Key terms and phrases;
Assertive; dangerous act; triaging a multi-victim scene; counselling and support; quality learning outcomes, frontal lobe regression and empower.

During one of our first aid courses, a video was shown depicting the dangers of driving while SMS texting.

We encourage our students to speak up and show them how to be assertive if their driver performs this or any other dangerous act.

It’s purpose is five fold;

1. To engage our students and to educate and to highlight to them the dangers and the consequences of such behaviour;
2. To empower them with a strategy to triage a multi-victim scenario;
3. To outline why frontal lobe regression occurs and how to effectively manage this crucial factor;
4. How to both recognise and manage the impact of stress on first aiders dealing by with such a serious incident, and
5. How and when to cope and seek assistance with such a scenario.

Before any of our courses are run, we ask our students if they relate to having Aboriginal* decent and if they have been involved in or are aware of anyone they know that has been involved in a serious car accident like the one about to be shown.

After this particular session, one student privately told our facilitator that she lost both her husband and baby son (aged 18/12) in a similar accident. She felt that she could cope with the course and decided not to flag her experience in the pre-course questionnaire.

During the conversation, she understandably became quite upset at recalling her terrible loss. She recovered quickly after some support and was encouraged by her facilitator to seek assistance from her general practitioner for further and on going counselling and support.
This case highlights the importance of recognising that some students, for various reasons, don’t always complete questionnaires accurately and don’t always tell the whole story.

There is more to running any quality competency based course than just attaining the required learning outcomes; its also about engaging each and every student.

*People who identify of aboriginal decent or close contact with them may find speaking of death to be a difficult and an intensely private matter.
If you would like to discuss this situation further, then please PM me, or ring on 1300 518 355; +61 407 281 425 www.firstaidsafetytraining.com.au