UKH

Despite not being an outdoor specific course, the 3 day first aid at work course seems to cover all the correct content for ML requirements. Since my workplace will pay for FAaW it's quite appealing. Anyone else done this, any reason why not?

Way back I did this on one renewal.  It didn't really feel like a good idea and although at the time it was "compliant " with the ML requirements,  I didn't do it again.

The syllabus just wasn't appropriate and the context of the situations presented absolutely weren't right.

As a First Aid trainer and ML I've also explored this conundrum.

To continue to be able to deliver First Aid courses I'm expected to maintain a FAaW Qual. For my ML work I'm expected to have a 16 Hr OFA Qual. The differences between the two, off the top of my head, are :- Hypo and Hyperthermia, Drowning and Outdoor specific scenarios.

I do a 12hr FAaWR (Same syllabus as the 18 hr squeezed into 2 days instead of 3) and then provide my log of CPD that I've undertaken during the previous year. As a First aid trainer I'm always looking for CPD opportunities.

I'd like to do the OFA as it is an opportunity to Network with people in the same industry and only 2 days duration.

Robin

i did exactly that when i was working, also did a couple of outdoor specific versions out of my own pocket (around 18months in if i could manage it)

you should also be able to discuss with the provider other situations outside of work and get input from them.  And of course you can focus a bit more on the broken bones, shock bleeding hyperthermia etc type areas by asking questions....

all the different providers over the years have been very happy to chat and dig into a bit more detail.

I feel like having done numerous previous outdoor specific courses I know what to ask to make sure a FAaW course still covers what I need.

I'm still aware that the ideal is a specific outdoor course, being run outdoors or at least with practical outdoor situations. Time and money means I'm going to let work cover it.

If you are near Derbyshire I have done a 16 hr 2 day course with https://www.highpeakfirstaid.co.uk/ - twice now.  In both cases Nicola who runs them also issued an EFAW certificate as standard in addition to the main certificate.  My work paid for the equivalent cost that a Red Cross/St John's course would have been for a single day and I paid the balance.

What you'll gain from an outdoor specific course is experience from trainers/ other course members relevant to dealing with incidents and managing casualties in the outdoors - in remote locations, where assistance is likely to be slower to arrive. Scenarios are also more realistic/ appropriate and focussed on what you would be carrying with you (or should be carrying) rather than the green first aid box on the office wall. FAW might tick the box but you're unlikely to have a trainer who has any first hand experience of hypothermia for example

If your work will pay for it, then I don't see any harm in doing it, as you can always do a more specific one at another date. That said, an outdoor course will cover a lot of scenarios that the work one wouldn't, so I think it would be worth doing. I went on my 3rd course this weekend, and have picked up quite a few different things that I either hadn't thought of before or that were different to how I'd learnt previously. Definitely helped that my trainers worked in the outdoors and were on MR teams so had a lot of first hand experience.

I persuaded my former boss to send me on REC course which included FAaW. Although it wasn't strictly relevant for my job, it was more than adequate to allow me to deal with incidents in the office. Your boss might not be as amenable as mine, but it might be worth  asking.