First Aid Training
Saving someone's life or offering them a measure of relief when they're hurt is a valuable skill and one that may only take a few hours to master. Through first aid training people learn how to react in various emergency situations and provide assistance to those with injuries until medical help arrives. First Aid classes can be taken by anyone, including children as young as seven or eight years old, and don't require any previous medical knowledge or experience. Once you have completed a first aid course you will need to repeat your training ever two to three years to keep it valid. This helps you stay aware of any new techniques that have been introduced and reinforces what you've learned in previous classes.
Beginners start out in a class that teaches basic or emergency first aid. This class covers topics such as emergency scene management, shock, unconsciousness or fainting patients, artificial respiration, choking, and severe bleeding. This course may also teach students to use cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to help those experiencing heart failure. After taking a beginner course, students can move up to higher levels in basic or emergency first aid, or take more specialized courses. Babysitter first aid teaches teenagers or adults how to administer first aid to babies and toddlers, while Wilderness first aid can prepare people for emergencies that happen in remote areas where it may be hours, or even days, before medical help arrives. Other specialized courses include pet, farm, workplace, and sports first aid. The time it takes to complete a course can vary anywhere from three to twenty hours, depending on what is being taught.
In many situations first aid certification is a requirement. Some workplaces require that at least one employee trained in first aid be on sight at all times. First aid training can also be necessary for those applying to educational programs in areas such as nursing, teaching or professional coaching. Those leading hiking, camping, hunting, skiing or boating excursions may also be required to obtain a first aid certificate.
St. John Ambulance and the Red Cross are two of the most recognized first aid training organizations. Both are available in countries worldwide, and provide search engines on their websites to help people locate offices in their area. First aid training courses, sponsored by one of these organizations or by another independent organization, may also be offered through a local community centre, swimming pool, or hospital.
In most cases experts recommend attending a class in person. This will allow you to practice your new skills in a hands-on manner through various role playing activities. However, a number of sites do offer first aid training online, and there are a number of CD-ROMs or illustrated books available that provide step-by-step guidance through first aid procedures. Online sites often provide free lessons and tests you can take in your spare time. If you pass the certification test, usually with a score over eighty percent, you will then need to pay a fee to receive your certificate from the training organization. If you are taking first aid because it's a requirement for something, be sure to talk to those in charge and find out which first aid courses are recognized as appropriate certification before you begin.