An alternative way to teach first aid in the Covid pandemic – Blended Learning First Aid courses
During the Covid pandemic is has been difficult for employers to get staff together to run face to face training courses. The First Aid Training Co-operative is running face to face first aid training with Covid mitigation measures in place. This has been very successful and appreciated by many clients, but is out of reach of some as it does require a large venue to allow for social distancing. Read our blog on How we are teaching first aid during Covid 10.
There is an alternative way to run first aid courses, as ‘Blended Learning’.
A couple of the key advantages of these blended learning style courses is that they provide an opportunity to keep your organisation legal in terms of first aid provision, during the pandemic. Unlike a face to face course, blended courses don’t need a big venue, which is one of the limiting factors for some workplaces to run a face to face training course with social distancing.
What is Blended Learning?
E-learning vs blended learning. Blended learning is different to E-learning or on-line learning. E-learning is usually where the learner does all their training and assessment by sitting at a computer terminal and following an interactive package of learning on-line. This type of E-learning would not work for first aid courses as it is next to impossible to assess if candidates can actually do the practical aspects of first aid, such as CPR, putting casualties into the recovery position, etc.
Blended Learning is a combination, or blend, of e-learning and face to face training.
New blended learning courses for the delivery of Emergency First Aid at Work, Emergency First Aid at Work +F (Forestry) and Emergency First Aid at Work + Equestrian courses are available through First Aid Training Co-operative and fit with the strict criteria laid down by the Health and Safety Executive. Other course types, such as Outdoor First Aid, and First Aid at Work will be available soon. (Outdoor First Aid will be available from November 2020)
Health and Safety Executive states that sufficient time is allocated to classroom-based learning and assessment of the practical elements of the syllabus and strongly recommends that practical elements of the course should be assessed by direct observation, to ensure the competence of candidates.
Employers also need to have a number of steps in place in order to carry out blended first aid training and these are highlighted by the Health and Safety Executive in the HSE blended learning guidance document. Key points are that candidates have access to computers they know how to use in order to carry out any online learning and ensure adequate time is set aside during the working day to undertake the first-aid training.
How does a blended learning Emergency First Aid at Work course work?
Our blended learning first aid courses combine 3 modules. 1) Online Self-Paced Modules, 2) Live-Online Module with one of our trainers, and 3) a Practical Assessment Module.
1) Online Self-Paced Modules – 2 hours of online learning including videos, reading and discussion points. Assessment questions are included and this module must be completed before moving on to the second section of the course
2) Live-Online Module with our trainer – 3 hour ‘webinar’ type session live with one of our trainers. A chance to ask questions and discuss sector specific scenarios. These sessions use break out rooms to allow candidates to discuss learning points and problem solve first aid incidents. This session needs to be completed before the Practical Assessment can be undertaken.
3) A Practical Assessment Module – Each candidate has an approximately 45 minute face to face assessment with one of our trainer/assessors. Usually candidates do their assessments in pairs. Candidates are asked to demonstrate the learning of the practical elements of the first aid course – primary survey, recovery position, CPR for cardiac arrest, choking management and bleeding management. This session requires a room but as there will only be three people in the room social distancing and other Covid mitigation measures are much easier to adhere to.
On registering for the course on our website, all learners are sent full instructions for what they need to do and when, including links for signing up to our Online Learning platform.
How do I book a Blended Learning Course?
The course needs to be completed within 3 weeks of starting – so usually we work backwards from your preferred date for the Practical Assessment Module. We aim to run the Live Online Module a day or two prior to the Practical Assessment date, and all participants in the course will need to attend this module at the scheduled time. We allow access to start the Self-Paced Module, 3 weeks prior to the Practical Assessment Date.
As the course organiser, you can assign pairs of participants to their Practical Assessment time slot at a time to suit their work schedule during the scheduled time for the Practical Assessment Module – we normally run this over a morning but this can be flexible to suit your organisation.
If you would like to find out more about blended learning first aid courses or book your organisation’s private first aid course now, please contact the office as usual. Alternatively, please complete this private course enquiry form with your requirements and we’ll contact you directly.
