If you are contemplating whether or not you should take a first aid course, our answer is yes! First aid courses are extremely beneficial for those working in a professional environment. However, they also provide lifesaving skills to be outside of the workplace, because you never know when you will find yourself in an emergency situation.
Do you need more convincing? The five aims of a first aider will help us explain why administering first aid is important during a crisis situation.
The most important aim of first aid is to save the person’s life! This can be done by following the ABC’s of first aid treatment:
The first aider’s role is to manage the injury and/or illness and prevent it from getting worse. For example, if someone is bleeding profusely, the first aider will try to prevent it from bleeding further by using the right body positioning, bandages, etc., to manage the wound.
Providing basic first aid, such as stopping bleeding or cleaning and bandaging wounds, and applying pressure or ointments will promote faster recovery. It will also help to prevent unwanted bacteria infections, scarring, and more.
Providing pain relief medication to an individual in distress may be suitable in some situations. If the individual has a sprain and is not bleeding, it may be advisable to provide over the counter pain relief until they are able to seek professional care at a hospital. Please note, that pain relief should only be provided when it won’t further injure the patient. For example, if someone has any allergies to medications or is bleeding, pain medication is not advisable. It’s always best to err on the side of caution and ask a medical professional before offering any sort of medication. Other things you can do to provide pain relief is to follow the RICE method.
Rest – and do not move the injured area
Ice – apply ice
Compression – wrap the area with a bandage
Elevate – raise the injured area to increase blood flow
Providing first aid skills to an unconscious individual is important, as it protects them when they don’t have the ability to do it themselves. Clearing any hazards from the unconscious casualty, checking their vital signs, and administering first aid are all part of protecting a non-responsive casualty. If a spinal injury is not suspected, placing the unresponsive casualty in the recovery position until help arrives also protects them.
Blue Guard’s First Aid Courses are designed to provide both professionals and the general public with the knowledge to preserve and protect individuals during an emergency situation. Developed with the student in mind, our innovative first aid courses are reputable, professional, and realistic for real life emergency situations.
At Blue Guard, we offer a wide range of first aid training courses crafted to meet your specific needs, to include Wilderness First Aid, Level 2 International Award in Emergency First Aid, Level 2 International Award in Pediatric First Aid, and Level 3 International Award in First Aid for adults as well as young adults.
If you’re interested in signing up for a First Aid training course, contact a member of the Blue Guard team today!