First Aid Matters
/Did you know?
During the holiday season, decorating-related injuries alone send 2-3 people to the E.R. every hour! Accidents happen more frequently during this busy time of year. Would you be ready and know what to do if an accident happened to you or someone close to you?
Recent events in the news have prompted me to wonder what I would do if a situation like (various emergencies) were to happen to me or my family? Over the years I've taken a couple of First Aid and CPR classes. It was always an ego boost to receive the certificate. But what I never had was a fully stocked First Aid Kit. All that training but without the proper kit I would have been in trouble had an emergency situation happened!
So I decided to purchase one. After checking about 50 different first aid kits on Amazon, I finally decided on the Zenwells 192 piece First Aid and Trauma Bag which had the most pre-stocked items that I learned one should have. And the nice thing is that it has room in the bag to add extra items. I added some.
First Aid Programs have changed a lot since I last took a class!
More important than the kit is to have the most up-to-date first aid training should an emergency arise. So again I did some more research online. I found various helpful youtube videos, of which some were out dated. And after reviewing my old American Red Cross Community First Aid Book I was more confused than ever? As I'd heard in recent times of CPR and First Aid training that differed from what I previously learned? Tourniquets are now ok for use when there is major bleeding where they weren't before? There are many other changes as well.
For example, when I took CPR in the past you had to remember these different compression rates to breaths based on the age of your victim. There was a lot to remember! All that has been updated now by the AHA (American Heart Association). And dare I say simplified? See below starting with "CPR for most people is now much easier to do."
From what I learned, the AHA had come out with new guidelines every five years. But after 2015 I understand they are now just adding updates, as needed, as five years is a bit too long to wait. Learning this:
“I decided to take the latest online course available without having to do any “hands on” where I had to attend a class. ”
I just wanted the knowledge. Learning online at my own pace was perfect! Since I've had CPR hands-on training in the past, I chose to take the Red Cross Adult, Child and Baby First Aid/CPR/AED Online class. (make sure you click on the Online-Only Courses tab to view it after first clicking the link shown). Total Cost was only $25.
This is one of the best courses I've ever taken for learning First Aid, CPR and AED use. It is all online and uses simulation training software. It starts with a video giving you instruction and then a life threatening scenario begins very similar to playing a computer game. You are faced with various animated cartoon-like people with emergencies, one at a time. Each situation teaches you a specific skill and correct procedure needed to handle that specific emergency. When you have completed all scenario's correctly (it really tests you and will fail you until you get it right and pass!) you then will receive a certificate by email, good for two years, which you can print out or display on your smartphone. I had so much fun doing the training and learned a lot. I highly recommend it!
note: This course is for educational purposes only and is not OSHA compliant. If you need certification, say for your work etc., you would need to take a different Red Cross course that also has classroom hands on instruction included.
Since I took the course I'm doing two things differently when out and about. For one, I make sure I have my phone with me when out at a park by myself (which I didn't always do). Secondly, I pay more attention to where I'm at in case I need to call 911 and give directions to my location.
Download what I call the cheat sheet app to First Aid Training from the Google Play Store
If you really don't want to learn any First Aid this app is the next best thing to have!
The First Aid American Red Cross Phone App gives First Aid instructions along with many other cool features. It tracks where you are at and gives you several of the closest hospitals to your location. This is much needed information should you be traveling for work or for pleasure and should need to find a hospital. It also has Emergency phone numbers, like Poison Control built in so you just push a button as no need to dial.
CPR for most people is now much easier to do
They are now teaching Hands-Only CPR to lay people (people without real training). You see a child or adult drop you call 911 and do chest compressions at 100-120 per minute. To help with doing the correct number of compressions, you can time them to the beat of the famous song "Staying Alive." The video shown above is a spoof on a flash back to the 1970's teaching CPR to that old song! Very funny, but informative.
Keep in mind they are teaching this to lay people. For those that are trained in a course in CPR they still recommend mouth to mouth (ventilations) in addition to the chest compressions. Taking the course, I learned to do 30 compressions and then 2 breaths. If for some reason you don't have a breathing barrier for mouth to mouth, or just don't want to do it, then it is ok to do compressions only. As AHA research has shown compressions by themselves still help and more people will do them because it is easier. Couldn't get much simpler than that!
Based on your training there are different levels of CPR
My studies on the subject has helped me to understand how the new changes apply. As going up a level in training, in addition to what I learned, First Responders: Those that are Firemen, Police, and EMT's are taught advanced techniques. For example they are taught to do "all breaths" should they determine the emergency victim has a pulse but is not breathing. Breaths are still very important if the victim was originally not getting air, such as in drowning and choking. So a lot of the old teaching is still good. It is now advanced training.
Bottom Line: doing what you know can make a difference and matters!
I learned that regardless of a person's knowledge doing something is better than doing nothing. Being the first person at the scene, one does not need to know it all but to stick with their level of knowledge and help until more advanced trained people (EMS) arrive and take over. As time is important in matters like these.
Not being so confused anymore, and feeling more confident because of it, I thought I'd pass on this info. Let me know what you think about First Aid Training and share your own thoughts by leaving a comment below.
Dave Likes
