Pool lifeguard trainers update their first aid skills

A group of Royal Life Saving WA Pool Lifeguard trainers recently attended a professional development session to update their first aid qualifications and hone their training skills.

Held at the Claremont Aquatic Centre on Friday 16 April, the session provided an important opportunity for the trainers to upskill their first aid qualifications in light of the recent updates to first aid units.

Changes were announced to several units of competency from the national Health Training Package in October last year, affecting First Aid units that are present in many Royal Life Saving courses including the Pool Lifeguard training course. Pool Lifeguards are required to hold a current First Aid certificate, which forms a critical part of the job. 

The professional development session covered a range of interesting topics for the pool lifeguard trainers. As well as touching on general first aid topics, the group practised oxygen-supplemented CPR and discussed the use of oxygen in different scenarios. Bleeding was another big topic and included the use of tourniquets, packing large wounds and haemostatic dressings.

The wet component of the session included spinal injuries and retrieval from the pool, care of hypothermia, and performing a one-person rescue. Communication and teamwork were important themes throughout the training session.

Community Education Coordinator Francesca Amoroso, who arranges the professional development sessions for our Royal Life Saving WA trainers, was pleased with the day’s results. “Our Pool Lifeguard Trainers attended their PD day and also upskilled their first aid qualifications, so they are now ready to deliver the new first aid units as of the 10 May,” she said.

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) are given a 12-month period to transition any superseded units of competency. Royal Life Saving WA, RTO 0854, has exceeded this target and will begin offering the new units from Monday 10 May.