Life is unpredictable and emergencies can happen. Sometimes, minor injuries can lead to major medical issues because proper care was not provided immediately. Care homes are no different to other places of work and in some ways can be more dangerous. As a care home provider it is essential to identify areas of risk and employ measures to counter them. Training can be a practical way of reducing risk but courses specific to the requirements (IE first aid for care homes) relating to an idividual home can be hard to find Our aim here is to make this easier.
This article covers some basic aspects of first aid in care homes and suggests some courses you or your staff can take to deal with accidents or emergencies in your care home.
First aid is essential in general environments but takes an entirely new meaning in care homes. Care home providers are not only challenged with managing the medical issues of their residents but those who take care of them. A lot of daily difficult activities occur in such institutions like moving or lifting patients, feeding patients, bathing patients, and administrating medicines. Accidents can happen that can affect the Patient, caregiver or both. Therefore, along with direct access to correct first aid equipment, possessing a workforce with knowledge of at least basic first aid skills is one of the most essential requirements to ensure the quality and safety of all within the healthcare home environment.
Elements of First Aid for Care Homes Providers
Care homes can house a variety of different kinds of patients. Some can have mixed gender, some can specialise in the type of care offered and some can offer temporary accommodation. There can be patients with physical disabilities, mental health problems, terminal illnesses, and those that require senior care. Therefore the subject of first aid for care homes can vary over a very broad range. Risks can include falling, fractures, fainting, bleeding, shock, heart attacks, strokes, and more.
How to Implement First Aid for Care Homes?
Care homes should come fully equipped with first aid boxes and other first aid equipment to effectively manage emergency situations. In addition staff should be trained in how to use such equipment as well as how to react in life threatening situations. They should be able to identify a Situation where first aid is needed, have confidence in the resources at hand, and understand more than just the basics of first aid techniques.
At Online Care Courses we offer a range of courses that help support those that are likely to require certification in first aid. These courses cover first aid for care homes and other topics such as;
- Moving the patient into the recovery position
- Applying mouth to mouth resuscitation
- Applying CPR
- Using Defibrillators
- Identifying signs of stroke
- Managing emergency situations for patients with epilepsy and diabetes
- Handling patients in shock
- Bandaging techniques
- Understanding allergies
- Managing and administrating correct medicine
- Understanding challenging behaviour
- Caring for the elderly
The requirements for first aid in a single care home depend upon the type of patients residing there. As a provider of care training courses Online Care Courses offer a full range to compliment any arrangement.
For more details on general courses relating to care home management please follow this link here – Care Home Management Courses
References:
http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Topics/First-Aid/First-aid.aspx
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