It is beyond doubt that knowledge and skills of first aid create a safer and healthier school environment.
Having teachers and other school staff equipped with lifesaving skills significantly contribute to enhancing the safety of the schools.
The Importance Of School Safety
Thousands of Australian children attend schools every year. Thus, school safety plays a crucial role in the child’s development and academic success.
Statistically, there is a higher chance of accidents and injuries on school grounds due to different activities and the number of active children in one place.
These activities might lead to simple injuries, severe wounds, or fractures. In these scenarios, it is important to have teachers or trained staff nearby who can utilise their skills and take quick action to treat the victim.
Applying the right procedures can prevent more damage; without it, a mild injury might turn into a serious one. Moreover, severe injuries when not treated on time can be fatal.
School safety is largely about prevention and planning ahead. To ensure that all students and staff are safe, it is important that teachers are aware of basic first aid methods that they can apply in emergencies.
Keeping school safe allow students to look forward to spending time in an encouraging environment that promotes a sense of safety in all physical, mental, and emotional aspects.
First Aid Tips Every Teacher Should Know
When working with young people, a teacher’s first aid skills could be the difference between life and death in emergency situations.
Here are some basic first aid tips that will help teachers keep their students happy and healthy at school.
First Aid For Choking
Choking incidents are common in children, especially younger ones. No matter how many times we remind them to eat food slowly and carefully, sometimes unexpected happens.
Common signs of choking are neck or throat pain, clutching at the throat, and inability to speak, breathe, or swallow. Upon observing these signs, encourage the child to cough out whatever is blocking their airways.
If unsuccessful, perform the Heimlich Maneuver by giving five sharp back blows (in between the shoulder blades) and five abdominal thrusts. This will help slap out any offending food or squeeze any blockage.
If these techniques fail, call emergency help by dialling the triple zero (000) hotline.
First Aid For Bleeding Injuries
Bleeding injuries are not uncommon in the schoolyard. A grazed knee or a deeper cut will require teachers have a good quality first aid kit to stop any bleeding and keep it safe from infections. Having a bandage in the kit along with disinfecting wipes will help in providing swift and effective first aid care.
Stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the wound and raising it to slow blood flow. If the child suffers from significant blood loss, call an ambulance for further help.
First Aid For Broken Bones
Fractures or broken bones are a common part of growing up, which usually occur after a sudden twist or fall. These types of injuries need medical care, no matter how small it is.
Teachers must take reasonable actions to help children treat broken bones. Try not to move the injured arm or leg and keep it in the position you find it. Put a simple splint on the broken area (if one is available) and ask for further medical help.
If part of the injury is open and bleeding, apply firm pressure on the wound; then cover it with clean (preferably sterile) gauze.
First Aid For Asthma Attacks
Asthma outbursts can happen at school and are usually accompanied by symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. A mild asthma can escalate quickly without proper intervention. It can result in severe shortness of breath and pale, bluish lips.
Start by helping the student be put in a comfortable position and give four puffs of an asthma inhaler. Administer one at a time with four breaths after each puff. Repeat the process after a few minutes if symptoms persist.
Call emergency services if the asthma attack is not controlled after a few attempts.
Get Trained
Working with young people requires teachers to be quick thinking, well-informed, and first aid smart. In many situations, your lifesaving skills and knowledge could be the difference between life and death.
In addition to preparing a comprehensive first aid kit, ensure that all teachers and support staff will receive formal first aid training from a registered training organisation (RTO). This way, they will know the right know-how to treat injured students when accidents happen.
Interested in getting trained? Visit our course page for more information.
