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Tag Archive for: First Aid Action

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First Aid Verification of Competency Service

1 May 2025/in Blog, News!

Ensuring Workplace Safety

In any workplace, the ability to respond effectively to emergencies, whether minor or extreme, is paramount. This capacity hinges largely on the competence of designated first aiders. However, maintaining first aid proficiency can be challenging, particularly given the recommendation in Australia that first aid skills be updated only every three years. This raises crucial questions: will your first aiders remember what they learned in their initial training? Who is responsible for ensuring that your workplace is staffed with first aiders who can act decisively and knowledgeably in an emergency?

Challenges in Maintaining First Aid Competency

First aid is a vital skill, yet like any skill, it requires regular practice to retain proficiency. Over time, without reinforcement and practical application, the knowledge and techniques learned can fade. This is particularly concerning in a workplace setting where the stakes are high; the inability to effectively administer first aid can lead to disastrous outcomes for the casualty involved.

It is not uncommon for employees trained in first aid to feel underconfident or even panic when faced with a real-life emergency if they have not had opportunities to practice their skills regularly. This is where the First Aid Verification of Competency Service comes into play, offering a practical solution to ensure that the first aiders in your workplace remain competent and prepared.

Introducing Luella’s Verification Service

Luella, an experienced first aid trainer with over 17 years of expertise, now offers a unique service designed to verify and refresh the first aid skills of your workplace first aiders. Her service is tailored to address the gap between initial training and ongoing competency, providing a means to ensure that your first aiders are ready to handle any emergency situation.

Service Components

Luella’s First Aid Verification of Competency Service includes:

  • 2 Hour Session: This intensive session encompasses a knowledge test to determine the current level of first aid knowledge among your staff. Additionally, it includes 2-3 workplace-based scenarios using first aid equipment and props to refresh practical skills. This hands-on practice is crucial for reinforcing the techniques and procedures that may have lapsed.
  • Theory and Skills Refresh: Throughout the session, Luella addresses any areas where your staff feel uncertain or have forgotten critical aspects of first aid. This personalized approach ensures that all participants leave with a renewed sense of confidence and capability.
  • Performance Report: After the session, Luella provides a comprehensive report on each first aider’s performance. This report highlights areas of competence and identifies individuals who may need additional refresher training to meet the required standards.

Cost and Logistics

The cost for this service is $300, with an additional $50 travel fee (travel fee may vary if outside our service area – please enquire). GST is not included in these fees. Considering the potential consequences of having undertrained first aiders, this investment is a small price to pay for ensuring workplace safety and preparedness.

The Importance of Regular Verification

Regular verification and skill refreshment are essential to maintaining high standards of first aid competency within any organization. By opting for Luella’s service, you are taking proactive steps to safeguard your employees and create a safer work environment. The benefits are clear:

  • Enhanced Confidence: Verified training boosts the confidence of first aiders, ensuring they feel prepared to handle emergencies effectively.
  • Increased Preparedness: Regular practice and testing keep first aiders’ skills sharp, reducing the likelihood of panic or hesitation during an actual emergency.
  • Compliance: Ensuring your first aiders remain competent helps meet workplace health and safety regulations, protecting your organization from potential liabilities.

Conclusion

Investing in the First Aid Verification of Competency (VOC) Service is a commitment to workplace safety and the well-being of your employees. By regularly verifying and refreshing the skills of your first aiders, you ensure that your workplace is prepared to respond to emergencies swiftly and effectively, no matter how minor or extreme. Luella’s expertise and tailored approach offer a practical solution to maintaining first aid competence, providing peace of mind and security for your entire organization.

Don’t leave your workplace’s emergency preparedness to chance. Ensure your first aiders are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to act decisively and confidently. Contact Luella today to schedule a verification session and take the first step towards a safer, more prepared workplace.

Call 07) 3901 0599

Email: info@firstaidaction.com.au

https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Provide_Advanced_First_Aid-1.jpg 600 600 Sara Balzary https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Logo_Rectangle-removebg-preview-300x136.png Sara Balzary2025-05-01 16:05:042025-05-01 16:05:18First Aid Verification of Competency Service

What is a Log Roll?

3 April 2025/in Blog

Luella demonstrating a Log Roll.

A log roll or also known as a spinal roll, is when you are needing to place a casualty with a back injury onto their side very carefully.  The main reasons why you would need to do this is to protect the airway & breathing if the casualty is unconscious, or the casualty is needing to vomit or there is severe bleeding to stop on their back to access the wound. If the casualty is conscious and able to breathe then it is best to hold their head and not move them (unless danger is present) so that unnecessary movement may cause further injury to the neck and spine.  Leaving an unconscious casualty too long on their back can increase the risk of choking on their tongue relaxing onto the airway and bodily fluids. The Australian Resuscitation council guidelines state that the protection of a person’s airway and breathing is priority.

