WHAT IS FIRST AID?
First aid is the immediate assistance given to someone who is ill or injured. In the vital few minutes before the emergency services arrive basic first aid can be the difference between life and death.
The five most common causes of needless death from a lack of first aid are:
- the heart not beating
- severe bleeding
- heart attack
- blocked airway
- choking
This course provides information about how to respond to each of these emergency situations. It also contains guidance about how to deal with many other injuries and conditions that you may encounter in your daily life. As well as specific treatments, you will also learn how to manage a first aid incident as a whole.
There is much more to being a first aider than patching up wounds. It is a diverse role that requires the skills and knowledge to provide effective, safe and prompt first aid, as well as the ability to work and communicate effectively with a variety of people.
- As a first aider you should:
- be calm in your approach
- be aware of risks to yourself and others
- build and maintain trust with all those involved in an incident
- give early treatment
- call for appropriate help
- remember your own needs
- All the skills you need to be an effective first aider are covered on your training course
The first aider
Anyone can be a first aider. The skills are not difficult to learn, and their value
cannot be overestimated. Whether you are busy shopping, looking after children,
playing sport, out and about, or providing first aid as a volunteer or as part of your
job, it is likely that at some point you will encounter someone who needs first aid.
As a first aider, you may be:
- working in a small organisation
- a childminder
- providing first aid in a public place
- the first at the scene of a car crash
- one of several first aiders in a large company
- a teacher.
If you are providing first aid at work or as a volunteer, it is important that you
receive appropriate training so you have the knowledge and skills for your role. This
reference guide aims to support your first aid training, giving you all the notes and
guidance you need in one place.
First aid training is not a one-off process. It requires ongoing practice and regular
refresher training to ensure your knowledge and skills are kept up to date.