Most business people are aware of their legal obligations, with regard to the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, and the fact that the Health and Safety Commission have approved a Code of Practice that has special legal status and must be observed. The H.S.E. publication states that ...
"an employer shall provide, or ensure that there is provided, such number of suitable persons as is adequate and appropriate in the circumstances for rendering first-aid to his employees ... and for this purpose a person shall not be suitable unless he has undergone such training and has such qualifications as the Health and Safety Executive may approve (and) such additional training... as may be appropriate in the circumstances"
Alpha Medical has been approved by the Health and Safety Executive to teach and assess First Aid at Work courses. Therefore if your business already has one or more Qualified First Aiders, but your employees need to undertake a refresher/requalification course (which is compulsory if three years have elapsed), we would like to be responsible for their mandatory update. Our instructors are experienced healthcare professionals - who are also trained teachers and assessors. Your employees will therefore benefit from high quality instruction and assessment - and you will appreciate our low fees!
Alpha Medical Qualified First-Aider 'requalification' courses include all of the topics required by the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. Our courses are comprehensive and thorough - in order to ensure that each participant is able to recognise and treat a wide variety of injuries and conditions that may need to be managed in the workplace. The training programme includes the following topics.
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Safety First
- Primary Aims of First Aid
- Initial Assessment
- Management of the Unconscious Casualty
- Recovery Position
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
- Secondary Assessment
- Internal and External Bleeding
- Concussion, Compression and Fractured Skull
- Cerebro-Vascular Accident
- Amputation and Crush Injuries
- Burns and Scalds
- Chemical and Electrical Incidents
- Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke
- Frostbite and Hypothermia
- Fractures and Dislocations
- Sprains and Strains
- Hypovolaemic and Anaphylactic Shock
- Airway Obstruction and Breathing Disorders
- Poisoning
- Smoke, Fume and Toxic Gas Inhalation
- Heart attack and Angina
- Epilepsy
- Diabetes
- Minor Injuries and Conditions
- Examining and Irrigating the Eye(s)
- Incident Management
- Handling and Moving a Casualty
- Personal Hygiene and Aseptic Technique
- First Aid in the Workplace Legislation
The last topic includes an overview of the legal responsibilities of all employers, employees and First-Aiders - with regard to relevant health and safety legislation; the H.S.E. Approved Code of Practice; advice about communication and delegation; information with regard to first-aid supplies, equipment and facilities; record-keeping and sources for further information and guidance.
The aim of the Qualified First Aider Refresher/Requalification Course is to make sure that every Qualified First-Aider is regularly updated - to ensure that he or she is able to recognise and treat a variety of injuries and conditions that may present in the workplace (in a safe, prompt and effective way) and also to be updated with regard to changes in practice and/or legislation.
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At the end of the course each student should be able to ...
- describe the duties of Qualified First Aiders and Appointed Persons
- explain the responsibility of employers and employees for health and safety
- explain the aims and objectives of the Requalification course
- state the primary aims of first aid
- explain why safety is always paramount
- state how an incident should be managed
- state the importance of communication and delegation
- explain the adult basic life support algorithm
- demonstrate how to perform an initial assessment
- demonstrate how to ascertain a casualty's level of consciousness
- demonstrate how to examine and open a casualty's airway
- demonstrate how to check that a casualty is breathing
- demonstrate the recovery position
- demonstrate how to check that a casualty has a circulation
- perform mouth-to-mouth and mouth-to-nose ventilation
- describe mouth-to-stoma ventilation
- demonstrate cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- explain the Chain of Survival concept
- explain how an unconscious casualty should be managed
- demonstrate how to perform a secondary assessment
- explain how to recognise and treat internal and external bleeding
- demonstrate how to control external bleeding using direct and indirect pressure
- identify and treat concussion, compression, fractured skull and stroke
- identify and treat amputation and crush injuries
- identify, assess and treat burns and scalds
- identify and treat chemical and electrical incidents and explain specific associated problems
- identify and treat heat exhaustion and heat stroke, frostbite and hypothermia
- identify and treat fractures and dislocations, sprains and strains
- identify and treat fainting and shock
- identify and treat airway obstruction in a conscious/unconscious casualty
- identify and treat asthma, hyperventilation and hypoxia
- state how poisons can enter a casualty's body
- identify and treat poisoning - including smoke, fume and toxic gas inhalation
- identify and treat anaphylactic shock, heart attack and angina
- identify and treat epileptic fits and hypoglycaemia
- identify and treat eye injuries - including how to examine and irrigate the eye(s)
- demonstrate various bandaging techniques and arm slings
- demonstrate how and when to move a sick or injured person
- explain the importance of hygiene and aseptic technique
- explain the importance of language and non-verbal communication
The last topic includes an overview of the legal responsibilities of all employers, employees and First-Aiders - with regard to relevant health and safety legislation; the H.S.E. Approved Code of Practice; advice about communication and delegation; information with regard to first-aid supplies, equipment and facilities; record-keeping and sources for further information and guidance.
It is generally accepted that "learners learn best by doing" and, if a practical skill is to be learnt properly and remembered, there is no substitute for practice. Alpha Medical First Aid at Work courses are student-centred, with the emphasis on 'hands-on' training, so every student benefits from maximum practical experience - e.g. when practising cardiopulmonary resuscitation every student has his or her own manikin.
Alpha Medical Qualified First Aider Refresher/Requalification courses also utilise a wide range of teaching and learning methods - including illustrated talk; demonstration; practical activities (individual, pair and group work); audio-visual; role play; quiz; game; written assessments (e.g. Cloze Tests); discussion; brainstorm; question and answer sessions; and reinforcement etc. In addition, a comprehensive manual and various handouts are provided.
In order to receive a new (i.e. updated) Qualified First-Aider certificate all participant need to pass a written assessment and three practical assessments - i.e. (1) manage a conscious casualty; (2) manage an unconscious casualty and (3) perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Each participant must be able to manage the above incidents in a "safe, prompt and effective" way.
Once a participant has passed the written assessment (with a minimum of 18 out of 25 questions answered correctly) and all three practical assessments (that also include oral questioning) he or she will be considered competent to receive an updated Qualified First Aider certificate. N.B. All assessments are carried out by two, independent, H.S.E. approved assessors - who have not been involved in teaching the people who are being assessed
Please note that the Health & Safety Executive stipulate that 'contact time' (i.e. actual teaching and assessing time) should last "at least twelve hours". The Alpha Medical Qualified First Aider Refresher or Requalification course is normally delivered over TWO consecutive days. However, H.S.E. rules do permit a certain amount of flexibility and Alpha Medical is happy to discuss your individual requirements. For instance, we are allowed to run courses over several non-consecutive days or in sessions over a number of weeks.
Our standard fee covers the cost of the instructor (and his or her assistant), two external assessors, the H.S.E. Qualified First-Aider Certificate, the use of all learning aids (e.g. manikins), all disposable items, refreshments, a comprehensive manual - and other items. Please note that discounts are also available for PAIR and/or GROUP bookings etc.
>> Click here to request no obligation, information or to enrol on the course |
