how many of us are first aid trained?

[Sniper]

I'm a first aider for the British Red Cross have been for bout12yrs now also Moving & Handling to casualty handling level 2, Defib trained, Resusitation trained and Trauma Management plus I am an emergency response volunteer I also train others in all of these subjects plus training our ambulance drivers. Lastly I train our first aid trainers in order for them to train others in first aid.
So like our paramedic and doctor friends I too would say I'm trained. As for experience I have done several tours in N Ireland in the 70s during the hieght of the troubles plus the Falklands campaign in 82 so I've stuck a few plasters on missing bits and see through bits.

 

[combatbushcraft]

did lots of training in the army,and have a current certificate,
got called out a work last week,and on the way out of the shop,heard a lot of shouting,yes you guessed it,drink fueled agression,?!!!!!!!!!
ended up giving first aid to a guy who has got a fractured skull,blood clots on the brain,
has had every bone in his face broken,is deaf in one ear,has a numb left side of face and was bleeding from the ears for nearly a week,
think ive done enough refresher training for a while,
thank god i had a small med kit with me and improvised using carrier bags,and a fluffy towel from me shop,

cheers
diamond

 

[testokick]

Hello to you all. I'm new in this comunity and try to learn as much as is humanly posible. Please excuseme if my english is not so good.
I work as a fitness trainer, beeing actualy a nurse. I love camping and all native skills that ever served anyone, no matter the location on Earth. I'm also a mechanic of military gear(i don't know what is the name of that job).
That's all for now...

 

[Sniper]

Just a note .....never remove a crash helmet unless specifically trained to
CPR is now 30 : 2 and rescue breaths no longer have to be efficient it is enough just to attempt.
CPR very very rarely works in all but babies however you are keeping the body and brain fed with oxygen until a defib unit arrives, sadly if that fails you also keep the possibility of transplant organs free of damage, not a nice thought but fact nevertheless so you could be saving someones life other than the immediate casualty. Probably the most effective and useful skill is the recovery position ...it probably saves the most lives and is simple to learn.
Red Cross public courses in save a life....... ....2 hours long...........cost about £15........ not a plug, just to show it need not be expensive we also run courses for youth organisations quite often free of charge....in return you can do a sponsored walk or a bag pack at the local supermarket. First aid is to me a life skill and something everyone should learn!

 

[rik_uk3]

Just a note .....never remove a crash helmet unless specifically trained to
CPR is now 30 : 2 and rescue breaths no longer have to be efficient it is enough just to attempt.
CPR very very rarely works in all but babies however you are keeping the body and brain fed with oxygen until a defib unit arrives, sadly if that fails you also keep the possibility of transplant organs free of damage, not a nice thought but fact nevertheless so you could be saving someones life other than the immediate casualty. Probably the most effective and useful skill is the recovery position ...it probably saves the most lives and is simple to learn.
Red Cross public courses in save a life....... ....2 hours long...........cost about £15........ not a plug, just to show it need not be expensive we also run courses for youth organisations quite often free of charge....in return you can do a sponsored walk or a bag pack at the local supermarket. First aid is to me a life skill and something everyone should learn!

New thinking on CPR if the patient is within paramedic distance (a few mins to arrival) is no breath, just compression, changes all the time

 

[Sniper]

Not aware of that Richard where is the info from.

Certainly no changes have come out I'm aware of and we are usually the first in getting any updates or changes to current practices and I hav'nt heard of this being brought in although I know it's been considered for quite some time but not rolled out. I would be very wary of this until it comes out in black & white bearing in mind we write the book in conjunction with NHS thinktank, St Andrews, and St John's. If it's not out officially I would ignore it rather than open myself to litigation by the no win no fee brigade!

 

[rik_uk3]

Double post sorry

 

[rik_uk3]

Not aware of that Richard where is the info from.

Certainly no changes have come out I'm aware of and we are usually the first in getting any updates or changes to current practices and I hav'nt heard of this being brought in although I know it's been considered for quite some time but not rolled out. I would be very wary of this until it comes out in black & white bearing in mind we write the book in conjunction with NHS thinktank, St Andrews, and St John's. If it's not out officially I would ignore it rather than open myself to litigation by the no win no fee brigade!

It was from an American research paper I read, by all accounts this practise is going on with some of the paramedics over there (I'll try and find the link), in our Trust we still use 30:2 as well. CPR protocol changes every now and then, pain in the bottom really. I've been actively involved in CPR situations a good few times, sad to say it rarely works

Interesting that you mentioned keeping organs going, some years ago, there was a very bad RTA near us, four or five died, but within 24 hours one of our patients received a new kidney (I was working dialysis back then), one fresh kidney and a good tissue match gave happiness to one person at least.

