Remote First Aid Course

This course describes the skills and knowledge required to provide a first aid response to a casualty in a remote or isolated site over an extended period of time until medical assistance is provided, or evacuation occurs. This course applies to any site where medical assistance is likely to be delayed.

First aid is to be provided in line with guidelines determined by Australian national peak clinical bodies.

The course teaches how to plan your trip, organise an evacuation, utilise non first aid equipment for first aid use, monitor clinical changes by taking diagnostic observations of your patient, and teamwork.

Remote First Aid Course covers:

• Evaluate information about remote or isolated site and identify potential injuries and illnesses requiring extended management.
• Select first aid equipment and resources to manage a range of potential incidents, according to organisational emergency response and first aid procedures.
• Select communication equipment to facilitate emergency response in remote or isolated site.
• Complete pre-departure safety and serviceability checks on equipment.
• Recognise and assess an emergency situation.
• Ensure safety for self, bystanders, and casualty.
• Assess casualty to determine extent of first aid response.
• Identify need for medical assistance and relay initial and concise information.
• Triage when multiple casualties are involved.
• Perform single-rescuer or two-rescuer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in accordance with the ARC guidelines and availability of rescuers.
• Provide first aid in accordance with established first aid principles.
• Display respectful behaviour towards casualty.
• Obtain consent from casualty where possible.
• Use available resources and equipment to make the casualty as comfortable as possible.
• Operate first aid equipment according to manufacturers’ instructions.
• Monitor the casualty’s condition and respond in accordance with first aid principles.
• Assess need to evacuate casualty, ability to transport to medical assistance or need for external assistance.
• Administer medication as required according to medical instructions.
• Accurately convey incident details to emergency services.
• Report details of incident in line with appropriate workplace or site procedures.
• Complete applicable workplace or site documentation, including incident report form.
• Maintain privacy and confidentiality of records and information in line with applicable statutory or organisational policies.
• Determine need, in consultation with external services, to evacuate casualty.
• Provide accurate information about location of incident, number of casualties, their condition, and their position to enable deployment of appropriate resources.
• Continue to provide treatment using available resources until help arrives.
• Prepare site for evacuation of patient.
• On approach, assist emergency services to locate the site of the incident.
• Follow instructions and provide assistance to emergency services personnel during evacuation.
• Recognise the possible psychological impacts on self and other rescuers and seek help when required.
• Contribute to a review of the first aid response as required.