All schools across Australia are required to have sufficient first aid measures in place, and the more people that are trained in first aid, the better the outcomes for the students, teachers, and everyone in between. Here are all the ways first aid can save a young life.
Why is first aid in schools so important?
Children are prone to accidents, and some of them are serious. Without the correct first aid equipment and training, the injured child’s health can decline, and this can lead to poorer outcomes.
There can never be too many people with first aid training at a school, and here are some of the reasons why:
- Enables you to act fast and without hesitation
How quickly someone administers first aid can reduce the rate of infection, and you increase the person’s chances of achieving the best possible outcome given the extent of the injury or health concern. Getting hurt can be scary, especially for young people, so being able to reassure them straight away is paramount.
- Instill a sense of safety in the school
Remaining calm in times of emergency is vital, and panic can quickly set in when there are not many people around that know what to do to help the injured person. When there are a lot of people at the school with first aid training, children included, this can help to provide a sense of safety within the school.
- Can save a life
Most injuries that occur at school happen in the playground when children are often playing and running around. If a teacher isn’t directly near the student, minutes may go by before someone helps the child. However, when the entire school has an understanding of first aid, those nearby can act immediately after an incident and could potentially save a life.
- Address hazards
With first aid training, you can recognize potential hazards more easily. This allows you to make changes or rectify issues before they cause an injury to someone.
- Stops an injury from worsening
By helping someone with first aid rather than waiting for medical assistance to arrive, you can stop an injury from worsening. Early intervention is key to preserving life and giving the casualty the best shot at recovering.
- We all play a part in ensuring our children are safe and well
While all education facilities throughout the country should be adhering to stringent first aid policies set for schooling, there are many ways teachers, staff and parents can help a child and potentially save a life by expanding their knowledge of first aid. The standard of first aid is continuously getting raised, and it’s so much more than knowing how to do the basics.
Ways we can improve first aid in schools
- Empower our kids
Children can now learn basic first aid and resuscitation at school for free through The First Aid in Schools Program. When there is no adult around to help, and a child is facing an emergency scenario, this course gives children the skills and confidence to know how to assist. Teaching children lessons such as these empowers them and helps them to build resilience by taking challenges headfirst. With the knowledge and hands-on learning they obtain through the course, they may even save a life one day or at the very least, help a friend in need. The program is varied to suit the ages participating in the session, and they run for 45 minutes. They offer face-to-face learning across South East Queensland, and remote areas have access to an online program.
- Download and use the First Aid Action Hero app in the school curriculum
Most schools use devices as a part of the students learning, and St John Ambulance Australia has created a free app called First Aid Action Hero. It has been designed to reiterate the skills taught in the First Aid in Schools Program. The app is gamified to make it fun and to keep students engaged. This app is suitable for all students 5 years and above.
- Take a mental health first aid course
While this is course is specifically designed for adults to help other adults, as a caregiver, it can help you to recognize some telltale signs that a little person is struggling, and you can alert a suitable person to this. Mental health is a prevalent problem for not only adults but children as young as 8 years old. Suicide is the leading cause of death amongst young Australians. It never hurts to know how to help someone in their time of need. Issues such as bullying should be regularly talked about with students, and they should know where to turn if they ever need help.
There’s no denying that first aid in schools is paramount, and by taking a first aid course and teaching our kids how to perform these life-saving skills, we are ensuring that students are safe and can be treated quickly if they are ever injured. Here at Paradise First Aid, we believe that first aid is an essential life skill, and we offer this course and many others to equip people with the knowledge on how to administer first aid with confidence. For more information, check out our website. You’ll find our comprehensive list of courses and the session times we have available.