First Aid online courses for students

Learning first aid can be the difference between life and death for someone who has been in an accident or suffered an injury. Taking an online or eLearning first aid course has never been easier, allowing you to stay up to date with the latest methods and remain confident in an emergency. Here are just some of the benefits that come from first aid training, including what is first aid, what does an online first aid course cover, and the possible benefits to students.

What is first aid?

First aid is the initial, immediate help that is given to someone who suffers an injury or illness. The aim of first aid is also known as the three Ps:

• Promote recovery
• Prevent the situation from worsening
• Preserve life

First aid is generally performed by someone with first aid training. It is an important tool in quickly responding to accidents to ensure that injuries can be efficiently and promptly dealt with before a trained medical professional arrives to administer more specialised treatment.

Why should students undertake a first aid course?

Knowing the basics of first aid is an essential skill to have, whether you’re in a workplace environment, school, or for everyday life. We never know when any injury may happen to us or those who are around us. Therefore it is always good to have some amount of basic knowledge and skills to take care of critical situations should the need arise.

First aid courses are suitable for anyone wishing to gain invaluable basic first aid skills in order to know how to respond in an emergency. First Aid training courses are typically designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of first aid, from how to act in potentially life-threatening situations, to conducting a head-to-toe examination on someone who has sustained an injury.

Most first aid training courses are designed for individuals that have no prior knowledge in first aid or emergency response, while others to give more experienced first aiders the additional skills, resources and expertise in how they can preserve life more effectively and efficiently. First aid training provides highly sought after skills which bring various opportunities with it, meaning you’re never too young or old to learn the basics.

What does an online first aid course cover?

There are many different first aid courses and training out there, and it may not simply a case of choosing one which looks the most exciting or interesting. That being said, the majority of first aid training courses have a similar structure, and will cover many of the same topics, procedures and skills.

Naturally, online courses are slightly limited in what they can cover when compared with physical training because there can be no practical application. Online first aid courses will explain all of the procedure and knowledge behind administering first aid such as recognising symptoms and understanding what you can do until more technical medical help is given.

First aid online courses for students are suitable for anyone looking to refresh existing first aid knowledge and will also provide some basic first aid advice and a limited number of emergency scenarios. It really boils down to which first aid course you opt for. But for simplicity, you can expect the following in the majority of online first aid courses:

• What to do if you’re the first person on the scene of an accident
• How to assess a casualty’s response, breathing and circulation
• Recognising symptoms of certain conditions such as shock
• How to place a person into the recovery position and why this should be done
• When and how CPR should be applied to a casualty
• Other specific treatments such as controlling bleeding or dressing wounds 

When an online first aid course has been completed and the requirements met, a certificate will be issued to show that you (or your students) have completed the course and are familiar with the content within it. Its then up to you to refresh your knowledge in future, though it is generally recommended that certificates are retaken every three years to maintain good first aid knowledge.

Benefits of online first aid courses for students in the UK

First aid online courses for students provide the skills needed to respond to a wide range of trauma situations to achieve the best possible outcomes. Becoming trained on first aid methods helps students to feel more secure and confident when dealing with emergency situations and can often help to reduce the seriousness of a situation, from preventing injuries and illnesses from worsening to even saving someone’s life.

With first aid a highly desirable and hugely useful skill, it’s no wonder that there is an increasing demand for online first aid courses in school or later in the work place. Children and students are generally at higher risk of being involved in accidents or sustaining injuries, and therefore teaching basic first aid to students can not only keep them and their peers safer in school, but also to preserve life out of school and later throughout their working life.

There are several key benefits of taking an online first aid training course; which include:

1. Reduce the number of accidents
2. Create a positive and safer working environment
3. Increase confidence during an emergency
4. Highly transferable skillset
5. Minimal cost for what could potentially save a life 

Fully intensive first aid courses can be an effective means to help individuals to understand the basics, however, not everyone has the time to undertake a full practical course. One of the benefits of online first aid training is that the learning can range from 15 mins to 80 minutes long, meaning students can quickly and easily refresh their first aid knowledge at a time that suits them. First aid online courses for students are also enjoyable and as interactive as possible in order to make sure training is fully absorbed, often with fully animated and presenter-led lessons to provide an engaging learning experience for students.

Side note: In 2020, the Department for Education (DfE) confirmed that all state-funded schools in England must include basic first aid and CPR training as part of the curriculum. First aid will therefore now be included as part of children’s health education.

Are online first aid courses valid to become a first aider?

Simply put, while online courses are perfect for giving an introduction to first aid in the workplace, the roles of a first-aider and basic first aid skills, they are designed to be taken annually during the interval period between face-to-face training but should not be used as a replacement to practical training. Although the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) no longer regulate training providers, they still oversee first aid, they state that to satisfy due diligence requirements, you must ensure that: “…. Sufficient time is allocated to classroom based learning and assessment of the practical elements of the syllabus”

Online first aid courses, therefore, do not meet the requirements of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, as these courses do not include the opportunity to demonstrate skill proficiency to a certified instructor. The HSE does, however, permit a blended approach where the theory elements are delivered online and the practical elements are demonstrated, practiced and assessed in the classroom face to face.

Note: Make sure that you check the format in which any first aid training is delivered as any course delivered entirely online will not meet requirements for workplace safety certification, despite what an organisation or training provider might claim.

How to find online first aid courses for students

The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996, and is the largest and leading CPD accreditation organisation working across all industry sectors. For first aiders, our CPD providers offer a range of CPD Courses, events, and workshops to a range of companies, local authorities, and members of the public every year.

Within the Healthcare & Medical CPD Industry Hub, you can find a full scope of related CPD members and courses, covering a number of subjects that been formally CPD certified for your Continuing Professional Development requirements. We have thousands of training courses, including a full suite of both practical and online first aid training to meet all needs. Topics include – CPR, Choking, Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Bleeding, Burns, Head injuries, Anaphylactic shock. Injuries, Unconsciousness, Fainting, Collapsing and Seizures.

CPD accreditation for your online first aid courses and events

By taking a fully CPD accredited course that has been independently assessed, you can be more assured that the course  has been reviewed to industry recognised approach to learning, and is the recommended choice for those serious about wanting to begin or continue learning first aid. We hope this brief overview article on first aid online courses for students was helpful.

If you are a organisation or school and are thinking of CPD accreditation for your first aid courses and training events, please visit our become a CPD provider page or contact our team to discuss your training in more detail.