First Aid for School Visits

Most trips and visits go ahead without incident, but the issue of safety is always front of mind for EVCs and Visit Leaders.

First Aid knowledge is vital for everyone, especially for adults taking children and young people on educational visits. It is the establishments’ responsibility to keep everyone safe on a visit, so being prepared and having staff members qualified to deliver first aid can ensure an successful trip for everyone.

Here at Strong Roots Training, we specialise in providing schools with first aid training. To help make sure you’re first aid covered on your educational visits, we’ve compiled this handy checklist.

Remember: any first aid courses your team takes need to cover what the individual would have to do in practice and be delivered by a suitable training provider.

There is also specific legislation that schools need to follow to ensure the safety of everyone attending the trip, as well as OEAP National Guidance – find out more at oeapng.info.

Be prepared for first aid

• Complete an assessment to determine first aid provision on-site, off-site provision is an extension of this.

• At least one adult who attends the trip must have knowledge of basic first aid and should be competent to use the first aid kit. (This will depend on the off-site activity or visit).

• Early Years Foundation Stage visits need to have at least one adult who holds a current paediatric first aid qualification.

• In remote supervision situations – such as a Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition – the supervisor should ensure the group is able to contact qualified first aid support and have the appropriate level of competence and first aid materials to look after themselves until help arrives.

• Emergency medication must be considered in the planning of any trip. For example, for a child who has been prescribed adrenaline auto-injectors for anaphylaxis, two of these should be taken on a visit; for a child that has asthma, an inhaler should be taken.

• Keep a record. All first aid given should be recorded and reported following the schools’ reporting requirements, including any accident and incident forms complying with RIDDOR regulations. Systems like EVOLVE Accident Book make this process easier and more robust.

To access the article or The EVC Magazine please visit https://read.theevcmagazine.online/app/EVO777

For more information on our First Aid for Educational Visits Course please go to https://www.strongrootstraining.com/first-aid-for-educational-visits

Festive First Aid

The festive season is just around the corner and we at Strong Roots Training are feeling jolly! The festivities bring lots of fun and good cheer to our homes, work environments and schools. However, in the most joyful way we would like to highlight some of the precautions everyone can take to ensure the whole festive season is enjoyable and injury free!

First things first, a well-stocked First Aid Kit for when accidents do happen. For information about what items should be included follow the NHS link.

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/accidents-first-aid-and-treatments/what-should-i-keep-in-my-first-aid-kit/

Be safe when decking the halls with bright lights and sparkles.

·       Turn off and unplug all lights overnight and when you leave the house,

·       Do not overload sockets,

·       Check Fairy lights before use,

·       Ensure lights and electrical wires are secured to avoid tripping hazards,

·       Dispose of wrapping paper or plastic packaging to avoid choking, especially if you have small children and/or pets in the house.

When cooking up a festive feast, ensure all enjoy full tummies and not burnt fingers.

·       We often use more pots and pans at Christmas than any other time of year, ensure you have proper, good quality oven gloves, tea towels cause burns!

·       Try to avoid a kitchen party whilst cooking. However lovely it is to get everyone involved, beware of a crowded kitchen.

·       Ensure that if cooking with children, the excited little ones know not to touch hot pans or sharp utensils.

If anyone does suffer a burn, follow these steps below:

1.      Cool the burn

Use cold running water for a full 20 minutes (immediate cooling is best but is still beneficial even 3 hours after the burn.)

Avoid hypothermia- cool the burn but warm the rest of the body.

 2.     Remove jewellery and loose clothing

Do this very gently and carefully, before the area starts to swell. DO NOT remove anything that is stuck to the burn.

3.     Cover the burn

Cover the cooled burn with a dressing that will not stick. Cling film is ideal (discard the first two turns of the film and ‘lay’ it on the burn, don’t wrap it around.) Alternatives include a new plastic bag, a low-adherent dressing, or a clean lint free cloth. Do not use cling film on the face.

