Finding yourself in the middle of an emergency situation can be a very frustrating experience, especially when you have no idea what action you should take. Whenever life-threatening accidents occur, one of the things most of us always wish we should have known is how to perform first aid. Learning how to do first aid is undeniably one of the most effective ways to save a life because it will let you know exactly what to do while you wait for medical professionals to arrive.
Fortunately, if you’re from Western Australia, you can easily book first aid courses in Perth that you can quickly finish within a day. Read on to find out what you can expect from a basic first aid course and how it can help you become an effective lifesaver.
Chapter Overview
What To Expect From A Comprehensive First Aid Course
Contrary to popular belief, there is actually more than one kind of first aid course that you can take. Different first aid courses offer varying levels of medical knowledge that will allow you to perform several medical practices.
The most basic first aid course will have you equipped with knowledge on how to use a standard first aid kit, while more advanced courses will allow you to learn about how to take action during more serious medical emergencies.
For the most effective way to save a life, it would be best to take a comprehensive first aid course that encompasses both basic and advanced first aid practices. Doing so will let you learn about how to properly use a first aid kit, how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and how to provide emergency life support.
How Long Does It Take To Finish A First Aid Course?
Now this may seem a lot to take in, but what most people aren’t aware of is that you can easily learn about all these within just a day or so. A comprehensive first aid course can take around half a day to finish. Wherein you would be asked to participate in a 4 up to 8-hour online assessment and another 4-hour face to face training.
After you’ve successfully finished a first aid course, you will then be immediately issued a certificate that will serve as your Statement of Attainment for the first aid practices you have studied.
What Can You Learn From A Complete First Aid Course?
If you do decide to take a complete first aid course, you will gain enough knowledge to perform life-saving actions when it comes to several types of emergency situations.
The first thing you will learn is how to recognise and assess an emergency situation. One mistake people often make during emergencies is taking action immediately without actually seeing what needs to be done. Studying how to assess emergency situations will let you easily identify whether a person is in need of CPR, how to minimize health hazards, and how to ensure the safety of others in the site.
Once you know how to assess emergency situations, you will then be taught about various life-saving practices including:
- How to use a first aid kit
- How to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- How to respectfully act towards casualties
- How to operate automated external defibrillators
- How to gain consent from casualties when needed
- How to utilize nearby available resources to cater to casualties
Aside from learning about assessing emergencies and life-saving practices, another important thing that you will learn from a comprehensive first aid course is how to accurately and properly record the incident details so that you can report everything and relay the right information to the appropriate medical professionals.
What Types of Emergencies Can First Aid Knowledge Help With?
Like we mentioned above, different types of first aid courses offer knowledge about treating several levels of emergencies. Taking a complete first aid course for one, can help you perform life-saving practices for the following medical emergencies:
- Obstruction of airways because of body positions
- Allergic reactions
- Anaphylactic shock
- Bleeding
- Chest pain
- Choking
- Bites from venomous animals
- Fractures
- Sprains
- Strains
- Respiratory distress
- Asthma
- Stroke
- Cardiac Arrest
Before You Go
First aid courses can be an essential lifesaving tool that can help you become an effective first-responder during emergency situations. Always keep in mind that if you do decide to take a first aid course, you have the option to choose from courses that offer varying levels of medical knowledge. However, if you wish to become highly prepared for most emergency situations, we highly recommend that you book a complete first aid course.