What Happens on a First Aid Course? What to Expect on the Day

If you have never attended first aid training before, you might be wondering what happens on a first aid course and whether you need to prepare for it.

The good news is that first aid training should be practical, supportive and designed to teach ordinary people how to respond confidently to an emergency.

You do not need medical experience.

You do not need to know CPR before you arrive.

And you are not expected to walk through the door already knowing how to be a first aider.

Depending on the qualification, your day will usually include a mixture of trainer-led learning, demonstrations, practical exercises, casualty scenarios, CPR, AED practice and assessment.

Here is what you can expect.

What Happens When You Arrive at a First Aid Course?

Your training provider should give you joining instructions before the course.

At First Aid and Safety Training, learners are normally asked to arrive for registration at 8:50am, ready for the course to start at 9:00am.

Your trainer will complete the necessary registration and identification checks before getting started.

At the beginning of the course, we will normally explain:

• how the day will run
• approximate break times
• where the facilities are
• health and safety arrangements
• what you will be learning
• how you will be assessed
• when the course is expected to finish

Most of our full training days finish at approximately 4:30pm, although timings can vary slightly depending on the course and how the group progresses.

Do You Need to Bring Anything?

Read your joining instructions carefully before attending.

You may need to bring appropriate identification, particularly where you are completing a regulated qualification.

You normally do not need to bring your own first aid equipment.

The training centre should provide the equipment required for the course, including items such as:

• CPR manikins
• AED training devices
• first aid dressings
• bandages
• slings
• other training equipment appropriate to the qualification

If your course uses blended learning, make sure you have completed any required online learning before attending your face-to-face session.

What Should You Wear to a First Aid Course?

Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely.

First aid training is practical.

During the day you may need to:

• kneel on the floor
• perform CPR
• work with training manikins
• practise casualty positions
• apply dressings
• practise slings
• take part in scenarios

You do not need specialist clothing, but very restrictive clothing can make practical activities difficult.

Flat, comfortable footwear is also sensible.

If you have a medical condition, disability or injury that may affect your ability to participate in practical activities, contact the training provider before the course where possible.

Do You Have to Sit and Listen to Presentations All Day?

No.

There will be trainer-led teaching because you need to understand why and when different first aid procedures are used.

However, good first aid training should not consist of somebody reading slides to you for an entire day.

First aid is a practical skill.

A typical course combines explanation with:

• trainer demonstrations
• questions and discussion
• practical exercises
• scenarios
• repetition
• assessment

At First Aid and Safety Training, we want learners to understand what they are doing and then actually practise it.

That is where confidence develops.

Do You Have to Introduce Yourself to Everyone?

There may be a short introduction at the beginning of the course, particularly when learners have come from different organisations.

You are not attending a job interview.

We are not interested in putting people on the spot or making somebody give a speech to the room.

The purpose is simply to create a comfortable learning environment and understand who is attending.

As the day progresses, learners usually become much more relaxed because everyone is practising the same skills together.

What Do You Learn First?

The exact order depends on the qualification and lesson plan.

A first aid course will normally begin by establishing some fundamental principles, including:

• the role and responsibilities of a first aider
• keeping yourself and others safe
• assessing an emergency
• recognising serious illness or injury
• getting professional help

From there, the course develops into the practical skills required by the particular qualification.

Our guide to scene safety in first aid explains why checking for danger is an important part of approaching an emergency.

Will I Learn How to Assess a Casualty?

Yes.

Casualty assessment is a fundamental first aid skill.

You need to be able to recognise when somebody has a potentially life-threatening problem and decide what needs your attention first.

Training can include how to assess:

• responsiveness
• airway
• breathing
• circulation and serious bleeding
• other signs of injury or illness

You will also learn when to call 999 and how to continue monitoring a casualty while professional help is on the way.

Will I Have to Perform CPR?

If CPR forms part of your qualification, you will practise it on a training manikin.

For most learners, this is one of the most important parts of the course.

You will learn how to recognise when somebody needs CPR and how to provide effective chest compressions.

Adult CPR training includes areas such as:

• recognising cardiac arrest
• calling 999
• chest compressions
• rescue breaths where appropriate
• using an AED
• continuing treatment until professional help takes over

Current adult CPR uses cycles of 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths, with compressions delivered at 100 to 120 per minute and approximately 5 to 6 cm deep.

You will have an opportunity to practise rather than simply watching your trainer demonstrate it once.

Our Basic Life Support guide explains CPR and the wider emergency response in more detail.

Is CPR Difficult?

CPR is physically demanding, but the technique itself can be learned by ordinary members of the public.

Most people improve quickly once they start practising.

Your trainer can help you with:

• hand position
• body position
• compression depth
• compression rate
• chest recoil
• rescue breaths
• changing between CPR and AED use

Do not worry if your first few compressions are not perfect.

