First Aid Course – why you should refresh it more than once in your life
When was your last first aid course? It’s likely that you took it some time ago — and you are not alone. In Germany, according to data from the resuscitation registry of the German Society for Anaesthesiology, only 15 percent of Germans are able to provide first aid in an emergency. Why you should repeat the first aid course more than once in your life is explained in the following text.
Refreshing the first aid course
The majority of people complete the first aid course when they obtain their driver’s license and, unfortunately, do not refresh the course afterwards. Perhaps you also took the course earlier at school. However, not every school offers this. To ensure that you actually feel able to act in a critical situation, it makes sense to refresh your knowledge and rehearse for emergencies by participating in a repeated first aid course.
These topics are covered in the first aid course
Securing the accident scene
According to the German Red Cross, a first aid course teaches you how to secure an accident scene so that you can protect injured persons and yourself. Example: when an unconscious person is lying in the street. To be able to help the unconscious person, you must first secure the scene so that motorists can stop in time and there is no danger to the unconscious person or the first responders. The first aid course also explains what to do to create a safe situation if you and others have been involved in an accident.
Handling fractures, wounds and other injuries
Furthermore, the first aid course explains and practices how to treat fractures, wounds and other injuries until the ambulance arrives. You will also be prepared for burns, cold and heat injuries. The course covers how to respond appropriately to chemical burns or poisoning to protect the health of the affected person. Immediate measures that can save lives, including the recovery position and resuscitation, are also discussed and practiced in the first aid course.
Repetition is important
Repeats are necessary to be able to react immediately in the event of an accident or medical emergency. If your participation in a first aid course was some time ago, it is not unlikely that you have simply forgotten some important things over time. To counteract this, it is essential that you repeat the first aid course as soon as you feel you would not be able to respond immediately when present at an accident scene.
Knowledge from the first aid course provides safety
One reason to refresh the knowledge and exercises from the first aid course after some time is the safety of others as well as your own, should an accident occur. Proper conduct at the scene can prevent further hazards. In addition, medical personnel will be able to act more quickly on arrival if, for example, the scene has already been secured. This can mean that injured people can be rescued faster by the paramedics and, if necessary, by the emergency physician.
Thanks to a first aid course — correct, timely action can save lives
Another reason to regularly refresh your first aid course is that repetition ensures you know exactly what to do. If you have internalized the sequence of actions to take when, for example, a person is bleeding heavily, you gain a valuable time buffer. Therefore, it is advisable to repeat the course if you have forgotten some things over time. That way you can react quickly and correctly in an emergency and initiate initial measures until the ambulance arrives. If a person is seriously injured or even needs resuscitation and you know immediately what to do, you may be able to save that person’s life on the basis of your first aid knowledge.
Be prepared for accidents thanks to the first aid course
Another argument in favor of refreshing the first aid course is the unforeseen. Accidents always happen unexpectedly. In theory you can witness an accident or a medical emergency anywhere. For that reason it is a clear advantage to be prepared for such situations. By refreshing the course you remain able to act in real emergencies. It will be easier for you to respond at accident scenes when you are clear about what is best to do.
People you love
Not always are strangers the ones who need your help. A heart attack or other life-threatening incidents can affect anyone. If you repeat the first aid course regularly, you will be able, in an emergency, to save the life of a loved one. Even if you yourself are involved in an accident and, because of the first aid course, know how to act, you benefit from your knowledge. Injuries can have long-term consequences that can be significantly reduced by correct initial care.
You gain confidence
By retaking the first aid course, you gain confidence. After accidents it is often important that you react immediately. If you are unsure what to do and therefore hesitate, important time may be lost, which in the worst case can determine a person’s life.
Refreshing the first aid course: For responsible coexistence
There are many reasons to refresh the first aid course. If you know the measures to be initiated in an emergency, you gain operational confidence and can therefore react faster. After accidents or when incidents occur that threaten a person’s health or even life, time often plays a critical role. If you know from the first aid course exactly how to secure an accident site and care for a person’s injuries—for example to avoid severe blood loss—you are more likely to act quickly and correctly in an emergency.
Most important is that you do your best and provide first aid at all. As part of society we all have responsibility for one another. Stay attentive and intervene when you observe an accident. The worst thing you can do in such a situation is look away. Even if your first aid course was some time ago, you can still provide valuable help. If you call an ambulance, you can also be guided by the medical personnel on site.
First aid can decide a person’s life. By refreshing the course you remain able to react quickly and appropriately. An accident can happen to anyone; at any time and in any place. If you can provide first aid in an emergency, you take on valuable responsibility for a person’s life.