NEVER rely on ‘burn dressings’ to cool a burn- use cold water for 20 minutes.

If the burn appears severe call 999 for emergency help.

NEVER COOL THE BURN USING ICE, BURST BLISTERS, TOUCH THE BURN, APPLY CREAMS, OINTMENTS OR FATS, APPLY ADHESIVE DRESSINGS, OR REMOVE CLOTHING THAT HAS STUCK TO THE BURN.

If anyone cuts themselves whilst preparing the food thoroughly irrigate superficial cuts with a large volume of drinkable water so there is no foreign matter in the wound. Slightly warm water can be more comfortable. Pat the wound dry with a sterile swab then cover with a sterile plaster or low adherent dressing.

If there is a lot of bleeding press firmly on the wound with a clean towel, press until the bleeding stops this may take 10 or more minutes, if possible, raise the limb. Then complete the steps above.

If after reading this, you feel the need to refresh your first aid knowledge before the festivities begin, please follow the link to our quick online course.

https://www.strongrootstraining.com/elearning

As lovely as Christmas is it can be a very overwhelming and stressful time especially with the cost-of-living crisis at the moment. Creating fun memories with your family can last a lifetime try playing games, watching movies, dancing to music, snuggling with a hot chocolate. Please don’t let the pressure of presents get to you. Quality family time can be the best present of all. If you are struggling with food, there are many community hubs set up now to help you.

If your mental health is suffering, please talk to someone. Remember it is ok not to be ok and there are support networks out there to help you.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Black History Month

Black History Month

For Black History Month we will be talking about some black medical pioneers in the UK that made a real difference and changed Briton.

Mary Seacole 1805-1881

Mary Seacole started as a healer and female doctor in Jamacia in the 1800s then she worked in Central America. During the Crimean War she requested to be an army nurse but was refused so she funded herself and set up the British Hotel behind the front line to help injured soldiers. Mary provided food and supplies and cared for the injured and recovering soldiers. She also often went to the battlefield to help the injured on the front line. Her work was widely celebrated like Florence Nightingale. However, after her death in 1881 her story was forgotten. It wasn’t until the 21st Century that Briton began to recognise her achievements, in 2003 she was voted the Greatest Black Briton and in 2016 a memorial statue of Mary was created at St Thomas Hospital in London. And most significantly her story is now part of the National Curriculum.

Annie Brewster 1858- 1902

Annie Brewster was born in the Caribbean in 1858, she then moved to South London with her family in the 1860s. She worked at the London Hospital (now the Royal London Hospital) as a nurse for 20 years. She started as a probationer nurse in 1881 and became nursing staff in 1884 then went on to being in charge of the Ophthalmic ward in 1888. She became known as ‘Nurse Ophthalmic ‘due to her skills and kindness in treating patients with eye conditions.  Annie is one of the first known Afro-Caribbean nurses to work in Briton during the 19th Century. In 2018 she received public recognition for her work when her photograph was projected onto the side on the old Royal London Hospital during the celebrations for the 70th Anniversary of the NHS.

Dr Charles Drew 1904- 1950

Dr Charles Drew grew up in Washington DC he was an African American scientist who pioneered the science and politics behind blood transfusions his work helped save thousands of lives during World War II and beyond.  Drew was an amazing physician and surgeon and he finally gained international attention from his doctoral research which found new information on blood collection and storage. On request he came to England in 1939 to establish blood banks for the war effort the programme ended in 1941 and there had been over 5,000 litres of plasma sent. In 1942 Drew resigned after the armed forces rules that African Americans blood would be accepted but it needed to be stored separately from that of whites. Dr Drew went on to become Head of Department of Surgery and Chief of Surgery at Freemen’s Hospital. He was passionate about training the next generation of students in medicine and campaigning for the inclusion of black doctors. His work in medicine and to correct racial injustices earned him numerous awards.