That is why you practise before being assessed.

Will I Learn How to Use a Defibrillator?

Yes, AED training forms an important part of modern first aid courses that include CPR.

An Automated External Defibrillator, or AED, is designed to analyse the casualty’s heart rhythm and, when appropriate, advise a shock.

During training you will use an AED training device.

It does not deliver a real electrical shock.

You will practise:

• switching the AED on
• exposing the chest appropriately
• positioning the pads
• following the device instructions
• keeping people clear during rhythm analysis
• delivering a simulated shock when instructed
• immediately continuing CPR

AEDs are designed to guide the rescuer, so you do not need to understand complex heart rhythms.

Our guide on how to use an AED takes you through the process.

Will I Practise the Recovery Position?

Courses that include management of an unresponsive casualty normally involve practical training in the appropriate casualty position.

You will learn why positioning an unresponsive casualty who is breathing normally can help protect their airway.

This is another skill that is much easier to understand when you physically practise it rather than only looking at diagrams.

Your trainer will demonstrate the technique and allow you to practise with other learners or in an appropriate training exercise.

Will I Learn What to Do If Someone Is Choking?

Choking is another important emergency covered by first aid training.

You will learn how to recognise the difference between a casualty who can still cough effectively and somebody with a severe airway obstruction.

Training covers the appropriate sequence of actions and what to do if the casualty becomes unresponsive.

You can read our full guide to choking first aid before or after your course.

Do You Practise Bleeding Control?

Where bleeding management forms part of your qualification, you will learn how to assess and control it.

Training may include:

• exposing and examining an injury
• direct pressure
• applying dressings
• recognising severe bleeding
• recognising shock

More advanced or risk-specific training may also include techniques such as wound packing and tourniquet use where these form part of the training being delivered.

Our severe bleeding first aid guide explains how life-threatening bleeding is managed.

Do You Learn About Fractures and Injuries?

This depends on the qualification.

The broader First Aid at Work syllabus covers a wider range of injuries and illnesses than Emergency First Aid at Work.

Training can include subjects such as:

• fractures
• sprains and strains
• head injuries
• spinal injuries
• burns
• eye injuries
• chest injuries
• minor wounds

You may practise supporting an injury, applying a sling or using other first aid equipment.

Our guide to fracture first aid explains how suspected fractures should be supported and why first aiders should not attempt to straighten a deformed limb.

Do You Learn About Medical Emergencies?

Again, the range depends on your qualification.

First Aid at Work includes a broader range of medical conditions.

These can include:

• heart attack
• stroke
• asthma
• anaphylaxis
• diabetes
• seizures

The aim is not to turn you into a doctor.

You learn how to recognise important warning signs, provide appropriate initial first aid and get professional medical help when needed.

For example, you can read our guide to asthma attack first aid to see the type of practical emergency knowledge first aiders develop.

Is Emergency First Aid at Work All Practical?

Emergency First Aid at Work combines essential knowledge with practical skills.

EFAW is normally completed in one training day and focuses on responding to workplace emergencies.

You can expect subjects including:

• the role of the first aider
• casualty assessment
• CPR
• AED use
• unresponsive casualties
• choking
• bleeding
• shock
• seizures
• minor injuries

There is plenty of practical activity because learners need to demonstrate key first aid skills.

What Happens on a First Aid at Work Course?

First Aid at Work goes considerably further than EFAW.

It includes the essential emergency skills but adds a broader range of injuries and medical conditions.

Our current FAST FAW programme can be delivered using an approved blended learning format, with appropriate theory completed before the face-to-face practical training.

During the practical training you can expect demonstrations, exercises, scenarios and assessment covering the required skills.

FAW is particularly relevant where a workplace first aid needs assessment identifies the need for a broader level of first aid training.

If you are not sure which workplace qualification is appropriate, read What First Aid Course Do I Need? before booking.

What Happens on a Paediatric First Aid Course?

Paediatric First Aid focuses specifically on emergencies involving babies and children.

Our current Qualsafe Paediatric First Aid blended course consists of 6 hours of e-learning followed by one face-to-face training day.

The online learning covers important underpinning knowledge before you attend.

During the face-to-face day, the emphasis is on practical skills and assessment, including areas such as:

• infant CPR
• child CPR
• AED use
• infant choking
• child choking
• unresponsive casualties
• bleeding
• shock
• anaphylaxis
• fractures
• head injuries
• neck and spinal injuries

The practical day allows learners to apply what they learned online rather than spending the entire session listening to theory.

Is Paediatric CPR Different from Adult CPR?

Yes.

There are important differences when providing CPR to babies and children.

Paediatric first aid training therefore includes practical work with appropriate training manikins.

