So, my wing’s First Aid competition is coming up soon, and I’ve been looking through the rules - they say “the first aid knowledge needed may cover ll content of the voluntary aid society’s first aid manual”. Unfortunately, I don’t have this manual, and am unlikely to be able to get it before the comp. does anyone know how far this goes in terms of treatment? For example, would cadets be expected to perform in-line stabilisation for a casualty with a suspected spinal injury?
Also, if a cadet used specialist knowledge (for example, special procedures for CPR on suspected drownings), would they be penalised?
First aid competitions are barely realistic and all about ticking the correct boxes. I have had numerous arguments with first aid instructors who are more concerned with their textbooks than the situation.
Keep it simple. And stick to your DR ABC. Talk through what your doing so the person marker has no doubt with your actions. The most you would get with a spinal injury is holding the head. Not use of Collars.
If you have any advanced training through work or otherwise, I would suspect you would be penalised. If it doesn’t tick their box.
All units should have been issued with the manual; but RAS is pretty much on the money. I wouldn’t worry too much about the more esoteric parts of the manual and really nail down the basics, like DRABC, CPR, bandaging, speaking to the casaualty and SHOCK (in capitals as it seems to often be overlooked).
And remember to talk to and reassure your casualty - its often overlooked but goes a long, long way to scoring extra points in first aid comps… and real life tbf!
Picking up on the point about “specialist” CPR for drowning, that isn’t particularly specialised and I have seen specific treatment of drowning victims form part of a first aid competition scenario, albeit at Tri-Service level.
All the other points are good. Talk a lot, treat for shock, deal with the casualty as if they were a real casualty and if you suspect a particular injury or condition, try to make it obvious that you suspect it without necessarily stating it out loud. Monitor the condition of the casualty (pulse, respiration) and in a CPR scenario, ask for an AED if you get the chance.
On top of all that, don’t forget the team dynamics in the team scenario - how the various team members coordinate to manage the scenario is perhaps the most alien part of first aid competitions but is worth a lot of points.
Potentially, any of it.
There generally isn’t the time to worry about really fancy bandaging but I have seen gunshots, stab wounds, arrows to the knee, breaks, scalds, dry chemical burns, drowning, infants in hedges, car crashes, dog bites and a shaving cut!. They like AMPLE.
You can make do with common sense and a relaxed, reassuring attitude. Talk.
Just want to echo incubus’ point of talking too. Talk your way through it, it helps the marker, it reassures the casualty and lets them know your doing something to help, (hearing is the last sense to go) and it helps you think through your process and maintain a consistent assessment. I still do it to this day.
