A first aider is someone with requisite first aid training who manages an emergency till appropriate help arrives E.g a fire or ambulance service. Their importance is on the rise and companies nowadays are required by law to provide first aid training for staff.
But what skills do these first responders exhibit during an emergency that ensures things don’t go from bad to worse and how do they learn them? Read on to know the qualities of a good first aider and how you can easily become one.
What are the Qualities of a good first aider for managing a crisis
The qualities of a good first aider are tied to skills required during an emergency situation like communication, experience, confidence, and optimism. A good first aider possesses all these qualities and employs them in an emergency setting till the right emergency service arrives.
1.Training and skill
A first aider doesn’t have to be in the medical profession; anyone can easily learn first aid skills and apply them where necessary. All that is required is good first aid training to teach you first aid skills like CPR, a resuscitation technique performed on a cardiac arrest victim and how to use an Automatic defibrillator AED to stabilize an abnormal heartbeat, along with other techniques like how to stop blood loss or what to do during a head trauma etc.
2. Communication
Emergency communication involves alerts and warnings, directives on evacuation or simple statements like ‘How are you feeling?”. In the ordinary world these statements can be spoken without thinking but in an emergency it’s important they are communicated clearly.
For instance empathy and openness are required when communicating with injured persons. While brevity and clarity are required when first aiders communicate with emergency services.
2. Calm and Confidence
A necessary quality a first aider must possess is calm and Confidence. First aiders often work in volatile situations, calm and confidence are thus qualities of a good first aider.
Calm and confident isn’t a thing you can wish for yourself though! It requires training; what we provide at ERA which teaches you how to operate calmly during an emergency.
3.Leadership and teamwork
Everyone looks up to a first aider during an emergency. It’s important you issue clear instructions with enough information to enable people to understand what is required of them and obey them willingly.
A first aider will likely work with paramedics remotely or on the scene so skills like active listening are also important.
4. Decisiveness:
Quick decisions are required in an emergency situation. The ability to think on your feet is one of the qualities required of a good first aider.
In an emergency situation for instance, it’s common for first aiders to make quick scans on victims and swing into action immediately.
5. Patience and optimism
Optimism is a mental attitude characterized by hope and confidence. Studies show that healthcare workers with high optimism are able to carry out their tasks steadily even under pressure. All good first aiders carry this around as much as they carry their first aid boxes.
They also employ patience since most victims don’t understand the state of things like they do!
Anyone can be a good first aider
First aiders sound like superheroes right? But don’t be daunted, you too can be one. A professional first aid training is all you need to acquire the qualities of a good first aider.
ERA promises you this needed training; you can learn techniques like CPR, how to use an Automated defibrillator (AED),and the soft skills mentioned in this post.
So what are you waiting for? Start your journey into acquiring all the qualities of a good first aider.
