First Aid Experience Blog

BACKGROUND

During my time as a volunteer at Epilepsy Outlook, a Hartlepool charity that I started with in 2015. In my early days of volunteering there, I attended an awareness training course which taught me the basics of the different types of epilepsy that occur as there were volunteers here with epilepsy. This was very helpful at the time as I did not have any knowledge at the time. I then witnessed an actual situation with someone having an epileptic fit in which initial first aid was applied before an ambulance was then called to take them to hospital. It was situation in which the seizure lasted more than 5 minutes which was why the ambulance was called. If it was a shorter one, then first aid was completed before reassuring the person afterwards. This was quite a scary situation to witness at the time as I was not familiar with first aid at all and had never seen anyone having a seizure at all.

In July 2019, they combined with a local training provider who put on a one day first aid course which was held in Hartlepool, and I then attended.

This covered many aspects of first aid, and this also included practical demonstrations to show our knowledge of what to do if anyone needed first aid. This included going through situations and I then demonstrated how to carry it out effectively if the person was unconscious but breathing and if they were unconscious but not breathing and the different methods in which this needed to be completed. This was something that I had never experienced before at all however, it was fascinating learning about this.

Different ways of CPR were also mentioned, and effective techniques were used in carrying it out effectively with adults, children and babies. This was completed through a CPR training model and demonstrations were also undertaken in the techniques needed there.

The course also covered defibrillators which is also a very important aspect nowadays in terms of preventing deaths from cardiac arrest and increasing the person’s chance of survival. It was also helpful to learn that anyone can use them and there is a clear guide and instructions as to when these are used on a person. There have been a lot more defibrillator ports installed in communities and businesses in the Hartlepool area since the time I did this course.

I felt that the course benefited me in terms of firstly having knowledge of first aid and secondly, if a situation ever occurred, I would be able to help the person. I think that this is generally one of the most important skills that can be gained in life. As a result, a great sense of satisfaction was achieved from completing the course. It also helped at the same time, having a tutor who was very engaging with the group because it helped me enjoy learning about first aid more and would then result in a high recommendation for this course to be undertaken again in the future. This would also continue with local businesses in all industries being aware of the importance of first aid.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

First aid is also recorded through an accident book side by side with the kit which is also very important as regards keeping employees safe and free from injury in the workplace. In a previous work placement in 2021, I had an accident at work which in the end looked worse than it was. A report still needed to be filled out even though I did not actually need any first aid in order to improve the safety of myself and everyone else around me too. Of course, safety is very important as it is the responsibility of everyone of course.

ORANGEBOX

I recently started work experience with Orangebox in May 2022. I also appreciated the fact that Orangebox do provide many different courses with businesses including first aid. Furthermore, it can also be tailored to meet their needs and offers them the opportunity to improve the transferable skills learned to their workplaces. The benefits of this not only includes more awareness of first aid that I did not know before and helps me to keep safe at work and to also look after other people around me and have been a lot more careful as a result to make sure that no accidents happen. Another benefit of the training is that it is also one of the most important life skills that can ever be learnt and that knowing this can help prevent more serious injury occurring. I would then have the knowledge to be able to help the person and be clear on knowing what to do whether they just need first aid or whether the situation is worse and would then call 999 and need an ambulance.

IN CONCLUSION…

Finally, if you have had a previous experience of first aid whether you were the one receiving first aid yourself or have helped another person by providing first aid to them. Why not get in touch with us and together we can keep on improving first aid all the time.