What is First Aid Training?
No one ever knows when an accident is going to happen, that is why they are called accidents, and otherwise they would be called expected events. If more people involve themselves in first aid training, the more lives that could likely be saved. First aid training is the medical assistance that is provided from a person who is not a doctor, nurse, or paramedic. It is the help that someone gives a person who is injured, choking, has stopped breathing, maybe had a heart attack, etc until medical help arrives. Basically they are one of the first people on the scene and provide temporary assistance in first aid, CPR, or AED if they know how to.
The main goals of first aid training are what are called the 4 P's, preserve life, prevent further injury, promote recovery, and protect yourself. If an injury is something extremely minor then it may not even require a person who has been given first aid training to assist, someone with good common sense could likely assist. Unfortunately, that is not always the case and injuries or situations are not always that simple. Something as serious as having to administer CPR requires a degree of knowledge, although it is not physically hard to do, it is important that the person knows when CPR is necessary by determining if the person's heart has either stopped or they have stopped breathing.
There is no guessing involved here, they either need CPR or they do not. Administering CPR to a person who does not need it can cause more damage than good. If is determined that CPR should be given then the person also has to be aware that one they begin the CPR process they can not stop until medical assistance arrives.
First aid training basics normally begin with a focus on airways, breathing, and circulation. What this means is that first you should check the patient's airways and make sure they are clear of any obstructions, then address the breathing, and finally follow with circulation issues. First aid training covers serious or life threatening bleeds and defibrillation procedures as well. Depending on the nature of the injury certain things take precedence over others such as breathing should be dealt with before bleeding but bleeding should be dealt with before a broken bone would be. The primary concerns and focuses would be with a patient that is unconscious or unresponsive.
When a person is unconscious or unresponsive it is important that you know what to do. Are they in a position where they may swallow their tongue, could they choke on their vomit or is their airway clear? First aid training goes through the process of elimination in the proper order and what a recovery position is.
You will be taught how to respond properly if a patient is choking and how to identify and deal with a broken bone until help arrives. The importance of first aid training should never be underestimated as it may be one of the best pieces of knowledge that you ever receive. First aid training also teaches you how to remain calm and confident during a time when someone's life might depend on you.
