We all know how important being trained in vital lifesaving skills and basic First Aid are, but have you ever had to put your knowledge and skills into practice?
What would you do if faced with an emergency situation? Would adrenaline kick in and you’d know what to do in an instant or would you freeze?
What if you have no choice and you are the only person who can control and take the necessary action in an emergency?
This is exactly what happened to me recently; I was involved in a road traffic collision (RTC) and was the first person on the scene with any First Aid training until the paramedics arrived. Naturally my knowledge kicked in and I was quick to act and take control of the situation.
Emergency situations like this are highly charged and many people will instantly panic and struggle to remember any First Aid they may know, and so if you are a First Aider in these situations it is essential that you take control of the situation until emergency services arrive.
In this instance, other members of the public who were present at the time of the collision were all clearly in such a state of panic that this clouded their common sense and knowledge of basic First Aid; the casualty was conscious on the floor at the time but nobody was talking to them in order to try and locate the damaged areas, how the patient was and any other vital information.
If this incident taught me anything, it is that we must re-iterate to everyone who learns/knows First Aid that they have a duty to remain calm and take control in these emergency situations otherwise this could potentially put the safety of the patient at further risk and actually cause further damage to their injuries, which could be catastrophic.
If you feel like you are not as confident as you would like to be in an emergency situation, despite being First Aid trained, please contact me to discuss my refresher courses.