The person at the head always takes control of the roll with at least two other people on one side and roll the person together keeping the neck and spine in alignment. It is always best to learn this important technique under instruction from a trained professional in a first aid course so you have the confidence to perform this skill at home or in the workplace.

Contact First Aid Action RTO 31668 for further information: 07 3901 0599 or email us at info@firstaidaction.com.au

https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Log-Roll-at-Mulgowie.jpg 481 640 Sara Balzary https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Logo_Rectangle-removebg-preview-300x136.png Sara Balzary2025-04-03 17:25:182025-04-03 17:26:58What is a Log Roll?

What to do if your child is choking?

31 March 2025/in Blog

Please download the below free PDF and print it out to put on your fridge, wall or anywhere to remind you what to do if your child is choking. The information is based on the Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines.  A common mistake is to hit the child hard on the back while they are actually trying to cough up the blockage themselves. This can cause the blockage to go further into the airway and completely block the airway.

If your child is able to cough, speak or breathe then let them lean forward and keep trying to cough it out or let them lay over your lap and cough.  If they are becoming more distressed and unable to cough or breathe then call the ambulance. If your child is unable to cough, breathe, talk or make little or no sounds then proceed with 5 back slaps across the shoulder blades with your child over your lap and then place your hand across the chest and give 5 gentle pushes into the chest (called chest thrusts). Call the ambulance. Alternate these until the child coughs out the blockage or the ambulance take over. Be prepared if your child falls unconscious to follow the DRSABCD steps of CPR.

Teach your children to make a noise to alert you if are not watching your children eat their food. Whether they bang the table, throw their food at you, stamp the floor or simply come to you if they are choking as they will be unable to speak or scream to alert you that they are in trouble.

It is always recommended to learn these life saving skills under guidance from a professional first aid trainer in a first aid course. This will give you more confidence to be able to help your children or others.

Choking Child

Contact First Aid Action on 07) 3901 0599 or email us at info@firstaidaction.qld.edu.au for more information about our courses.

 

https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Choking-Child-1-pdf.jpg 2993 2116 Sara Balzary https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Logo_Rectangle-removebg-preview-300x136.png Sara Balzary2025-03-31 17:02:462025-03-31 17:03:40What to do if your child is choking?

Emergency Checklist from Get Ready Queensland

5 March 2025/in Blog

GRQ Emergency Kit checklist

Please go to “Get Ready Queensland” website : https://www.getready.qld.gov.au/emergencykit to find out what to pack in an emergency kit. I have attached it to this blog but it is well worth reading the other important information about getting ready for any emergencies – cyclone, fire, flooding etc.

It is very important to have your first aid kit ready to be prepared for emergencies that can happen from broken glass, flying debris, falls and building collapses. Some of these incidents can cause severe bleeding, broken bones, spinal injuries and unconsciousness. I have never personally been through any cyclone before and it certainly is a bit daunting as it really is “unknown” what will happen. All I can do is be prepared! Brush up on your first aid skills if you have done a course a while ago and I wish everyone to stay safe. My fingers and toes are crossed that Alfred will behave himself!

https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GRQ-Emergency-Kit-checklist-1-pdf.jpg 1497 1058 Sara Balzary https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Logo_Rectangle-removebg-preview-300x136.png Sara Balzary2025-03-05 12:54:172025-03-05 12:59:11Emergency Checklist from Get Ready Queensland

Follow the steps of DRSABCD in an Emergency

3 March 2025/in Blog

Emergency Action Plan – DRSABCD

Do you know the below facts on Cardiac Arrest in Australia:

  1. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Australia.
  2. Only approximately 10% of people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital survive.
  3. Performing immediate CPR and attaching an AED (Defibrillator) by a bystander can significantly increase the chances of survival, potentially doubling or tripling the survival rate.
  4. Nearly 80% or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest happens at home – so are you prepared?
  5. Statistics indicate that men are more likely to experience cardiac arrest than women.

Learning how to perform CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) is important skill to have that you hope you will never need to use. A lot of people are caught out and not prepared when an emergency happens at home.  Even just performing compressions on a person will give them a better survival rate than doing nothing. CPR is all about maintaining blood flow and oxygen around the body as the person’s heart is no longer pumping. Call the ambulance as soon as you can and use a Defibrillator if there is one nearby and follow the voice the prompts! Survival rates are greatly increased with the use of early defibrillation.

Learn the DRSABCD of CPR as per the attached flyer and practice these skills in a first aid course so that you are better prepared for an emergency. Give us a call if you wish to know more information about Cardiac Arrest, CPR, Defibrillators or you wish to come and learn first aid with us – 07)3901 0599.

