What kind of qualities should a First Aider have?

When selecting employees to put through a First Aid course, you need to think of a few of the qualities a First Aider should possess to be good at what they do. There are many factors to consider, and ultimately, the choice on who you will use is up to you, but at All Wales we recommend that you choose carefully. What would be the point in paying for a person to take a First Aid course if they would be unable/unwilling to carry out their duties in the workplace? We have seen many students come and go, and whilst 99% have been fantastic examples of capable First Aiders, we have seen a few who say they would faint at the sight of blood, who can't bend down to get on the floor, or those who are unable to be at work more than one day a week.

What good would these people be if someone suffered a massive wound? If they needed CPR? If they happened to have an injury on any day except a Tuesday? It seems patronizing but think of the waste of money, time and effort that is involved in training the wrong people. Some factors you might want to think about would be:

Workplace Environment:

Is the employee available at need?
Are they often away from the workplace on business meetings/deliveries/any other reason?
Are they easy to find and get hold of in an emergency?
Are they situated close to the most high risk environments in your workplace?

Personality:

Is the employee a good communicator?
Are they reliable and confident enough?
Are they sympathetic to others and friendly?
Can they absorb all the information required of them?

Physical Ability:

Whilst we try not to discriminate, it is important to remember that a First Aider may be expected to perform CPR in an emergency. All First Aiders should be capable of getting down on to the floor, and should possess enough strength to perform CPR or put someone into a recovery position. This doesn't take a weight-lifter, but check with the employee if they feel confident that they could do this.

Other factors:

Do you employ shift workers or cleaners that come in after normal office hours? If so bear in mind that they need to be covered for emergencies as well.

Employees that work away from an office, such as on a site or making deliveries, should ideally be covered by a First Aider at all times. This may end up with each of them being trained in First Aid, but it is up to you to decide how many of them will be. Take a look at the information page on How many First Aiders you need to help you decide this.

As always, this list is inexhaustible, and there are many things that can help you to decide exactly who should be trained in First Aid. The choice is ultimately yours, although if you would like some impartial advice you can always feel free to give us a call and we'll talk through your needs with you.

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