Learners can practise the differences between:

• infant CPR
• child CPR
• adult CPR

This includes differences in technique, compression depth and the use of rescue breaths.

Our child and baby CPR guide explains these differences in more detail.

Do You Work with Other People on a First Aid Course?

Usually, yes.

First aid training often involves working with another learner during practical exercises.

For example, you might practise:

• casualty assessment
• recovery positions
• bandaging
• slings
• scenarios

CPR is practised on training manikins.

Working with other people helps make training more realistic and allows everyone to take part.

You do not need to worry about being particularly outgoing or confident.

Your trainer should explain each exercise before asking you to perform it.

Are There Role-Play Scenarios?

There may be practical scenarios, but these should have a clear training purpose.

A scenario might ask you to respond to a casualty who:

• has collapsed
• is choking
• is bleeding
• has suffered an injury
• has become suddenly unwell

The trainer may give you information as the scenario develops.

This helps you move from remembering individual procedures to deciding what you would actually do when faced with an emergency.

You are not being assessed on your acting ability.

Will I Have to Touch Other Learners?

Some practical exercises can involve working with another person, for example when practising casualty positioning, slings or assessment.

The trainer should explain what is involved.

Professional boundaries and learner comfort should be respected throughout the course.

CPR, choking techniques and other procedures that could cause injury if performed for real are practised using appropriate training methods and equipment rather than deliberately performing dangerous techniques on another learner.

Do You Get Breaks During a First Aid Course?

Yes.

A full training day should include appropriate breaks.

The exact timing can vary depending on the course and how the group progresses.

There will normally be:

• a morning break
• a lunch break
• an afternoon break

Your trainer will explain the arrangements at the beginning of the day.

Training schedules still need to meet the required learning and assessment time, so it is important to return from breaks promptly.

Do I Need to Bring Lunch?

This depends on the venue and course arrangements.

Check your joining instructions.

If lunch is not being provided, bring food with you or check what is available nearby.

We recommend bringing water or another suitable drink, particularly because practical first aid training can be physically active.

Can I Use My Phone During the Course?

You should keep personal phone use to breaks wherever possible.

We understand that some people need to remain contactable because of work or family responsibilities.

If you are expecting an urgent call, let the trainer know.

The important thing is that phone use does not distract you or other learners from the training and assessment.

What Is the First Aid Trainer Like?

Training styles vary, but a good first aid trainer should be able to combine technical knowledge with practical experience and clear communication.

They should be able to:

• explain procedures clearly
• demonstrate skills
• answer questions
• correct mistakes
• adapt explanations when someone is struggling
• keep learners involved
• create a safe environment for practice
• assess fairly

At First Aid and Safety Training, our approach is practical.

We want learners to understand what they are doing rather than simply memorising a sequence long enough to pass an assessment.

Real Skills, Real Confidence is not just a strapline. It describes what we want people to leave the course with.

Can I Ask Questions?

Absolutely.

You should ask questions if something does not make sense.

You might want to know:

• why a particular procedure has changed
• what would happen in a situation at your workplace
• how to manage a specific type of casualty
• when you should call 999
• how first aid applies to a real incident you have experienced

Questions often lead to some of the most useful discussions on a course.

If a question goes beyond the role of a first aider, your trainer should also be prepared to say so rather than guess.

Will I Be Assessed?

If you are completing an assessed first aid qualification, yes.

Assessment confirms that you have achieved the required learning outcomes and can demonstrate the necessary skills.

Depending on the qualification, assessment may include:

• practical demonstrations
• trainer observation
• casualty scenarios
• questions
• theory assessment

You will be taught and given opportunities to practise before being assessed.

The assessment should not come as a surprise at the end of the course.

Can You Fail the Assessment?

Yes.

Attending a course does not automatically guarantee that you will achieve an assessed qualification.

You need to demonstrate the required knowledge and practical skills.

However, the course is designed to prepare you for those assessments.

If you are particularly worried about this, read our full guide: Can You Fail a First Aid Course?

It explains what trainers are assessing, what happens if you struggle and why you should not be frightened of the assessment process.

Is There a Written Test?

Some first aid qualifications include theory assessment.

The exact format depends on the qualification.

Questions are based on the material you have been learning rather than unrelated general medical knowledge.

You are not expected to diagnose illnesses like a doctor or memorise a medical textbook.

You need to demonstrate the knowledge required by your first aid qualification.

What Happens If I Get Something Wrong?

During training, your trainer will correct you.

That is part of learning.

If you position your hands incorrectly during CPR, for example, it is much better for the trainer to correct it during practice than for you to leave believing the technique is right.

Depending on the qualification and its assessment rules, additional coaching and reassessment may be possible if a learner does not initially meet a required assessment standard.

