Key Points
- Learning first aid is a key proactive step you can take to effectively respond to an emergency.
- CPR training, a core element in a typical first aid course, is based on guidelines issued by a peak body in Australia.
- Training options available differ in duration, format, status of accreditation and curriculum covered in specialised courses.
According to a , only five per cent of Australians have first aid training, which is one of the lowest rates in the world.
The suggest that 60 per cent of injuries requiring first aid treatment occur at home, while 20 Australians die from heart attacks every day.
Australian estimates suggest that less than one in three employees feels confident to perform first aid in a workplace emergency.
He says, first aid training helps people develop hands-on basic life support skills, as well as confidence to mentally prepare themselves and thus effectively respond to emergencies.
First aid training is focused on before the help arrives. The more prepared people are ahead of time, the better that's going to work.Buck Reed, Western Sydney University
"Certainly, if somebody is more critically ill or injured, we want people to be doing things from the second that it happens before the paramedics arrive.”
Choosing a training provider
First aid training courses teach people how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, and how to use a defibrillator.
These are the two most important, potentially life-saving, interventions one can make to help someone having a cardiac arrest.
There were over 26,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Australia in 2019. It is estimated that 75% of cardiac arrests occur at home or in a private setting.
The ARC is the peak body that regulates first aid best practice. It is comprised by about 20 member organisations, including institutions like the College of Emergency Medicine, the Council of Ambulance Authorities and Royal Life Saving.
“The ARC guidelines represent the best available evidence for different first aid interventions… So, people should find that courses should align with the ARC recommendations.”
Dr Finlay McNeil is a surgeon and the convener of the First Aid Sub-Committee for the peak body representing both the Australian Resuscitation Council and the New Zealand Resuscitation Council.
First aid training courses typically incorporate classroom simulations to prepare trainees to deal with emergency situations.
Courses are also available by ambulance authorities in some states and territories and by private providers.
“Any private provider, that is any first aid teaching organisation that has an RTO - registered training organisation - status is a valid choice to go and learn first aid,” Dr McNeil explains.
Choosing the right course for you
While most first aid courses are taught in person, some include online modules.
Some training providers offer one or more modules of first aid courses in video or webinar mode.
She says mixed course delivery options help cater to different learning needs.
“It allows you to do this at your time and your own pace… and it also allows to go back and reread and revisit some of that information.
“We also have the functionality for closed captioning, so that can allow for the online component to be translated over into different languages.”
Parents and carers may also be interested in undertaking specialised first aid training for babies and children.
These courses typically cover:
- First aid and CPR for child/infant,
- safety at home, minimising risks, and
- response to medical situations, including choking, asthma, allergies, bleeding
Many organisations hold community first aid courses. Ask your doctor or maternal and child health nurse for more information.
In Australia, first aid qualifications should be renewed every three years and refresher training in CPR is recommended every year.
Dr McNeil says that refresher training is vital for being able to perform CPR effectively.
The ability to do CPR actually fades with time, since you last used it.Dr Finlay MacNeil, surgeon, convener of First Aid Sub-Committee- Australian and New Zealand Resuscitation Councils.
First aid courses vary in duration. Some run for a couple of hours to a couple of days. Some are nationally accredited, others are not.
It is estimated that only 5% of Australians have a current first aid certificate.
“That means that they teach to a specific standard that's outlined for whatever that course is… So, if you're doing it for a work prerequisite, it's important to choose the first aid course that is correct for that workplace, or for that need.”
For those who don't need an accredited course certificate, many non-profits, community organisations and ambulance services offer free first aid training throughout the year.
Mr Reed recommends looking at the different options available.
Further resources
- For health advice and first aid information, including resources and where to undertake training visit
- Australian Red Cross has a with first aid and CPR instructions
- St John Ambulance has a range of to basic first aid in common emergencies, translated in Arabic, Traditional Chinese, Greek, Italian and Vietnamese.
- Visit the Raising Children Network for first aid information for , , and .
In an emergency, call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance. The person on the line will help you provide first aid.
