Corrections officers during the  First-Aid refresher course today.

Six Corrections officers are currently attending a two-day First Aid Refresher course at the St John Ambulance headquarters in Suva.

Deputy Commissioner of Corrections Akuila Namakadre, in opening the workshop this morning, said basic principles such as knowing to use an adhesive bandage or applying direct pressure on a bleed are often acquired passively through life experiences.

“However, to provide effective, life-saving first aid interventions requires instruction and practical training.

“This is especially true where it relates to potentially fatal illnesses and injuries, such as those that require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR),” Namakadre said.

These procedures he said, may be invasive and carry a risk of further injury to the patient and the provider.

“As with any training, it is more useful if it occurs before an actual emergency, and in many countries, emergency ambulance dispatchers may give basic first aid instructions over the phone while the ambulance is on the way,” he said.

Namakadre added that the key aims of first aid are to preserve life, prevent further harm and promote recovery.

“First aid training also involves the prevention of initial injury and responder safety, and the treatment phases,” he added.

The aim of the workshop, among others, is to improve and refresh FCS medical orderlies in first aid procedures. 

www.corrections.org.fj