First aid trainers hone their skills in simulated exercise
St John WA first aid trainers from all over Western Australia attended a professional development day last week where they were put through their paces in a simulated exercise (simex) designed to test and hone their skills.
Teaching first aid to about 300,000 people in WA each year, the trainers need to be at the top of their game and, to keep their own skills and training up-to-date, they regularly participate in further learning.
In their simex, 60 trainers got to put into practise the latest advancements in first aid education, with volunteers playing the part of concert goers in a mass casualty event.
The scenario saw trainers treat ‘patients’ with a variety of injuries and conditions including electrical burns, anaphylaxis, smoke inhalation, and cardiac arrest.
Dan Andrew from St John WA’s First Aid team said: “We wanted to give the trainers experience in a simulated scenario.”
“The trainers didn’t know they were coming in to this situation.
“They walked in, assessed the scene, and came up with what they needed to treat the participants.
“It’s really important to do something like this with our trainers.”
St John WA is currently looking for people to join their training team in both metro and country areas.
To find out more go to careers.stjohnwa.com.au/jobs/search/first-aid-trainers#opportunities
