The Qualifications of the Ideal First Aid Trainer
First Aid Trainers are teaching people to help spouses, children, relatives, friends, colleagues or anyone in a medical emergency, but it is a professional service and should be done the right way according to the rules and regulations set out locally and internationally.
There is a minimum standard internationally for who a First Aid Trainer is and should be and at Levande Healthcare, we aim to surpass it. This is why it has been hard (but not impossible) to have an additional first aid trainer in-house who meets the international standard.
However, our goal is to work on this, so check us out as we achieve this in coming months. We are here for the long haul.
Qualifications of a First Aid Trainer
Competence in First Aid
Internationally, a First Aid Trainer must be occupationally competent in First Aid. That is, they must have 3-day FAW (First Aid at Work) certificate or can be a registered Doctor, Nurse or Paramedic.
First Aid by Levande’s trainer is a registered medical doctor in Nigeria with over 20-year experience.
Competence in Teaching
Internationally, a First Aid Trainer MUST have a teaching qualification. It is one thing to know a subject but the ability to pass on the knowledge is a different ball game. Having a teaching qualification prepares you to help different types of learners.
Levande’s Trainer has an L3AET (Level 3 Award in Education & Training) from the UK.
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Internationally, a First Aid Trainer MUST have liability insurance. First aid trainers teach life-saving techniques which is a professional service. If the trainer or their learner makes a mistake leading to injury or worse, the insurance protects them.
First Aid by Levande’s trainer has professional indemnity insurance.
Credibility & Experience
Know more than they teach
A First Aid Trainer needs to know more than the level being taught. How can they answer learner’s questions if they do not fully understand what they are teaching? Anything less is unethical and potentially dangerous.
First Aid by Levande’s trainer is a medical doctor with over 20 years experience.
Be able to answer questions
As a trainer, learners will take what you say as authority and will act upon it: both knowledge & instructions. Should anything go wrong based upon what you have taught people, they will ask “where did you learn this?” “Who taught you?”
Our learners can attest to the fact that we answer any and all questions (within the scope of the training).
Have experience
How can anyone teach someone to do something they have never done? While the trainer does not have to have experienced everything, at least there should be experience with some common medical emergencies.
First Aid by Levande’s trainer has experience in all of the topics being taught.
Anything Else?
As the Lead Trainer at First Aid by Levande, I am also a CPD accredited trainer in First Aid.
In my trainings, demonstration classes or first aid talks, I will make you understand what you have to do in a medical emergency and why.
I am passionate about everyone being prepared to help anyone
When I wanted to and became a medical doctor, there was no way I would have thought I would be doing this – teaching First Aid. But my son’s condition made me see the importance of people knowing first aid and when I became really ill, it was a motivation for me to get better – there is so much work to do on this!! I actually worked on setting up Levande Healthcare while I was sick! 🙂
This is why we will continue to do it the right way and meet international standards for trainers and training at Levande. We do it right because it matters.
Hopefully soon, Nigeria will set its own national standard on who a a First Aid Trainer should be. I have spoken about this for the longest time and I truly can’t wait to see it happen.
Need a first aid training for certification? See all our available trainings. You can also find our contact details here.
