or transport the patient. When a human is carrying out the compressions, they may become fatigued and the compressions could become less effective. Systems that mechanically administer chest compressions have been developed using a piston or compression band. These are found to increase the effectiveness and number of chest compressions administered.
Augmented Reality Applications
New-age devices such as Google Glass, Microsoft Holo, and Samsung Gear VR in the medical technology field have made applications using Augmented Reality possible. They could be useful in a gamut of environments ranging from routine doctor visits to critical neurosurgery. Augmented Reality apps could be used in CPR to gauge compression distance and rate from video taken by the devices. They could even project real-time feedback of CPR techniques and alert EMS about the incident.
Devices for Use in Remote Clinics
Devices could be used to monitor patients, verify medical procedures and interventions (such as correct drug dosages) as well as obtain help and recommendations from remote personnel.
Smartphone Apps for First Aid
Free mobile apps are available to help during blood drives as well as natural disasters and give access to expert advice and related information on how to handle common first aid emergencies. There are even modern takes on a traditional first aid kit, mobile electrocardiogram (EKG) devices and hand-held scanners that are available for use in emergencies.
Let’s Get you Started!
At IHNA, First Aid training is delivered by paramedics and nurses who have hands-on experience of working in clinical and emergency settings. The First Aid course gives you the skills and knowledge required to respond the right way to an emergency situation. Not only will you be learning how to apply appropriate first aid procedures, but also be taught the correct protocol for evaluating the incident and communicating details to others who will follow up the treatment. You will get well-versed in both theory and practical demonstrations of possible First Aid scenarios, so that you may later relate it to real life events.
This training is a one-day course and runs for about 8 hours, which includes the CPR module. Upon completion of the theory and practical sessions of this course, you will be eligible to receive a Nationally Recognized Statement of Attainment / Certification that has been accredited by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). Your certificate will be valid for 3 years. Australian Resuscitation Council recommends that you attend a cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) update every 12 months so that you can stay updated with current best practices.
All theory is to be completed online or face to face before the one-day practical session, which must be completed at the institute. Students may use the institute’s facilities, if necessary, to do the online theory.
The skills you will learn include, among others:
- Apply first aid principles
- Chain of survival
- Assessing the
situation - Signs of life
- Performing CPR
- Demonstrate use of an automated external defibrillator (AED)
- Care of the unconscious person
- Special techniques for children and infants
- CPR in special circumstances
- Breathing emergencies including choking and asthma
- Cardiac emergencies
- Severe allergic reaction
- Shock
- Bleeding and wound care
- Burns and scalds
- Extremes of heat and cold
- Poisoning
- Altered consciousness states
- Bites and stings
- Musculoskeletal injuries
- Infection control
- Reporting procedures
- Social/Legal issues
Medical technology continues to progress every day, and while there are apps and devices available that can make medical help more convenient, it’s still very important to have the basic knowledge and skills needed to provide the right first response in case of an emergency. It’s always a great idea to prepare yourself in the event of a serious medical situation, so do undertake a course that can help you to learn CPR and administer first aid properly!