Knowledge about First Aid

[ThaHoward]

What is your knowledge and experience with first aid? Do you think it is important, should we have more or less first aid (in schools etc), do you want to be more experienced with it?

Just say what you think :)

[cdrdash]

I believe first aid is important depending on the situation. I lead hikes and one of the requirements of being a leader is knowing basic first aid. That seems correct to me. But for your every day person who is not generally faced with risky situations where people could get hurt, I don't see that it is important. Useful, yes but important, I'm not so sure.

[deltaX]

I have basically no knowledge or experience with first aid. In general, I think it is important for as many people as possible to know first aid in case an emergency arises, but I just haven't gotten around to learning anything because a lot of medical things made me anxious.

[elainetta]

I don't know CPR, but I know treatment for burns and cuts and stuff. That might not even qualify as basic, but it's the kind of thing everyone should know, for self-treatment at the very least.

Which makes me nervous, because I only know the burn treatment stuff because I helped my younger sister study it. We went to different middle schools. Her school taught her as a requirement for lab science. My school didn't teach me. You can never tell at a glance who knows such basic things as how to take care of a bad cut, and who doesn't. o.o

In short, I'm glad I got the chance to help her study.

I'm not saying "sub-basic first aid" must be added to the options, I just wanted to voice my opinion on it. :)

I should probably learn CPR...

[Zerο]

I got basic training of it in high school, but I'm sure some of the standards (CPR) have changed by now. I'll probably do it again the next time I offer it at work.

[Guest]

I have no idea what level of first aid I have (basic, maybe?). We learnt about it in elementary, middle and high school. We learnt CPR, how to deal with/recognize people in shock, apathic people, and injuries like "big cuts" (or whatever to call it) and burns. I remember doing other things too, but I don't know what to call them.

I have no real experience, only done exercises in school.

And yes, it is important to know.

[dissolved]

I've only done basic CPR etc but at work I once kept a guy alive long enough for the paramedics to arrive, that's the only time I've actually used it.

I believe everyone should have a basic knowledge, yeah.

[Misplaced]

I'm trained at basic level. But my knowledge goes into the advanced range. I would probably never use it, I care for people to little.

[DexM]

I passed my advanced first aid badge in the Scouts, and it was taken by The St. John's Ambulance. CPR, the recovery position, dealing with breaks, fractures, cuts, burns and hypothermia were the usual skills we learned, but we were also taught about how to assess situations such as a car crash, live wires, fires and other precarious situations. I can still remember most of it, and I have only dealt with minor cuts, burns and a break in real life, while also having to treat someone with hypothermia. I have never had to use CPR or the recovery position, hope I never have to, but I do think that some basic first aid would be a good set of skills to teach kids. It never did me any harm, it gives a sense of responsibility, and it is something that can stick with you into adulthood.

As an asthma sufferer, I do think it would be good to educate kids on how to deal with an asthmatic, especially with the numbers of sufferers in Britain having gone up significantly. But it isn't something that is greatly needed.

[Guest]

I can apply a plaster patch and that's it.

Seeing as I never even applied for a driving license (for which, at least over here, a basic FA lesson is mandatory, as far as I know), I never had any kind of course in it.

[Skycaptain]

I've had no training, no experience, and beyond calling for the appropriate emergency services all I am good at is flapping around. Yes, I should get training, but even then I doubt I'd be any good.

[ranting ferret]

it's not renewed, but i'm had certification in CPR and trained in basic first aid, but i know of other things beyond that, like dealing with hyponeutremia or hyperventilation, seizures, etc.

[Busrider]

I had to spend one day attending lessons to get my driving license. - I almost fainted about 3 times. - I really can't stand medical stuff very long.

If you are made for it first aid knowledge / training is probably handy.

[PastelBread]

All I know is the basic stuff like CPR. No experience with it, though. I think knowing first aid is important. Who knows when there is a life you can save or help. :)

[Schrecken]

My stepfather was a fire fighter and I can remember as a child when he would bring home this CPR dummy (I think they called it "resusi-annie" or something like that as it was sort of female looking) once in a while when my mom had friends over and once when my baby sitter was there. So yeah, there were in-home CPR demos when I was a kid, and I got to practice on the dummy when I got a little older.

And ironically, I have only had to use that early training once in my life, which was when my stepfather had a heart attack. But unfortunately the CPR did no good as the heart attack was so massive it was immediately fatal and unsurvivable.

[Tortitude]

First Aid and CPR are required for my job. I am a First Aid and CPR instructor through my employer. I saved someone from choking once, and I have applied bandages and treated burns. Other than that, I haven't needed to use the skills much in real life.

[Absol]

I'm not sure if intermediate was the right one, but I am a lifeguard, so I have all of the first aid training required... I think they should teach it more in school.

[CosineTheCat]

One of the first times that I was put into a first aid course was because our teachers wanted us to be safe incase anything ever happened if we drank and something accidently happened and someone needed first aid. Since then I have updated it to quite high level because I believe that it's important (I also want to be a doctor so for me to know this is important). Now I may not be at a physician level yet I know I can still act calming in situations like that and would rather be prepared then not if something immerged.

[cavyX]

I'm a trained first aider because of my job, and I think it should be somethings that taught. Even if it is just basic cpr, it could save someones life.

[WhenSummersGone]

Just the stuff they taught us in school and swimming. I've never had to do anything in real life which is why I think it is somewhat important.

[noparlpf]

I voted "None" for level but "Yes" for getting experience with it. I don't have any formal training yet but I've been working with vets for the last year while applying to vet schools so I've learned some stuff anyway.

[Antonnotna]

My first aid level is basic. When I was doing my level 1 in football coaching, learning basic first aid was part of it.

I haven't had to use my first aid experience yet.

I would say it's important to have a basic knowledge of it.

[Larien]

This poll is being locked and moved to the read-only Census Archive for 2015. As part of ongoing Census Forum organization, and in an attempt to keep the demographics of the polls current with the active user base at the time, each poll will last for one year. However, members are allowed and even encouraged to restart new polls similar to the archived ones if they like them.

Census Moderator