How Long Do First Aid Certificates Last?
How long do first aid certification last in Australia?
First aid certificate expiry is usually at 3 years in Australia.
They expire after 36 months and need to be refreshed by a registered first aid training provider.
How Long Does a CPR Certificate Last?
The exception to this rule is the HLTAID009 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), which has superseded the HLTAID001 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. This should be refreshed every 12 months.
First Aid Certificate Renewal
When you need to renew your first aid certificate, you may be able to choose a delivery method that suits you. For example, if you have completed a full face to face first aid course previously, a mixture of online and face to face delivery may be helpful for you. This usually looks like 50-80% of the course being online pre-learning at your own pace, then organising a group workplace date for a trainer to visit your site or attending a public first aid course to finish up the face to face portion of the class.
The three-year expiry date on first aid certificates is recommended by the first aid in the workplace code of practice.
How Do I Know The Expiry Date of First Aid Certificate
Depending on the company you completed your first aid certificate with, they should remind you a few months before renewal. This allows you to prepare for your refresher CPR and keep your skills up to date and current with recent advice and practice.
Being Involved In Emergency Situations
Attending a first aid course means that if and when you come across an emergency situation, you would knowledgable about what the first steps would be for the casulaty and how to perform life saving techniques.
My First Aid Certificate Has Expired. What Do I Do?
Don’t panic! All you simply need to do is book yourself into a reputable first aid training provider as soon as you realise your certificates are out of date. Some companies may penalise you for not having a certificate in date, for example, if you are working with vulnerable people in an education or elderly care setting. There are minimum requirements and your workplace may be audited.
If it has been 3+ years since you completed a first aid course, you will need to redo the full first aid course. Most first aid training providers offer different delivery methods, for example online and face to face hybrid courses or full face to face. Some can even offer 100% online options depending on your location.
First Aid Courses
There are 3 staple first aid courses that cover most industries.
These are:
HLTAID009 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
HLTAID011 Provide First Aid
HLTAID012 Provide First Aid in an Education & Care Setting.
- The HLTAID009 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a shorter course that covers all aspects of resuscitation, chest compressions, and rescue breaths. The course also covers how and when to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
One of the key messages in the course is how to perform chest compressions with minimal interruption and what to do if the casualty vomits or regurgitates.
2. HLTAID011 Provide First Aid also includes HLTAID009 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and HLTAID010 Provide Basic Emergency Life Support. As before the HLTAID009 has to be renewed after 12 months and the HLTAID011 should be renewed after 3 years.
- This is a much more comprehensive first aid course. The content includes: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- How to use a defibrillator
- How to recognise an allergic reaction and administer an adrenaline autoinjector
- How to treat a poisonous bite or sting. This is called envenomation
- Assisting someone who is choking
- First aid for an asthma attack
- Daling with fractures, dislocations and sprains
- Managing bleeding and shock
- You will also learn basic anatomy and physiology
3. HLTAID012 Provide First Aid in an Education & Care Setting also includes HLTAID011 Provide First Aid, HLTAID009 Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and HLTAID010 Provide Basic Emergency Life Support.
As before the HLTAID009 has to be renewed after 12 months and the HLTAID012 should be renewed after 3 years.
The HLTAID012 includes everything that the HLTAID011 has but focuses more heavily on the care of children and infants. The content on asthma and allergies is much more comprehensive, as well as learning how to manage a child with any other acute illness.
Also importantly, the course covers the psychological impacts of traumatic events on children, talking with them about their emotions and seeking help as required.
Everything you learn in our courses is in line with the Australian Resuscitation Guidelines.
First Aid Training
The First Aid Nest run public and workplace first aid courses.
Our workplace first aid courses can be run at your site Australia wide. Our public classes are here in Sydney and are the best option if you are an individual, a couple or a group of just a few people.
Our sophisticated system will take the headache out of renewal for you too, we will send you reminders about when your certificate is about to expire!
Book your spot or your workplace with us today or contact us with any questions or head to our FAQ page.
