First aid
First aid training
St John recommends everyone take the opportunity to attend a first aid course and keep a well-stocked first aid kit in their home and vehicle.
All St John first aid education courses are designed to be practical and informative, giving students first aid knowledge and confidence to use their skills. The courses listed below all include instruction on performing infant and child CPR.
St John offers a range of public first aid courses, including:
- Basic Life Support course (four hours) which covers scene and patient assessment, CPR (the life-saving resuscitation technique) and what to do when someone is choking (a common childhood accident)
- Emergency First Aid course (eight hours) which covers the same content as the above course with additional first aid information for various situations
- Workplace First Aid course (16 hours) which is a comprehensive two-day course covering basic life support, emergency first aid, identifying hazards in the workplace, medical conditions and ways to manage emergencies with multiple patients and injuries. A St John Workplace First Aid course is fresh, innovative and fun and includes your own take home resource kit including a Mini Anne manikin, and training DVD. This course is followed by an eight-hour refresher course which should be completed every two years.
First aid kits
St John recommends everyone should keep a first aid kit in the home, vehicle or anywhere else an accident or emergency might occur. A basic first aid kit should include:
- antiseptic wipes
- a selection of crepe bandages
- a triangular bandage
- a CPR face shield
- dressings of various sizes
- dressing strips
- plasters
- skin closure strips
- eye pads
- gauze swabs
- gloves
- scissors
- disposable splinter probes
- fine point tweezers
- a plastic bag
- a large fabric bag
- an instant cold pack
- saline solution
- a St John First Aid Tips Guide.
St John recommends you check your first aid kit regularly and replenish your medical supplies at least once a year. This includes replacing contents that have passed their use-by date.
To find our more about first aid courses or to order a first aid kit and items visit www.stjohn.org.nz or phone 0800 ST JOHN (0800 785 646).
This article was written by Warren Rosser from St John.
