By definition, first aid is the care initial care that is accorded to an individual following an injury or a disease. These injuries may occur suddenly and with no warning, which is what makes it very important for individuals to get first aid training. By virtue of the occurrence of such injuries, it is not always possible for the patient to get to hospital in time, but when someone is trained to administer life saving techniques, they are in a better position to attend to such an individual. At the core of learning these techniques is the fact that it not only helps to save lives, it also stabilizes the patient and increases their chances of a full recovery (depending on the nature of the injury).
What should one expect when they undergo first aid training?
The trainee will be taught how to provide care for the victim until professional medical help arrives. In addition to the physical skills, it is also vital that a trainee gets emotional skills that will help them stay calm in the face of trouble. In fact, this form of training can make all the difference. When you consider that accidents are not always a pretty sight, it is easy to see why the ability to stay calm is very critical. Some first aid steps are rather basic and occur from day to day. These include things such as controlling nose bleeding, treating a minor cut as well as dealing with a slight bruise. There are more complicated procedures however, that must be covered during first aid training, and they include provision of CPR in the event of a cardiac arrest, how to deal with severe bleeding and first aid for a fracture among many other activities.
Who is set to gain from skills learnt during first aid training?
Simply put, anyone who is alive and breathing and of the right age must undergo training in first aid. As mentioned above, the reason for first aid is to be the first point of contact from where the patient can recover fully. Since accidents do not occur with prior warning, anyone who is alive is at risk, and consequently anyone who is at risk must learn skills acquired by undergoing first aid training. Even with this training, qualified first aid trainees may have to take instructions from paramedics while on phone. The reason for this is that at times, shock paralyzes even the best qualified first aid providers. These instructions will not be any different from the typical first aid training session, but will come in handy in critical decision-making.
What are some of the places where one can go for first aid training?
Most of the training sessions may be carried out by community organizations such as Red Cross and the St. John’s Ambulance. In some countries, the Scouts organization may also facilitate for this form of training. Simply run a search to establish what the ideal places are in your locality.