There are two overarching types of first aid courses: those you take for yourself, and those you take for your workplace. Many workplaces need a certified first aider, who’s undertaken a HSE-approved First Aid at Work course. First aid courses undertaken for yourself don’t require approval from HSE, and are simply designed to give you training in first aid procedures for personal reasons, such as wishing to be able to help a loved one or a stranger in the event of an emergency. Here are a few of the courses offered by first aid trainers:
First Aid at Work Courses
First Aid at Work courses are of paramount importance, and not only because they’re required by law. Undertaking a First Aid at Work course means you will be able to provide proper treatment for colleagues in the workplace in the event of an accident.
Initial First Aid at Work training is done over a period of three days. It’s a comprehensive course that covers what to do in the event of any accident or illness that could occur in the workplace, such as: how to treat fractures, dislocations, head injuries and diabetes; how to manage an asthma attack or choking; how to treat burns, poisoning and eye injuries; basic life support; and many other things.
Annual refresher courses (lasting two days) should be taken for two years after initial training, and after three years a First Aid at Work Requalification course should be taken in order to ensure the first aider remembers all the training and is up to date with the latest techniques.
Emergency First Aid at Work Courses
Emergency First Aid at Work courses are designed to train people how to deal with life-threatening accidents in the workplace. They cover basic life-saving first aid techniques and treatments, including how to look after an unconscious person, how to carry out resuscitation, and how to deal with shock, seizures, bleeding and choking, among other things. These courses also require annual refreshers and requalification.
Personal First Aid Courses
First aid courses undertaken for personal reasons cover a lot of ground. There are many courses available, each designed for specific instances. These are a couple of the most popular ones:
Essential First Aid Courses
Essential first aid courses cover the basics of what to do in an emergency, including how to assess a situation, what the priorities are in any emergency, and how to carry out CPR. It’s designed for treatment of adults; there are specific courses available for child first aid.
Baby and Child First Aid
Babies and children are much more fragile than adults, and so require different treatment in the event of an accident or emergency. These courses will teach the different methods involved in treatment of children and babies, such as CPR, the recovery position, and breathing disorders, amongst other things.
These are just a few of the most common first aid courses available, although there are many more specific courses available for both the workplace and personal use, such as sports first aid, industry-specific workplace training, anaphylaxis first aid, and professional drivers first aid.
About the author:
Gareth Jones is the Managing Director of Tutorcare Ltd. Tutorcare is an established provider of mandatory training courses to organisations and individuals across the UK.
