First Aid at Work: Day One

[stapsdoes101things]

Good things about becoming the designated first aider at work, once the current one goes on maternity leave:

1. I don't have to pay for the course;

2. I get time off to go to the course.

So today saw me abandon the phone calls and the petty cash tin, and tromp up Cathedral Hill to the Regus, which was happily much easier to find than I thought it would be. I'm doing this course through the British Red Cross and so far would recommend them.

Today we covered:

- the recovery position, what it is, when to use it;
- shock, what to do about it;
- cardio-pulmonary respiration, what it is, when to use it;
- bandages, use of;
- bleeding, how to stop it;
- choking, what to do about it.

We watched several short clips, looked at many gruesome photographs, discussed horrific incidents we'd witnessed or heard about, rolled around on the floor, and all in all had a lot of fun. I'm already more confident, though rather more painfully aware of how much I don't know.

One and a half more days, a short assessment, and I can call this one done.