Interview with first aid training delegate
Julie Clay recently attended our three-day First Aid at Work course, we caught up with her afterwards:
Why did you go on this course?
I’m involved in a community company called Food etc that provides basic cookery lessons in various settings. When we can do this again with people out in the real world, it will be important to ensure we have the right knowledge to cope if people have an accident or health issue that can be alleviated with first aid.
What was the most useful thing you learnt on the course?
That you can’t hurt someone by using a defibrillator. I would never have thought of even trying to try to help someone having a cardiac arrest before I went on this course. But now I know that the defibrillator will only allow you to shock if it is needed, there is no need to worry and it’s always worth giving it a go.
What would you say to someone thinking of going on a first aid course?
Do it and soon! Whether it’s the three-day course or the one-day Emergency First Aid at Work course, you will learn so much that could mean you can save someone’s life or help them recover more quickly from an injury.
Were you nervous about whether you would pass the exam?
I was a bit, but the examiners were really friendly and the trainer had been so good that there was really nothing to worry about as long as you read up on all the training materials provided.
Do you think more people should learn about first aid?
I don’t think everyone wants to or needs to, but I do think that some of the things we learnt should be taught in schools. That way it becomes a natural thing that you would try if you came across something that’s potentially treatable. I think CPR is particularly important for everyone to be able to do and that it should be added to the curriculum as an invaluable life skill.
