From theory to practice: infill’s first aid training experience

As healthcare is at the heart of everything we do, infill recently organised a voluntary first aid training for all interested employees.

Most of us had last taken first aid training during our driver’s licence courses, so it was a fantastic opportunity to refresh our knowledge. Many quickly realised that we were unsure and nervous, particularly when it came to forgetting crucial techniques or making mistakes in emergency situations. However, thanks to the competent and highly engaging instructions provided by a professional firefighter and paramedic, our concerns were swiftly alleviated.

Can you spend an entire Saturday on first aid without being bored? – That was a question many of us had asked themselves at the outset. But we were quickly proven wrong and indeed pleasantly surprised.

Instead of dry drills and theoretical explanations, we had the opportunity to practise the techniques and try out many exercises such as the Heimlich manoeuvre, a life-saving immediate measure to prevent imminent suffocation, in the group. In a realistic setting, we used a lifelike trainer that resembled a vest. It was positioned on the trainee and secured. If the trainee successfully executed the Heimlich manoeuvre, the foreign object was expelled from the airbag attached to the abdomen.

Christian and Thorsten practising the Heimlich manoeuvre

Another innovative tool was an LED-controlled cardiopulmonary resuscitation dummy. It not only resembled the anatomy of the human upper body, but also used light to simulate the blood flow from the heart to the brain during chest compressions. This gave us immediate feedback whether our resuscitation efforts were effective. It also enhanced our understanding of the function of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and significantly boosted our learning.

We were also trained in correctly using our Automated External Defibrillator (AED), learned how to react time-efficiently in the event of a stroke, gained proficiency in preventing and responding to burns, and were reminded how to stay calm and maintain composure in emergency situations.

Overall, we had a wonderful team event practising first aid with new, innovative tools. On a more serious note, the training also underscored the alarming lack of understanding of first aid in the broader population. In order to make people in our community aware that trained first aiders are available close at hand, we also fixed a sticker to our office window indicating the availability of our AED for the community in case of emergency.

As a healthcare agency, we are committed to actively promoting life-saving skills across the general public and firmly believe that through targeted education, we can inspire more individuals to refresh their knowledge regularly. If you would like to learn more about targeted education campaigns, please don’t hesitate to contact us via email at info@infill.com.