You still need to demonstrate competence before the qualification can be awarded.

Will I Get a First Aid Certificate?

If you successfully complete the qualification and meet its assessment requirements, your certification will be processed in accordance with the qualification and awarding organisation arrangements.

For regulated qualifications delivered by First Aid and Safety Training, we operate as a Qualsafe Awards Approved Training Centre.

Qualsafe Awards is an Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation.

That means the qualification is externally quality assured rather than being simply an attendance certificate created by the training company.

How Long Is a First Aid Certificate Valid?

For workplace first aid, EFAW and FAW certificates are normally valid for three years.

The appropriate requalification training should be completed before the certificate expires if you are continuing in the role.

HSE also strongly recommends annual refresher training to help first aiders maintain their basic skills.

Paediatric First Aid certification also needs to be kept current where it is being used to meet relevant childcare requirements.

What Happens After the Course?

Hopefully, the most important change is that you leave feeling more confident than when you arrived.

After successfully completing the course, you should:

• know your role as a first aider
• understand the limits of first aid
• recognise serious emergencies
• know when to call 999
• be more confident performing CPR
• understand how to use an AED
• be able to provide the first aid covered by your qualification

You should also continue to refresh your skills.

First aid knowledge can fade when it is not used regularly.

What If I Still Don’t Feel Confident Afterwards?

Confidence develops differently for different people.

Some learners leave ready to take charge immediately.

Others understand the skills but worry about whether they would remember everything in a real emergency.

That is one reason practical training and refresher training are valuable.

Remember that you do not need to behave like a paramedic.

A first aider’s job is to recognise the emergency, provide appropriate immediate help and get professional assistance when needed.

Simple actions can make an enormous difference.

How Do I Know Which Course to Book?

Do not choose purely by course length.

The right training depends on why you need first aid and the environment in which you may use it.

For workplaces, your employer’s first aid needs assessment should help determine the appropriate level of training.

Broadly:

• EFAW provides essential emergency workplace first aid skills
• FAW covers a broader range of workplace injuries and illnesses
• Paediatric First Aid focuses on babies and children

Our guide What First Aid Course Do I Need? goes through the decision in detail.

What Happens on a First Aid Course? A Typical Day

Although every course is slightly different, a typical face-to-face training day might look something like this:

8:50am: Registration

Arrive, register and complete any required identification checks.

9:00am: Course Begins

Your trainer introduces the course, explains the day’s arrangements and starts the first learning session.

Morning

You begin learning and practising the core skills required by your qualification.

Depending on the course, this may include casualty assessment, CPR, AED use and management of an unresponsive casualty.

Throughout the Day

Trainer demonstrations are followed by practical exercises.

Other subjects are introduced according to the course lesson plan.

You practise the skills and receive feedback.

Assessment

Required practical and theory assessments take place at appropriate points during the course.

Approximately 4:30pm: Finish

Once the required training and assessments have been completed, the course normally finishes at around 4:30pm.

Exact timings can vary.

How to Prepare for Your First Aid Course

You do not need to revise a medical textbook.

A few simple preparations will make the day easier:

1. Read your joining instructions.
2. Check the venue and travel arrangements.
3. Bring the required identification.
4. Wear comfortable clothing.
5. Complete any required e-learning beforehand.
6. Arrive in time for registration.
7. Tell the provider about any learning or physical support needs in advance.
8. Come prepared to participate.

Most importantly, do not worry if you have never done first aid before.

That is why you are coming to the course.

What Happens on a First Aid Course? The Most Important Thing

When people ask what happens on a first aid course, they sometimes expect a day of PowerPoint presentations, tests and trying to remember complicated medical terminology.

That is not what good first aid training should feel like.

You should spend the course:

LEARNING

Understanding what to do and why.

WATCHING

Seeing your trainer demonstrate the skills correctly.

PRACTISING

Performing the techniques yourself.

ASKING

Getting answers when something does not make sense.

APPLYING

Using your skills in practical exercises and scenarios.

DEMONSTRATING

Showing that you can meet the requirements of your qualification.

The certificate matters, particularly when you need it for work.

But the real value of the course is being able to respond when someone suddenly becomes seriously ill or injured.

Book First Aid Training in the North East

First Aid and Safety Training provides practical first aid training for individuals and organisations across the North East.

We are a Qualsafe Awards Approved Training Centre and deliver regulated qualifications through Qualsafe Awards.

Choose from:

• Emergency First Aid at Work
• First Aid at Work
• Paediatric First Aid

You can attend one of our scheduled open courses or arrange onsite first aid training for your organisation.

If you are not sure which option is right for you, contact First Aid and Safety Training and we can help you understand the different options.

You can also view our South Shields training centre and customer reviews on Google Maps.

Real Skills, Real Confidence.