 

https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Emergency-Action-Plan-DRSABCD-1-pdf.jpg 2993 2116 Sara Balzary https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Logo_Rectangle-removebg-preview-300x136.png Sara Balzary2025-03-03 09:32:132025-03-11 11:56:24Follow the steps of DRSABCD in an Emergency

FAST – what does this acronym mean?

24 February 2025/in Blog

First Aid Acronyms.

Do you know how to determine if a family member, friend or work colleague could be having a life-threatening Stroke?

A Stroke is caused by either a blood clot or ruptured blood vessel in the brain and is one of Australia’s biggest causes of death. The Australian Stroke Foundation states that stroke kills more women than breast cancer and more men than prostate cancer.

Some Facts from the Australian Stroke Foundation:

  1. Strokes can happen at any age.
  2. 80% of Strokes can be prevented
  3. In 2023, 1 in 4 Strokes occurred in people below 65 years of age
  4. When a stroke strikes, it attacks up to 1.9 million brain cells per minute
  5. Without action by 2050, it is predicted the number strokes experienced by Australians annually will increase to 72,000.

The FAST test is an easy way to recognise and remember the signs of stroke.

Using the FAST test involves asking these simple questions: (The below information has been adapted from the Australian Stroke Foundation)

  1. Face – Check their face. Has their mouth drooped? Can they smile evenly? Has one side of face dropped? Do they all of a sudden feel numbness or tingling on one side of the face?
  2. Arms – Can they lift both arms? Or get them to squeeze both your hands.
  3. Speech – Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?
  4. Time – Time is critical and Act FAST! If you see any of these signs, call 000 or 112 (mobile phones) straight away.

 

https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/First-Aid-Acronyms-2-1-pdf.jpg 2116 2993 Sara Balzary https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Logo_Rectangle-removebg-preview-300x136.png Sara Balzary2025-02-24 17:24:252025-03-03 08:47:59FAST – what does this acronym mean?

Choking – Hit the person on the back or not?

17 February 2025/in Blog

You are out to dinner with some friends having a great time, chatting away, laughing and all of sudden one of your friends is choking on their food! They are coughing, still breathing but panicking!  You give your friend a really hard hit on the back thinking that will help them but…….Oh No!  They can now no longer cough or breathe!

Hitting a person hard on the back while they are trying to cough, can still breathe and talk can actually make it worse if they are choking.  The force of the hit can cause the blockage to go further down their airway and completely block it if it is only partially blocked. Something that a lot of people don’t realise and think it is the right action to do.

There are two types of Choking (Airway Obstruction):

  1. Partial Airway Obstruction: A partial obstruction is when a foreign object (most likely food) has partially cut off the airway. Signs include: coughing, difficulty in breathing or noisy breathing, talking (crying in babies).
    1. First Aid for a Partial Obstruction is: Encourage the person to cough out the obstruction whilst leaning forward. If the cough becomes ineffective or the person is experiencing worsening breathing difficulty,  then call the ambulance.
  2. Full Airway Obstruction: A full airway obstruction is when the foreign object has completely cut off the airway. Signs include: unable to cough, breathe or talk, turning blue in the lips, panicking.
    1. First Aid for a Full Obstruction is: Lean the casualty forward and administer 5 back slaps between the shoulder blades then administer 5 chest thrusts (pushing on their chest). Alternate these actions while the person is still conscious or able to cough the object out. Call the ambulance as soon as possible, and be prepared to follow the steps of DRSABCD when the person becomes unconscious.

Come and learn more about choking for adults, children and infants at our first aid courses and practice these actions so that you are well prepared for this type of emergency. Book yourself in now!Choking Infants Choking Child

https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Choking-Infants-1-pdf.jpg 2993 2116 Sara Balzary https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Logo_Rectangle-removebg-preview-300x136.png Sara Balzary2025-02-17 10:06:002025-02-17 10:06:10Choking – Hit the person on the back or not?

Have a laugh! Bloopers making videos!

14 February 2025/in Blog
Read more
https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Logo_Rectangle-removebg-preview-300x136.png 0 0 Sara Balzary https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Logo_Rectangle-removebg-preview-300x136.png Sara Balzary2025-02-14 15:52:472025-02-14 16:11:31Have a laugh! Bloopers making videos!

True or False? Nose bleeds

11 February 2025/in Blog
Read more
https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/nose-bleed-picture.jpg 833 833 Sara Balzary https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Logo_Rectangle-removebg-preview-300x136.png Sara Balzary2025-02-11 15:42:242025-02-11 15:53:43True or False? Nose bleeds

First Aid in the Workplace – Top 5 things to know

22 August 2023/in Blog
Read more
https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Logo_Rectangle-removebg-preview-300x136.png 0 0 Sara Balzary https://firstaidaction.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Logo_Rectangle-removebg-preview-300x136.png Sara Balzary2023-08-22 13:11:222023-08-22 13:11:22First Aid in the Workplace – Top 5 things to know

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