First aid saves lives – 10 reasons why you should know First Aid
Research by the Irish Red Cross shows that only 5% of people in Ireland are First Aid Trained. In Norway 95% of the population are first aid trained, one of the biggest differences in Ireland and other countries with high scores is that it is compulsory in schools, in workplaces and even to apply for a driving licence (www.redcross.ie). This article gives you 10 reasons why you should know First Aid.
Consider about how you would feel if your child, partner, parent or even a stranger had an accident and you didn’t know how to help. Accidents and illnesses can happen at any time, even in your own home. Think about how confident you would feel faced with the most common medical emergencies occurring at home, school or in the workplace?
The majority of us just keep our fingers crossed accidents won’t happen to us and ours. Or that if it does, there will be a doctor or other medically trained person there to take over and help.
Taking a first aid course teaches you lifesaving skills and gives you the confidence to know how and when to act in an emergency. The practical aspects of these courses offer the opportunity to practice hands-on skills such as resuscitation on a manikin, placing someone in recovery or helping save a choking adult, baby or child.
Any of the skills you learn could equip you with the knowledge you need to save a life, as well as improve the outcomes for someone who has had an accident.
Here are 10 reasons why you should know first aid:
One – Saves lives
Basic first aid can mean the difference between life and death. A Red Cross survey 55% of deaths of young children and adolescents resulting from injuries could have been prevented had first aid been given before the emergency services arrived. There are many personal achievements we may strive to reach in our lifetimes but little that could compare with giving somebody else a second chance to reach theirs.
Two – Helps to reduce a person’s recovery time
Giving the correct first aid without delay can help to reduce a person’s recovery time and make the difference between them having a short term or more permanent disability.
Three – Can reduce unnecessary visits to hospital
Not every injury or illness needs to ends up in hospital however the patient can still be suffering or in pain and will still need treatment. First aid training will give you the knowledge and skills needed to treat a patient and help ease their pain, even if it just means using simple techniques such as applying the appropriate bandage or using an ice pack correctly.
First aid training also teaches you to prioritise injuries, giving the most seriously ill or injured person the very best chance of recovery. You will learn whether a patient needs further treatment from GP, at a hospital or from emergency services.
Four – Prevents bad situations deteriorating
Knowing the basics of first aid can prevent a bad situation from deteriorating. Consider a patient who has an arterial bleed. Without intervention, the patient could suffer severe blood loss and die. By applying pressure using simple first aid techniques, you can prevent a medical emergency from rapidly getting worse and stabilise the patient until the ambulance arrives.
Five – Reduces hospital time
Early intervention with first aid can reduce the length of time the patient needs to stays in hospital.
Six – Competent first aid can reduce anxiety levels
Knowing how to respond will help you to stay composed and calm in an emergency situation. This enables you to provide emotional support to the patient which may prevent them from panicking. In addition, knowing how to treat someone in pain, support their injuries and administer appropriate bandaging and dressings can also greatly reduce the amount of pain they experience.
Seven – Provides important information for handover to emergency services
First aid training also teaches you how to collect information about what happened and the patient’s condition. This information is vital to the emergency services for the effective treatment of the patient and can also aid the patient’s treatment and recovery. Staying with the patient until the emergency services arrive to take over means you can pass on critical information about the patient’s injury or illness.
Eight – Increases awareness and reduces your exposure to accidents
By doing first aid training you become alert to medical issues and potential hazards thereby reducing the likelihood that you will expose yourself to certain dangers. This increase in our own health awareness and that of our friends and families will reduce unnecessary accidents thus relieving pressure on the HSE.
Nine – Ensures your own safety as a priority
One of the first things you will learn in any first aid course is that your own safety must be your first priority. This does not mean you are being selfish, you need to keep yourself safe to be in a position to be able to help others.
Ten – Leaves you prepared for anything
None of us know what the future has in store for us or for our loved ones. Sudden illness such as heart attack, stroke and choking require immediate attention. Which after a first aid course, you will be well equipped to provide. First aid also provides you with the skills to deal with asthma, burns, bleeding, shock, fainting, sprains and breaks to name a few. So whatever medical situation life throws at you, you can respond effectively. First aid training instils confidence, you will be more at ease and therefore more effective and in control in emergency situations. You will learn how to stay calm in control when you needed.
A First Aid Course for Everyone
Whatever your requirements, we have a first aid course to fit. We tailor our courses to the needs, the profile and the activities of your business, your family unit, your club, your crèche, your school or your organisation. If you are simply a group of friends with a shared interest in first aid courses to keep those closest to you safe, we will design and deliver a course especially for you.
About Us
If you have any questions at all regarding any of our courses we would be delighted to hear from you. You can contact us by visiting our contact us page or by emailing us directly on info@donegalsafetyservices.ie
Donegal Safety Services provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. Donegal Safety Services is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken on this information.
Hope you enjoyed this article on our top 10 reasons why you should know first aid.