First aid training

[mistress-kate]

Does anyone know of a first aid course that would be more useful than the St Johns training for a longer trip?

St Johns is great and I have completed it several times before for my diving but it generally patches people up and sends them to the local hospital - I am looking for something more related to overlanding and perhaps includes first aid kits etc.

Someone on another tread mentioned Wilderness training but that would be over £1,000 for the two of us with travel and accommodation.

Thanks

[syldarp]

If you were in Australia or planning to visit here I would recommend first aid training from Medilife

[mistress-kate]

Thanks syldarp

A bit far perhaps - may be useful for someone else though... I'll see if there's a similar one in the UK.

Kate

[ChrisC]

Hi Kate

try Nomad in north london or the Royal Geographic Society - see if they are arranging any courses soon

[mistress-kate]

Thanks Chris, I'd forgotten about Nomad. I think we'll probably end up on the wilderness course but it really is a big expense... not the point if it saves a life I suppose!

K

[CornishDaddy]

Hey kate - can you review it afterwards. I quite fancy it, but like you the price is scaring me. A review may help decide it for me.

thanks

Ollie

[mistress-kate]

Will do... however the course we want isn't until December so don't hold your breath or you will need some first aid yourself!!

Kate

[ChrisC]

Hi Kate and all

I did the wilderness course a few years back - very good but would also recommend their follow up course, they do stitching , tracheotomy etc.

[narly]

Hi,
For what it's worth, I teach the St. John Ambulance wilderness course up here in Canada. The problem with any such courses is how much the value depends on the individual instructor. I am sorry to say the quality does vary greatly. The course (when taught properly without shortcuts) is valuable. It covers topics from proper planning to identifying and dealing with an infected wound. This can mean the difference between life and death (you don't learn this in standard first aid). The course I teach involves 3 days and 2 nights in a wilderness setting, and after you have already completed a standard 2 day first aid course.
A better course is the Emergency Medical Responder. This is a two week 9 hours per day course, with 100 hours pre-course study work completed prior to starting the course.
This course teaches you to assess conditions and stabilize the patient far beyond any standard or wilderness course.
If this course is available to you, I would highly recommend it.

By the way, this EMR course in canada is about 600 dollars. A wilderness course plus the required standard course is about 350 dollars. I am a little appalled at the prices you quoted.
Best of luck with what ever you choose to take, and I hope it proves to be worth what ever you end up spending.

Peace,
Narly