Bushcraft first aid training

[Minotaur]

The UK Remote Medics/Offshore Medics Course is for qualified Paramedics/Nurses/Doctors.

There is a First Aid at Work course designed for this. It is at the HSE website.

The UK Mountain & Wilderness Medicine course is also for qualified Paramedics/Nurses/Doctors. As far as I know, the standard for First Aid in the UK has to be HSE Approved.

I sort of agree, to do any of the 'Wilderness' course you have to have the quailification, so you have to be a Doctor to do the Doctor course. What appeals to me, is you can get an EMT cert, and turn it into a 'Wilderness' cert, and then just keep the 'Wild' cert.

Did you know, that Nurses are not First-aid trained unless they have taken the 'extra' course?

Yes, but did you know this is true of Doctors as well. Pre-hospital care, is different, and constantly changes.

BTLS, by the way, does not count as a First-aid course.

Basic Trauma Life Support is not a First aid course?

The point of the American course, was as step up from a First Aid at Work. It was surposed to be aimed at Fireman, Police officers, but here it is being offered to medical Personnel.

The NMC have recently revised the 'protocols' on what to do if a casualty is found outside of a NHS facility - Basically, only do what you feel you are competant and capable of doing. On NO account give any medicines as they are not prescribed.

Which has been the plan for years.

 

[He' s left the building]

Professional medical personnel must comply with their employers clinical governance, simple.

The original query I think has been answered, do a St Johns or similar HSE approved course and stick to what you learn on that course, simple.

 

[Bothwell_Craig]

If there's one thing that always seems to get everyones knickers in a twist its liability during a first aid incident.

If your not prepared to take the risk then dont even attempt it......just so long as you can live with the consequences :$

I've met loads of people who have attended many re qualifications of their first aid cert and when called upon to deal with a "live" incident go to pieces.

Whats your main purpose of learning first aid? Is it to be able to act effectively in an emergency, to have the knowledge to treat and assist a friend, colleague or loved one, is it as part of your employment?

If it's the latter, then you are perhaps more guided by company regulations than anything else although your basic teachings involving protocols will still remain.

I actually love first aid. I've done loads of it, taught loads of it, saved a few casualties, lost more than I've saved.
I have done it in a professional capacity, voluntary capacity and as a willing member of the public.
I go by the premise that if I attempt to save someones life and it all gos wrong then at least my own conscience will be salved.

I fully understand those who aren't willing to take the risk.

Everyone should have basic first aid knowledge, certificates are fine but as I said earlier, unless you practice it regularly then by the time it comes to having to deal with puke, blood and screaming then it'll all go out the window for most.

I teach first aid to young people and am about to run an adults only course for the Scout Association. That gets them a Scout Association certificate valid for a year. It wont count towards NGB courses, it wont cover you as an appointed first aider in the workplace, but it WILL furnish you with the knowledge to deal effectively with a first aid scenario.

If there was an interest locally then perhaps we could run a first aid course for some on here on the above proviso and as an adults only activity? Though be warned, I recently managed to get a teacher and two pupils in such a fainting state that they had to leave the classroom!
I do love my moulage :grin:

 

[Alex UK]

Hello,

Sorry to open up an old thread, but just wanted to clarify a few things.

If you have been trained to perform CPR and are confident to do so - perform it. There are a lot of urban myths about people being sued but there has so far been not one single case. (More info and source: http://www.resus.org.uk/pages/legal.htm)

As far as meds go, don't be stupid. If someone has a painful tooth or something and want to take a paracetamol then they can. They don't need you to give it to them, or prescribe it, or administer it, or sell it, etc. they can take it themself. If they are so injured that they can not take a paracetamol on their own, then the paracetamol is not going to help them (and is the least of you worries)!

There is a lot of mis-information floating about which scares people off. Don't worry, don't be stupid, just follow your training and do the best you can.

If anyone has any specific questions, feel free to PM me or post here.

Alex

 

[He' s left the building]

Thanks for the info Alex, and welcome on-board

 

[Alex UK]

Thanks for the info Alex, and welcome on-board

No worries - hello all!

You can probably guess my specialist subject from my posts...

Alex

 

[nigeltm]

Well I finally got my wish and went on the Forest Knights course a couple of weeks ago. Lots of fun and very useful. If they have the time I'd thoroughly recommend this course to anyone looking for an outdoorsy orientated first aid course.

It's got me thinking about bolstering my skills and doing something to keep them fresh. So in the next couple of days I'll contact the south/west Wales Mountain Rescue and see if they'd have a use for me. Yes, I'm just a teensy bit unfit and overweight but that is something I can work on. On the plus side I do have the first aid training and as an occasional rock climber I'm confident working with ropes and at height. Between the Mountain Rescue (assuming I get in) and the occasional exped (hope you're listening Wayne, if you need someone to help out and can knock a few quid off the trip ...) I hope to keep the lessons alive and be of more use to people.

So a quick "thank you" to everyone who's contributed to this thread. Some interesting and informative stories and lots of advice.

 

[Sleepy Weasel]

Join the Mountain Rescue by all means! I joined NEWSAR (www.newsar.org.uk) in 2006 and haven't looked back, I've also just requalified in the MREW Cascare certificate courtesy of the team and am looking into expanding my cascare skills.

The John Ellerton book is very good, and it does stop people reading over your shoulder at work lunchtimes!

 

[superc0ntra]

I don't know about Wales but in Sweden the Red Cross runs first aid courses. Check with them

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

I did a renew course last June, not enough 'Scenarios' compared to a BASP or Dave Craig (ex BASP) providers. As the course was specifically for Outdoor Situations as a climbing, kayaking etc coach scenario.

Since then I have only used the skills abroad on holiday, came across a roller skier fitting at the side of road, the highest in europe - Col de Bonnete Restefond, and when driving back to work I saw a motorbiker liying in the road, no on else had stopped.

I need an Outdoor Based 1st aid, 16hrs, for validating me taking my school kids out climbing etc.

I have only used the 1st aid kit in the last 13years for -

1) Large plaster for covering pierced belly buttons, climbing harness can compress (not applied by me)
2) Wet wipes/hand gel for outdoor toileting
3) Tick removal - many times
4) Bee sting removals

Wee also have to carry a bothy bag, in the minibus.

If you need/want to practice skills, then the red cross always need volunteers. Even offering to help at events such as speedways, horse races, club rugby matches etc.

Nick

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Hello,

Sorry to open up an old thread, but just wanted to clarify a few things.

If you have been trained to perform CPR and are confident to do so - perform it. There are a lot of urban myths about people being sued but there has so far been not one single case. (More info and source: http://www.resus.org.uk/pages/legal.htm)

As far as meds go, don't be stupid. If someone has a painful tooth or something and want to take a paracetamol then they can. They don't need you to give it to them, or prescribe it, or administer it, or sell it, etc. they can take it themself. If they are so injured that they can not take a paracetamol on their own, then the paracetamol is not going to help them (and is the least of you worries)!

There is a lot of mis-information floating about which scares people off. Don't worry, don't be stupid, just follow your training and do the best you can.

If anyone has any specific questions, feel free to PM me or post here.

Alex

Exactly, well said.