Take a First Aid Refresher Course to Help Prepare You for Your Future
First Aid Refresher Course
First Aid refresher courses are typically given to new paramedics and medical staff in emergency departments, hospitals and clinics. These courses are generally given monthly, quarterly or annually depending on where you live and what your requirements are. A first aid refresher course will help medical professionals to learn about the most common injuries, illnesses, diseases and general problems that happen to people in their daily lives. This can be helpful for the benefit of the public as well as those professionals who give help and assistance to the public. There are some common topics covered during refreshers courses and you may find these topics useful.
A first aid refresher course is usually designed for medical students and paramedics who wish to get re-certified after undergoing their certification courses. In essence, a refresher training course is a condensed version of the General Life Support (GLS) and Basic Life Support (ALS) courses, which cover major aspects of emergency first aid and CPR. As the name of these courses suggests, the aim of the program is to provide CPR and First Aid training to the individuals involved in all types of emergencies. In essence, refresher courses help medical professionals to keep abreast of the new developments in this field. In addition, they also make medical professionals more effective when it comes to dealing with life-threatening situations.
Upon successful completion of a first aid refresher course, individuals will be able to competently administer AEDs in an emergency and should have good hand-to-hand operations knowledge and the ability to stop choking hazards. They should also have knowledge about relevant medical conditions, such as hypoxia, which can occur when an individual has low blood oxygenation. The course should also include information about controlling the spread of dangerous diseases such as AIDS and Hepatitis. The objective of the refresher program is to ensure that the participants are competent enough to administer first aid at the scene of an emergency. In case a victim is unconscious or unattended while being resuscitated, instructors ensure that they receive CPR before transporting the person to the hospital.
Take a First Aid Refresher Course to Help Prepare You for Your Future
Most refreshers take place at the local Emergency Medical Institute or in schools affiliated with the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. Upon successful completion of the first aid skills course, participants receive a card or certificate acknowledging that they have completed the course and are eligible for certification. Cardholders are required to take a written proficiency exam in order to obtain their actual certification. There are various organizations that offer first aid skills clinics in different cities and towns, and some of them may also conduct courses on a part-time basis.
Undertaking a first aid refresher course, particularly for beginners, is beneficial because it helps people become aware of the basic medical first aid methods that can be reasonably applied in cases of emergencies. A few instructors provide instruction in CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) in addition to other first aid techniques such as AED (automated external defibrillators). The latter technique is ideal for victims who suffer cardiac arrest and are unresponsive when administered with oxygen.
It is not mandatory for students who want to take a first aid response refresher course to possess a high school diploma or the equivalent. Applicants who aim to take a CPR refresher course can take it as long as they hold a degree or certificate from an accredited institution. A certificate from the American Heart Association is sufficient. Some states require candidates to pass a special exam to show that they have the right knowledge and skills on basic first aid. Candidates who pass this exam are then qualified to take a first aid certification test that proves their knowledge and proficiency on the subject.