Most professions nowadays require employees to undertake a first aid course as part of their training. However, not all employees have to enroll in the same type of course, as different workplaces may have different first aid training requirements. Read below to find out more about the various types of first aid courses that exist, as well as who should participate in them.
• Standard or Basic First Aid Course:
This type of course, sometimes referred to as Emergency First Aid, is especially created for the general public. It covers all the basic principles of first aid training, and it is meant for people who do not work in places where accidents are very likely to occur or in workplaces without specific first aid requirements. A standard first aid course is also suitable for pupils, students, stay at home parents, or elderly people.
• Advanced First Aid Course:
Apart from the standard principles of first aid, this type of course also deals with the use of oxygen and automated external defibrillators (AED) when taking care of victims. The Advanced First Aid Course, which is sometimes called Advanced Life Support, is most suitable for first aid employees or mangers of first aid facilities. This course is also useful for any employee working in a facility equipped with an oxygen tank and mask and an AED.
• Aquatic or Marine First Aid Course:
This is a specific type of first aid course, meant for people who work as lifeguards, sailors, rescue divers, or any other profession involving activities performed on or in the water. The aquatic first aid course deals with specific situations, such as pulling a victim out of the water or providing care for a victim that cannot reach a medical facility very fast (which can occur, for example, when a ship is stranded at sea).
• Wilderness First Aid Course:
Also called Remote or Outdoors First Aid, this course teaches participants how to provide first aid in remote locations, where the arrival professional medical help can be delayed and where there is no access to specialized equipment. Wilderness First Aid Course is fit for mountain rescue, professional hikers, or the average citizen who enjoys spending time in the great outdoors.
• Mental Health First Aid Course:
Not only physical ailments require first aid intervention. In a Mental Health First Aid Course, participants can learn how to provide support for people affected by mental illnesses or for someone who is undergoing a stressful situation. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn the first signs of a mental disease; in this way, the will be able to guide the person in question towards adequate medical help. This type of course is most appropriate for physiologists and school counselors.
These are some of the most important first aid courses available for employees. Other specific training courses include Babysitter Training, Battlefield First Aid, Hydrofluoric Acid First Aid, or Dog and Cat First Aid. So, you see, whatever your profession may be, you can surely find a first aid course that is just right for you.