Senior First Aid Course

Lesson 1 • Primary Survey Overview

Introduces the DRABC framework for rapid life-threat identification. Provides the decision-making spine used in every subsequent chapter.

Lesson 2 • Legal and Ethical Responsibilities

Covers consent, confidentiality, and documentation obligations. Grounds all subsequent clinical skills in a legally defensible framework.

Lesson 3 • Scene Safety and Risk Assessment

Teaches systematic hazard identification before approaching any casualty. Prevents the responder from becoming an additional victim.

Lesson 1 • Manual Airway Opening Techniques

Teaches head-tilt chin-lift and jaw thrust for trauma and non-trauma scenarios. Correct technique selection prevents secondary spinal injury.

Lesson 2 • Managing Choking in Adults

Covers recognition and staged intervention for mild and severe airway obstruction. Builds on manual techniques to address a common life-threatening emergency.

Lesson 3 • Recovery Position and Monitoring

Teaches lateral recovery positioning to protect the airway in unconscious breathing casualties. Includes ongoing monitoring protocols until handover.

Lesson 4 • Rescue Breathing Techniques

Develops mouth-to-mouth and barrier-device ventilation skills for non-breathing casualties. Prepares learners for integration with chest compressions in CPR.

Lesson 1 • Cardiac Arrest Recognition

Identifies the clinical signs distinguishing cardiac arrest from other unconscious states. Accurate recognition triggers the correct resuscitation sequence immediately.

Lesson 2 • Two-Rescuer and Team CPR

Coordinates roles, communication, and handovers in multi-rescuer resuscitation scenarios. Builds the teamwork skills required in workplace and public settings.

Lesson 3 • Automated External Defibrillator Use

Teaches safe AED operation, pad placement, and integration with CPR cycles. Early defibrillation is the single most effective intervention for shockable rhythms.

Lesson 4 • Paediatric CPR Adaptations

Modifies adult CPR technique for children and infants based on anatomical differences. Ensures responders can manage cardiac arrest across all age groups.

Lesson 1 • Tourniquet Application

Covers indications, placement, and documentation of limb tourniquets for life-threatening extremity haemorrhage. Correct application prevents both death and unnecessary limb loss.

Lesson 2 • Types and Sources of Bleeding

Distinguishes arterial, venous, and capillary bleeding by appearance and severity. Accurate classification guides the urgency and method of intervention.

Lesson 3 • Direct Pressure and Wound Packing

Teaches sustained direct pressure and wound packing for severe external haemorrhage. These techniques are the first-line interventions before advanced resources arrive.

Lesson 4 • Internal Bleeding Management

Recognises signs of internal haemorrhage where direct control is impossible. Focuses on minimising movement, monitoring, and urgent escalation to definitive care.

Lesson 1 • Wound Assessment and Cleaning

Classifies wound types and applies irrigation and cleaning protocols to reduce infection risk. Establishes the baseline assessment skills used in all wound management.

Lesson 2 • Fracture Recognition and Immobilisation

Identifies open and closed fractures through mechanism, deformity, and neurovascular assessment. Immobilisation techniques prevent secondary injury during transport.

Lesson 3 • Sprains, Strains, and Dislocations

Differentiates soft-tissue injuries from fractures and applies RICE protocol and splinting. Ensures appropriate referral decisions for injuries that may mask serious pathology.

Lesson 4 • Spinal Injury Precautions

Applies manual in-line stabilisation and movement restrictions for suspected spinal injuries. Integrates with airway management skills from Chapter 2 for unconscious casualties.

Lesson 1 • Anaphylaxis Management

Recognises systemic allergic reactions and administers epinephrine auto-injectors correctly. Anaphylaxis can progress to fatal cardiovascular collapse within minutes.

Lesson 2 • Respiratory Emergencies

Manages asthma attacks, hyperventilation, and acute respiratory distress using first aid measures. Connects airway skills from Chapter 2 to medical causes of breathing difficulty.

Lesson 3 • Cardiac Emergencies

Identifies angina and acute myocardial infarction and applies appropriate first aid including aspirin administration. Builds directly on CPR skills from Chapter 3.

Lesson 4 • Stroke and Neurological Events

Applies FAST and BE-FAST assessment tools to identify stroke and transient ischaemic attack. Time-critical recognition enables faster access to thrombolytic therapy.

Lesson 1 • Bites, Stings, and Envenomation

Provides first aid for insect stings, snake bites, and marine envenomation. Distinguishes local reactions from systemic envenomation requiring urgent escalation.

Lesson 2 • Burns Assessment and Management

Classifies burns by depth and extent using the rule of nines and palm method. Correct cooling and dressing prevent infection and reduce pain and tissue damage.

Lesson 3 • Hypothermia and Frostbite

Identifies mild, moderate, and severe hypothermia and applies field rewarming techniques. Frostbite management prevents permanent tissue loss through correct handling.

Lesson 4 • Poisoning and Toxic Exposure

Manages ingested, inhaled, absorbed, and injected poisons using first aid principles. Correct decontamination and positioning prevent further absorption and secondary harm.

Lesson 1 • Multi-Casualty Triage Principles

Applies START triage to prioritise treatment when casualties outnumber available responders. Triage decisions directly determine who receives life-saving care first.

Lesson 2 • Systematic Patient Assessment

Integrates primary and secondary survey into a seamless head-to-toe assessment routine. Ensures no life threat or significant injury is missed in complex presentations.

Lesson 3 • Documentation and Handover

Produces accurate written records and delivers structured verbal handovers to EMS personnel. Effective handover ensures continuity of care and reduces medical errors.

Lesson 4 • Complex Scenario Management

Combines haemorrhage control, airway management, and medical emergency skills in simulated incidents. Builds decision-making speed and accuracy under realistic stress conditions.