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An open first aid course can bring together people who would probably never normally train alongside each other.
That was certainly the case during this fully booked Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) course at One Trinity Green in South Shields.
The course included teachers and school staff, representatives from Templetown Canopies and The Skin Gym, alongside individuals attending for personal reasons.
Some learners were completing first aid training for the first time, while others were renewing previous qualifications.
Despite their different backgrounds, everyone had the same basic objective: to feel more confident about what to do if somebody needed their help.
Who Attends an Open First Aid Course?
Open courses are particularly useful when an organisation only needs to train one or two members of staff rather than enough people to justify arranging a course exclusively for their team.
They are also available to individuals who want a recognised first aid qualification or simply need training for their work.
That naturally creates a varied training group.
During this particular course, school staff could relate discussions to classrooms and playgrounds, while people working within businesses considered situations involving colleagues and customers.
Other learners were interested in how the same skills could help them respond to emergencies outside work.
Those different perspectives generated useful discussions throughout the day.
Learning First Aid from Other People’s Experiences
One of the advantages of training with people from different workplaces is hearing questions you might never have considered yourself.
A teacher may think about an incident very differently from a business owner.
Someone renewing a qualification may also bring previous first aid knowledge or experience into a discussion, while a learner attending for the first time may ask a completely different question.
As trainers, we can use those discussions while keeping the course focused on the skills and knowledge required for the qualification.
The result is a training day that feels relevant to the people in the room rather than simply working through a presentation.
Practical Emergency First Aid at Work Training
The Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work qualification develops essential skills for responding to workplace emergencies.
During the course, learners covered areas including:
- the role and responsibilities of an emergency first aider
- assessing an incident safely
- recognising an unresponsive casualty
- adult CPR
- safe use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
- managing an unconscious casualty
- responding to choking
- controlling external bleeding
- recognising and managing shock
You can find more information about the Emergency First Aid at Work qualification and what learners are assessed on.
Building Confidence Through Practical Training
A large part of the day was devoted to hands-on practice.
Learners had repeated opportunities to perform CPR, use an AED trainer and practise other first aid techniques before completing their assessments.
We don’t want the first time someone attempts a skill to be during an assessment.
Demonstrating a technique, allowing learners to practise it and providing feedback gives people time to improve and become comfortable with what they are doing.
By the time formal practical assessment takes place, learners have already worked through the skill several times.
That makes assessment part of the learning process rather than something learners need to fear.
A Fully Booked Training Day at One Trinity Green
This particular open first aid course was completely full.
A full classroom creates plenty of opportunities for discussion, but it remains important that every learner gets enough time with the practical equipment.
Learners need to physically practise skills such as CPR rather than simply watch somebody else perform them.
The session therefore combined demonstrations, individual practice, group discussion and feedback throughout the day.
What Did the Learners Think?
Feedback reflected both the practical nature of the course and the atmosphere within the room.
“Great course to do.” – Michael
“Great course and very informative.” – Danielle
“Best first aid course I have been on.” – Karen
“Well paced and thorough practical sessions.” – Joanne
“Very easy to take part and very likeable course and instructors, fully recommended.” – Derek
All learners successfully completed the qualification.
Is an Open First Aid Course Right for You?
An open first aid course can be a good option if you are an individual learner or an organisation that only needs one or two people trained.
First Aid and Safety Training runs open first aid courses in South Shields, including Emergency First Aid at Work and other first aid qualifications.
If you have a larger group of employees to train, bringing the course to your workplace may make more sense. We also provide onsite first aid training for organisations in South Shields and South Tyneside.
Not sure which option is most suitable? Contact First Aid and Safety Training and we can discuss your requirements.
You can also view our South Shields training centre and customer reviews on Google.
