As we progress through 2022 the government rules and restrictions concerning covid measures will continue to change. As trainers we want to ensure that our students feel safe and secure during their course.
Taking a few moments to complete a risk assessment before each course will ensure you are fully equipped and will help to create a learning environment where students feel confident to practice their skills.
Risk Assessment documents
Free risk assessment templates are easy to download from the HSE website. Click here to download your copy.
A Covid-19 risk assessment is additional to any existing risk assessment relating to the training venue.
Your risk assessment will be driven by the current guidelines from the Resuscitation council, read our handy guide below to ensure you are abiding by their recommendations:
Personal Protective Equipment
- Use hand sanitiser or gloves before completing a practical skill.
- For close contact skills, face masks should be encouraged.
Your Training Room
- Allow plenty of seating room for each candidate to avoid close contact. Consider how many learners you can safely accommodate in your training space.
- Sanitise all surfaces and door handles before, during and after the course.
- Ventilate the room by opening windows and doors.
- Ensure there is hand sanitising gel or handwashing facilities and encourage learners to use them regularly.
Course Induction
- Self-isolating candidates must not attend the course.
- Candidates who feel unwell should be asked to leave.
- Ask candidates to wash their hands or use sanitiser on arrival.
- Make sure you have contact details for each learner to facilitate the NHS contact tracing service. Although this is no longer a legal requirement, it is good practise to inform other candidates should one of your learners report a positive covid case to you.
- If possible, use one manikin per person. Otherwise, provide new lung bags per student with full manikin sanitisation in between use.
- Each student must be given single use face-shields and training bandages which should be disposed of after the course.
Assessing First Aid – CPR
- Practise single rescuer CPR only.
- Sanitise the manikin thoroughly between users and replace lung bags.
- Guidelines state that rescue breaths should be included in the teaching of EFAW and FAW courses. Face shields should be used, preferably with one way valves.
- Rescue breaths should be assessed once during the course. The learner need not demonstrate again for the remainder of the course.
- Explain that if the learner was required to deliver CPR in the community to look for signs of breathing other than listening near to the head. To cover the mouth with a cloth and complete chest compressions only.
- Please note that paediatric cardiac arrest is likely to be due to a respiratory cause, making breaths crucial to the child’s chance of survival.
Primary Survey & Recovery Position
- Use manikins to practise the primary survey (DRABC).
- Full sized manikins can be used for practising the recovery position or learners can put themselves into recovery position.
- For the assessment of recovery position, encourage your learners to wear gloves and facemasks. If they are unavailable, assess using the above methods and make a note of it on the class register.
Choking
- Choking rescue techniques can be demonstrated on a manikin torso which should be sanitised between users.
Control of Bleeding
- Issue single use training bandages that can be disposed of after the course.
- Students can practise bandaging their own leg to demonstrate applying pressure and dressing a wound.
- Learners can demonstrate a triangular and elevated sling on themselves with the ends held instead of tied.