First Responder Course

Lesson 1 • Personal Safety and Wellness

Addresses physical and psychological hazards responders face on scene. Establishes self-protection habits that underpin every operational chapter.

Lesson 2 • Medical Terminology and Anatomy Overview

Introduces directional terms, body planes, and major organ systems. Provides the vocabulary needed to communicate findings accurately throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Legal and Ethical Principles

Covers consent, duty to act, negligence, and confidentiality. Grounds all subsequent clinical decisions in legal and ethical accountability.

Lesson 1 • Scene Size-Up

Teaches the initial evaluation of scene safety, mechanism of injury (MOI), and resource needs. Forms the gateway to every subsequent patient contact.

Lesson 2 • Initial Patient Assessment

Covers the rapid identification of life threats using the ABCDE framework. Prioritises interventions before a detailed exam begins.

Lesson 3 • History Taking

Develops structured interviewing skills using SAMPLE and OPQRST formats. Accurate histories guide differential thinking and handoff reports.

Lesson 4 • Ongoing Assessment and Reassessment

Establishes the practice of repeated evaluation to detect patient deterioration. Reinforces that assessment is continuous, not a one-time event.

Lesson 1 • Airway Adjuncts

Covers oropharyngeal airway (OPA) and nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) for maintaining patency. Correct sizing and insertion prevent complications in unconscious patients.

Lesson 2 • Ventilation Support Techniques

Develops skills for bag-valve-mask (BVM) ventilation in apneic and inadequately breathing patients. Proper technique prevents gastric inflation and ensures adequate tidal volume.

Lesson 3 • Manual Airway Techniques

Teaches head-tilt chin-lift and jaw-thrust manoeuvres for opening the airway. These hands-on skills are the first line before any adjunct is used.

Lesson 4 • Supplemental Oxygen Delivery

Introduces oxygen delivery devices and flow-rate selection for varying patient needs. Oxygen therapy is a core intervention linked to all medical and trauma chapters.

Lesson 1 • Paediatric and Infant CPR

Adapts CPR technique for children and infants based on anatomical differences. Correct modifications prevent injury while maintaining effective perfusion.

Lesson 2 • Team CPR and Resuscitation Roles

Organises multi-rescuer CPR with defined roles and smooth transitions. Effective team dynamics reduce fatigue and maintain compression quality.

Lesson 3 • Automated External Defibrillation

Covers AED operation, pad placement, and safe shock delivery. Defibrillation within minutes of arrest dramatically improves survival rates.

Lesson 4 • Cardiac Arrest Recognition

Teaches rapid identification of cardiac arrest and differentiation from other unresponsive states. Early recognition directly reduces time to first compression.

Lesson 1 • Haemorrhage Recognition and Classification

Distinguishes arterial, venous, and capillary bleeding by appearance and severity. Classification guides the urgency and method of haemorrhage control.

Lesson 2 • Shock Management Priorities

Establishes the treatment sequence for shock including positioning, oxygenation, and warmth. Management decisions are tied directly to shock type and patient condition.

Lesson 3 • Tourniquet application

Covers commercial and improvised tourniquet use for extremity haemorrhage. Correct placement and documentation prevent limb loss and treatment errors.

Lesson 4 • Direct pressure and wound packing

Teaches manual pressure and wound packing as first-line haemorrhage control. These techniques are effective for most compressible wounds encountered in the field.

Lesson 1 • Soft-tissue injury management

Covers open and closed wound types, dressing selection, and special wound considerations. Proper wound care reduces infection risk and supports definitive care.

Lesson 2 • Musculoskeletal injury care

Teaches assessment and splinting of fractures, dislocations, and sprains. Immobilisation prevents further injury and reduces pain during transport.

Lesson 3 • Head, spine, and chest trauma

Addresses assessment and management of high-priority injuries to the head, spine, and thorax. These injuries carry the highest mortality risk in trauma patients.

Lesson 4 • Trauma assessment sequence

Adapts the general assessment model to trauma patients using a rapid trauma exam. Mechanism of injury (MOI) drives the depth and focus of the evaluation.

Lesson 1 • Cardiac and chest pain emergencies

Covers recognition of acute coronary events and angina using history and physical findings. Rapid identification and positioning reduce myocardial damage before hospital arrival.

Lesson 2 • Respiratory emergencies

Teaches assessment and management of asthma, COPD, and pulmonary oedema in the field. Differentiating causes guides correct positioning and ventilation support.

Lesson 3 • Neurological emergencies

Addresses stroke, seizure, and altered mental status recognition and field management. Time-sensitive conditions require rapid assessment and accurate handoff.

Lesson 4 • Diabetic and metabolic emergencies

Distinguishes hypoglycaemia from hyperglycaemia using history and clinical signs. Glucose administration decisions are based on patient presentation and protocol.

Lesson 1 • Multi-casualty and triage scenarios

Introduces START triage and resource allocation in mass casualty incidents (MCI). Students practise prioritisation decisions when demand exceeds available resources.

Lesson 2 • Geriatric patient considerations

Addresses age-related physiological changes that alter presentation and treatment response. Polypharmacy and atypical presentations complicate assessment in older adults.

Lesson 3 • Obstetric and neonatal emergencies

Prepares students for normal delivery assistance and recognition of obstetric complications. Neonatal resuscitation basics are included for immediate post-delivery care.

Lesson 4 • Behavioural and psychiatric emergencies

Covers assessment and de-escalation of patients in behavioural crisis. Safety for the patient and responder is the primary concern throughout the encounter.