Dame Elizabeth Anionwu 1947-

Dame Elizabeth Anionwu was born in Birmingham in 1947. She wanted to be a nurse from the age of 4 when her eczema was treated by a ‘wonderful nursing nun’. She started work in the NHS as a school nurse assistant at 16. She then became a nurse, heath visitor and tutor working with black and other ethnic minority communities in London. In the 1970s Elizabeth travelled to America to study counselling for sickle-cell and thalassemia centres, after this she worked with Dr Milica Brozovic to create the UK’s first sickle-cell and thalassemia counselling centre which was in Brent and opened in 1979. She became a professor and dean of the nursing school at the University of West London, then to try to address racial inequalities in the profession, established the Mary Seacole Centre for Nursing Practice in 1998. Elizabeth was honoured with a Damehood (DBE) in 2017 for her services to nursing and the Mary Seacole Statue Appeal. In July 2018, as part of the celebrations for the 70th Anniversary of the National Health Service, Elizabeth was included in the list of the 70 most influential nurses and midwives in the history of the NHS.

All these people and countless more have helped shape our future and the society of today. These people should be remembered and not forgotten. 

Stress

Stress

Stress is the “adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them”. (HSE)

Everyone will experience stress over their life so we thought we would give some information on what to look out for but most importantly some strategies for how to deal with stress so you can manage it more successfully.

Let’s start by seeing what stress does to our bodies.

What happens to our body when we are stressed?

·       Adrenal gland produces adrenaline This speeds up the heart and increases blood pressure

·       Adrenal gland produces cortisol This increases glucose in the blood and energy production. Over long periods of stress these reactions can cause illness and reduce life expectancy

·       The pituitary gland produces oxytocin This can reverse the effects of stress

Stress affects people differently- what stresses one person may not affect another. Factors such as skills and experience, age or disability may all affect whether a person can cope.

Stress can be a result of many things please see some examples below.

Causes of stress include:

·       Work                                                                    

·       Relationships

·       Bereavement

·       Moving house

·       Finances

·       Poor physical health

·       Divorce

·       Bullying

·       Family and friends

·       Poor behaviour

·       Travel

·       Personal issues

How you may feel mentally and emotionally:

·       Anxious

·       Angry

·       Lack of concentration

·       Difficulty in making decisions

·       Low self-esteem

·       Sad

·       Frustrated

·       Overwhelmed

·       Constant worrying

·       Racing thoughts

How you may feel physically:

·       Headaches

·       Chest pain

·       Tiredness

·       Nausea

·       Muscle tension

·       Dizziness

 Behavioural effects:

·       Outbursts of anger

·       Undereating or overeating

·       Changes in sex drive

·       Restlessness

·       Social withdrawal

·       Exercising less often than usual

Long-term stress can have some serious side effects.

Long-term effects of stress can include:

·       Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders

·       Cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke

·       Problems with your immune system, lower resistance to infection and skin conditions

·       Digestion problems such as appetite loss, stomach ulcers, vomiting and diarrhoea

·       Excessive changes in your behaviour such as alcohol and substance misuse

Here are some strategies to help you cope with stress better.

Coping strategies for stress:

·       Realise when stress is becoming a problem and identify the underlying causes

·       Build emotional strength and re-organise your lifestyle to tackle the causes

·       Eat a healthy diet, avoid skipping meals and try to adopt regular eating patterns

·       Make time for yourself to relax and socialise with friends and family

·       Set yourself goals or challenges to help build your confidence

·       Avoid unhealthy habits such as smoking or excessive alcohol consumption

·       Help others in situations worse than yours as this can help to put your own problems into perspective

·       Look for the positives in life and things for which you’re grateful, rather than the cause of your stress

·       Meditation can help with keeping a calm and clear mindset

·       Stepping away from a situation and taking some deep breaths can help in the short-term

Stress is part of everyday life but knowing how to cope with it can improve your mental health and reduce the risk of adverse effects to your body long term.