Why are some First Aid Courses Boring

During our courses we often hear the words “your courses are so hands on”, “during our last course we never actually did any CPR” and “I have learnt so much more on your first aid course than previous courses I've attended”.

We also have attended many courses over our many years of being ‘in the first aid world’ and when we started we wanted to be different. If its boring for the students, it must be boring for the trainer and personally we go to work to have fun!

Knowing basic first aid can be the difference, in an emergency situation, between a casualty surviving and reducing recovery time. The role is to Preserve Life

It is proven by many studies, that simple bystander interventions before the arrival of professional help can save lives - eg. having the confidence to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) or knowing how to stem a severe bleed.

Here in the UK every workplace has to conform to the Health and Safety First Aid At Work recommendations and guidelines and course content.

So why are some First Aid Courses boring?

Well it depends on the definition of boring but we all know the adage “Death by Powerpoint”. You know the courses, a trainer stands up and reads a powerpoint presentation to you. Why? I can read – why is the trainer just reading the slide deck… just what do you learn from that?

Maybe the trainer plays a DVD and then demonstrates to you. Maybe the trainer is not comfortable with the subject matter and is just that, a trainer.

First Aid is a practical skill, it is one that should be practised

First aid is a practical skill, it is one that should be practised and that is what we believe. Our role is to provide you with the confidence and willingness to have a go. If you have practised, and have some background knowledge as a foundation, it is far easier to understand and know what you are doing.

We focus on training you in key lifesaving skills, as well as how to keep yourself safe and topics include:

• Basic Airway Management

• CPR with emphasis on hiqh-quality chest compressions

• Rescue Breathing with CPR

• AED familiarisation and practise using and how to find your local AED's

• Choking - real life practice!

• Spinal Management as an individual and with team work

As we previously stated, First Aid is practical, and we believe our students need to have high quality hands on practice for each and every skill. After all, when you need to do these skills it will be a highly emotive environment and the motor skills need to ‘kick in’ as we can’t expect you to remember what to do – if you never practised in class.

Our feedback and in class comments tell us that our philosophy is correct – learning by doing, in a fun and small group is the only way to go in our opinion.

Do you you have a First Aid requirement?

If you have a first aid requirement then get in touch and let us help you gain the skills that we hope you never have to use but if you do, you will be ready, willing and able.