Im interested to see how many people have done first aid courses and wether they keep them up to date. The reason it came up was that at work they started playing "staying alive" and i cant hear that song without wanting to do CPR because its used as a training device to get peoples rythum to the right speed (ie 100 compressions per min). However i was actually looking at the first aiders list at work and there are only 3 of us on it (though i do know there is a girl there who is up to date with her first aid but the qualification isnt recognised because its through the vollenteer side of St johns insted of the public training side). So anyway how many of you have certificates and do you renue them. Further more do you actually think its important to get that knowlage and keep it current?
I did a number of First Aid Courses when younger, although I haven't renewed them because I'm not in a working environment and I don't currently belong to any physical social groups that might require on site aid. If I worked for a company, I would expect the company to put it's employee's on a first aid course once a year as a minimum. As this can be seen as a "Company training day", it can be also seen as a "Team building exercise" and lastly if you are a company that likes good PR what harm can "... All are employees are trained in first aid" do? If I involved myself say running a Scout group, a Knitting club, Cooking or Yoga class or run my own Business etc I'd also expect that I should have up to date training, perhaps more often than just working for someone else. After all if you are the head the group, people expect you to lead, and hopefully well in an emergency. First Aid itself is actually "Practionary" in a way, since the ways of treating Accidents and Emergencies can change over time, so I know some of the stuff I know from way back when is outdated. (Heck I got taught two different ways to handle a nose bleed [one of them being completely wrong now] from the method changing.)
my opinion is that EVERYONE should know basic first aid and CPR (what is traught in Australia as Senior First aid) and should keep it up to date. The more exotic stuff like use of O2 isnt important but your alot more likly to see a heart atack in a shopping center than you are a work place. For an example 2 weeks ago my parents were flying from Melb over to perth to see my sister and dad colapsed on the plane. Now it just happened that a) he didnt have a heart attack and b) there happened to be a GP who worked for the flying doctors and a cadiac nurse on the plane but there is no garentiee of having that sort of medical help in an emergency. Myself i have been involved in 2 serious car crashes while on the street (both motorcyles oddly enough now i think about it) and in the first one i was only trained in first aid (i was a chef at the time and it was this crash which lead to me doing my degree) and i was the only person to try to help the ridder (he was killed on impact but i still went down to him). On your point about things changing your right, thats why a senior first aid certification only lasts 3 years but CPR qualifications have to be renued every year. One of the biggest changes in First Aid apart from going to a 30:2 CPR rate is the number of automated defibs around now and they are designed to be used by a monkey. All people need to know is basically they are there to be used and not to use them on a pt who is lying in water or on a very small child without peadiatric pads. Basically to get a first aid qualification takes only 2 days out of every 3 years and 1 day each for the other 2. Is that a huge commitment to give when it could be your own partner you are using it on or your child?
I was a medic in the Army. I let the certifications and most of the knowledge lapse quite a few years back.
BTW its highly amusing to watch a whole class of students singing "Staying alive" under there breath while doing CPR trainingPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image! But at 103 beats per min its almost perfect (aparently "another one bites the dust" IS the perfect rythum but isnt as catchy or apropriatePlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image!)
I did a first aid course with CPR a few years back, but I haven't done a refresher for a while so I'm a little out of date. We used "Baa Baa black sheep..." for the CPR timing. Now I can't hear that rhyme without thinking of CPR.
I haven't kept mine up to date because (a) I'm not working in an area that is likely to require those skills any more; (b) if I wanted to keep it up to date it would be at my own expense and I don't want to pay the money.
this isnt the case in Australia at least. Every state and territory has "good smaratian" laws or equivlant which protect someone who is acting in the persons best interests from civil or criminal procution if they are acting with in there training. The only time you arnt protected is if you act outside your training (for instance someone with just basic first aid doing a trachiotimy)
james as i said its not where you work that your most likly to use it, for instance at christmas last year my grandmother was pulling a bon bon and almost fell off her chair through the window. My brother cracked his head open on a basin when he was little. The most likly place to use first aid is actually in your own home. As for the expence that is true and a barrier but there is a solution for that james, you could become a st johns vollenteer. You have to pay for the initial first aid course but then they reinburse you for it and they pay for all further training (not to mention that you get paid a higher rate automatically at work and you get to actually USE the skillsPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image!)
We recently had a case where 2 guys pulled a friend out of a car on fire. He had a broken neck and when they pulled him out they paralyzed him. He sued. Apparently some people would rather be burned to death.
cant happen here, courts would through the case out. Even before these laws there has never been a sucessful case against a first aider for rendering assistance as they were trained
we dont know the particulars of this case. you can get into trouble if you cause more damage than would have occurred if you didnt render assistance, but this is very rare and that is why there are courses for this.
I'm an active American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor and I highly recommend that everyone gets certified, it could safe the life of a friend or love one. I certify about 100 people of all ages in a years time giving up my weekends as a volunteer instructor without getting paid. It's a very rewarding experience.
It depends on whether the "Good Samaritan Law" is recognized at the place this incident occurred. I tell my students that as long that they don't go beyond their scope of training they will be alright. I also tell my students that prior of giving care you must make the "scene" safe, and a burning car is most definitely not a safe scene. Giving that fact that they acted with good intent, I doubt the law suit will go thru, but I'm not sure about the laws in other countries.
Drakkula hissPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image! the compitionPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image! (St John's and the red cross compeat for the first aid market in trainning in AustraliaPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image!) But good on you for doing it, its one of the things which can really increase a persons chances of survival and you never know when it will be needed (i came across a car crash tonight as i was driving home and no one but myself actually stopped to see if the girl was ok)
I was in the St.Johns Ambulance for a year or so when I was about fourteen/fifteen (20 years ago). I learnt the basics and did a few duties. As I got older I got distracted with the usual things that teenagers do and stopped going every week, then eventually altogether. I don't have a good excuse as to why I haven't kept up the skills. There are some things I still remember (such as dr abc) but I don't have much confidence in myself to help anyone in a situation.
Between 18 and 46, I kept it up on an annual basis, to include first aid and CPR. In the military we called it "self-aid/buddy care," but it was just a first aid course adjusted for what we were likely to encounter in combat.