I'm going to shout now

I HOPE ALL YOU PEOPLE CARRY A DONOR CARD AND HAVE REGISTERED YOUR WISHES ONLINE​

 

[crazydave]

dont forget that if you are asked for a certain pill then you are covered but if you give one out then its prescription and someone will have a go should they react to it, another usefull escape it so sell them some headache pills again to avoid the charge of prescribing. litigation wise the best words for a first aid situation are 'I am not a doctor, do you still wish me to proceed' once they say yes you can chop their legs off and sew wooden ones on

get a witness though...

also there is no legal obligation to render aid especially cpr.as officially once you start you cant stop untill told to by a doctor unless you hand over to another person.

the cpr guidelines are continuously changing - I've read versions where they say just breathe and others which say just compress most from the states who invented triage and who are still 20 odd years ahead of us in both civvy and military casualty treatments.

 

[rik_uk3]

dont forget that if you are asked for a certain pill then you are covered but if you give one out then its prescription and someone will have a go should they react to it, another usefull escape it so sell them some headache pills again to avoid the charge of prescribing. litigation wise the best words for a first aid situation are 'I am not a doctor, do you still wish me to proceed' once they say yes you can chop their legs off and sew wooden ones on

get a witness though...

also there is no legal obligation to render aid especially cpr.as officially once you start you cant stop untill told to by a doctor unless you hand over to another person.

the cpr guidelines are continuously changing - I've read versions where they say just breathe and others which say just compress most from the states who invented triage and who are still 20 odd years ahead of us in both civvy and military casualty treatments.

Personally Dave, I won't give any medication to anyone unless I know them very well, not even aspirin to be honest, not worth the risk, and as it takes a while to hit the system I'd rather wait for the paramedics to arrive and let them do their bit. Its worth asking regular camping friends if they have any problems with over the counter pain killers and be certain they are clear with their answers.

I would think it certain that 90% + here camp in the UK, so keep your first aid simple, and call for help.

 

[crazydave]

I used to get people all the time asking for painkillers for headaches so took to charging 10p a go - different in the army when we used to get stroppy hungover sergeants demanding something for their heads so we gave them brufen and told them to suck them

most stuff doeasn't need a paramedic or a trip to the hospital, most things can wait.

just like they could wait 20 years ago before the bloody mobile phone.

 

[rik_uk3]

I used to get people all the time asking for painkillers for headaches so took to charging 10p a go - different in the army when we used to get stroppy hungover sergeants demanding something for their heads so we gave them brufen and told them to suck them

most stuff doeasn't need a paramedic or a trip to the hospital, most things can wait.

just like they could wait 20 years ago before the bloody mobile phone.

Totaly agree Dave, especially mobile phones. I remember walking into work one day, the ward manager said, "I tried to get hold of you yesterday, no reply to your phone or your mobile" She was really angry about it. I explained that on my days off the wife and I (she's also a Nurse) unplug the phone and turn off our mobiles, the ward manager could not understand why we would do that To be honest, unless the wife is Senior Nurse on call, we unplug the house phone comes 22.00, this stops my children's mates ringing at midnight for a chat

 

[listenclear]

Got a first aid at work certificate and a degree in traditional chinese acupuncture - which may or may not be useful in the outdoors lol

 

[Matt_M]

I completed basic first aid training when i used to scuba dive, altho this has expired now officially, but i still know the basics.

 

[hog]

I've got a first aid at work cert and also am a first aider for the RNLI as I am a crew member, the RNLI course covers things that will not be found in a FAW cert such as oxygen, entenox, breathing aids etc.

 

[ScarletPimpernel]

Forces medic (aeromedical evacuation), then civ flight paramedic, now just have a St John cert. Also trained in major incident management.

I worked as a medic for an NGO in the Balkans during the unpleasantness there, which was an interesting experience. There were four of us, and we were the only source of medical assistance for our staff (and those from other organisations who hadn't made any proper arrangements), so we had to know our stuff.

 

[crwydryny]

I currently have a certificate in first aid (which has about a year left) as well as training in alternitive medician (herbalism, traditional medician and chinese herbalism leadin a few friends to call me the village witchdoctor lol)

 

[brianP]

I currently instruct all levels of First Aid, with a bent toward remote area and wilderness. Paramedic x 18 years, tactical medic, and run medical coverage for outdoor events.

I am diligently working on a book right now that will go by "Mud Medicine and Ditch Doctoring"

Currently offer instruction over here through Remote Areas

 

[mortalmerlin]

I did two diving first aid and rescue courses. Not a great deal of use to Bushcraft though.

 

[Dana Hawkeye]

Though I am currently a final year nursing student (ex-HCA of 8 years) with 16 weeks to go till qualifying, I have no first-aid certificate, only the internal NHS CPR/Trauma course. About to do the ALERT course in December.

It always amuses me when people ask, that Nurses and Doctors are NOT actually trained in First-Aid as part of their pre-registration coursework.

I declined the poll, as though I am not OFFICIALLY first-aid trained, I do use first-aid skills on an almost daily basis within the remit of the NHS.