What Is An Advanced First Aid Course?

Not all first aid courses are created the same. Just as your general practitioner has a different set of skills and a different educational background from a diagnostician at a hospital, many different first aid courses have been developed to meet different needs. Whether suitable for different industries and environments or different injuries and illnesses, first aid courses come in all shapes and sizes.

One key area where the public needs greater education is in the difference between basic and advanced first aid. Where basic first aid might only include cardiopulmonary resuscitation with mouth-to-mouth rescue breaths, advanced emergency first aid courses branch out into more complex and serious issues. In this blog, we’ll take a look at what these courses offer students over a basic one, helping you decide if it’s for you. Read on and determine for yourself if you need to take the extra step.

Introducing more complex equipment

One of the key differences between a basic and an advanced first aid course is the introduction of additional pieces of equipment. Often an occupational requirement for first aid officers at certain workplaces, advanced courses teach usage of more sophisticated techniques and tools. Advanced courses may also involve introducing first aiders to tools such as bag valve masks. While not in use at every workplace, these tools and others like them are extremely common, and proper usage in an emergency situation prior to an ambulance arriving could mean the difference between life and death.

For when help isn’t immediately available

Advanced first aid courses are often sought by workplaces or organisations working in remote areas where medical assistance may take significant time to arrive. Advanced first aiders may be relied upon to coordinate and manage the response to the incident until professionals arrive. It may also cover a broader range of cases such as major trauma, sudden cardiac arrest, management of large incidents and treatment of emotionally disturbed and drug affected casualties. Additionally, the course may also put a greater theoretical focus on human anatomy to help students understand not just what to do but why they do it.

Talk to the people in your organisation and think carefully about the kind of threats that exist in your environment before deciding whether you need to take an advanced first aid course. 

If you’re interested in taking a course, or have any other questions contact us.