What to Expect in a First Aid Course
In the world we live in now, first aid courses look vastly different to how they used to be.
There are three main accredited first aid courses that are needed for most workplace environments.
- Provide CPR: HLTAID009
- Provide First Aid: HLTAID011
- Provide First Aid in an Education & Care Setting: HLTAID012
There are also many different types of content delivery. We will go into more detail in the post below.
100% face to face first aid course
We have so many other options to hold first aid classes other than sitting in a classroom for 8 hours. We have online options too! We specialise in groups and workplaces.
When you attend a full face to face first aid course, it is important to come prepared in loose comfortable clothing. You will be expected to perform some techniques down on your knees, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and bandaging techniques. You also may want to bring a notepad and pen if you learn best by writing things down, although this is not compulsory.
A full Childcare First Aid course and the Provide First Aid course can take 6-8 hours, so it is best to bring snacks and lunch with you and a water bottle.There will be plenty of breaks and you will be notified during the housekeeping session at the beginning.
First Aid training
Thanks to the explosion of the online world in recent times, you can actually do some first aid courses 100% online, with a first aid instructor assessing you over zoom. This has its challenges for staff and businesses, as there needs to be equipment delivered from one place to another, and in some states, there still needs to be 2 square metres between participants, making it difficult to have people in the same room together on a computer screen. Tricky but not impossible.
There are then two other options, which are the most popular.
Blended first aid course
There is what we call a ‘Blended’ course. Blended means that 20% of the course is pre online learning (approx 1.5 hours) and 80% of the course is face to face assessment.
So much of a first aid course is theory, for example with HLTAID011 Provide First Aid, we would be looking at the first part of DRSABCD: Danger, Response and Send for help the legalities around an accident in public or in the workplace and the role of a good samaritan. You will also learn basic anatomy, providing handover to emergency services, awareness of post traumatic stress and much more.
In most places, the online pre learning must be completed before the face to face assessment.
The face to face assessment portion of this course will cover subjects such as
chain of survival,
- CPR
- Asthma first aid and inhaler technique
- Anaphylaxis recognition and administering an Epipen
- Using an Automated external defibrillator (AED)
- How to put someone in the recovery position
- How to help someone who is choking
- Bandaging and slings
- Minor bleeding and nosebleeds
- Envenomation and pressure immobilisation technique
- fractures & sprains
Enhanced first aid course
The last option for delivery of the Provide First Aid is the Enhanced version. This has been very popular during COVID lockdowns as there is less face to face involvement, but also it can also mean less time away from work so this delivery mode can be very appealing to employers.
People also like the self-paced learning aspect, rather than being under pressure to answer multiple choice questions in a classroom setting.
Again, the online pre learning must be completed before the face to face assessment.
Childcare first aid otherwise known as Provide first aid in an education and care setting (HLTAID012) can be facilitated in the same delivery methods, but is sometimes unavailable in the 100% online version. It can be logistically too difficult to assess properly.
- Full face to face
- Blended
- Enhanced
It is a requirement for ALL first aid courses that you are able to complete 2 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation to a manikin on your knees on the floor. If you can’t manage this, you will not be passed by the assessor, so if you think this may be a problem, please speak to your training provider before the day of the assessment.
First Aid Certificate
At the end of your first aid course you will be issued with a statement of attainment. You may get this on the same day or just a few days later.
The Provide CPR should be refreshed yearly and the provide first aid and childcare first aid need to be refreshed every 3 years.
Want more? We’ve got you covered…
Our Baby First Aid Courses
Our baby first aid courses are available in person in your home and online. We run classes in your home with groups of 2, 4 or up to 10 in Sydney & Melbourne and you can book in 3 easy steps!
- Pick your class
- Follow the prompts to purchase
- We will contact you within 24 hours to lock in your date of choice
Our First Aid Certificate Courses
We run most of the popular first aid courses Australia wide. HLTAID011 Provide First Aid, HLTAID009 Provide CPR, HLTAID012 Provide First Aid in an Education & Care Setting, RAMOAP (anaphylaxis), Mental Health first aid and CPR/LVR to name a few.
Book your public spot online or contact us if you have a group of 5+ people for onsite training.
Here are some other resources you may enjoy!
FREE GUIDE: Your Virtual Baby First Aid Kit
FREE GUIDE: Introducing Common Allergy Foods & Allergic Reactions
FREE Workplace Emergency Preparedness Plan: Grab this at the bottom of every page!
Follow for baby & child first aid and allergy info and tips on Instagram, TikTok & Facebook all @thenestcpr
