Modification History

Application for emergency first aid response in an education and care setting

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to provide a first aid response to infants, children and adults.

The unit applies to educators and support staff working within an education and care setting who are required to respond to a first aid emergency, including asthmatic and anaphylactic emergencies.

This unit of competency may contribute towards approved first aid, asthma and anaphylaxis training under the Education and Care Services National Law, and the Education and Care Services National Regulations (2011).

Specific licensing requirements, including requirements for refresher training, should be obtained from the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and/or relevant state/territory Work Health and Safety Regulatory Authority.

Elements and Performance Criteria for emergency first aid response

Foundation Skills

Unit Mapping Information

No equivalent unit.

Assessment requirements for emergency first aid response

Modification History

Performance Evidence for emergency first aid response

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role.

There must be evidence that the candidate has completed the following tasks in line with state/territory regulations, first aid codes of practice, Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) guidelines and workplace procedures:

• Followed DRSABCD in line with ARC guidelines, including:

• performed at least 2 minutes of uninterrupted single rescuer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (5 cycles of both compressions and ventilations) on an adult resuscitation manikin placed on the floor
• Performed at least 2 minutes of uninterrupted single rescuer CPR (5 cycles both compressions and ventilations) on a child resuscitation manikin placed on the floor
• performed at least 2 minutes of uninterrupted single rescuer CPR (5 cycles both compressions and ventilations) on an infant resuscitation manikin placed on a firm surface
• responded appropriately in the event of regurgitation or vomiting
• managed the unconscious breathing casualty
• followed single rescue procedure, including the demonstration of a rotation of operators with minimal interruptions to compressions
• followed the prompts of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

• Responded to at least three simulated first aid scenarios contextualised to the candidate’s workplace/community setting, and involving infants and children of varying ages including:

• conducted a visual and verbal assessment of the casualty
• demonstrated safe manual handling techniques
• post-incident debrief and evaluation
• provided an accurate verbal and written report of the incident
• conducted a hazard assessment and identified strategies to minimise risk

• Applied first aid procedures for the following:

• allergic reaction
• anaphylaxis
• bleeding control
• choking and airway obstruction
• envenomation, using pressure immobilisation
• fractures, sprains and strains, using arm slings, roller bandages or other appropriate immobilisation principles techniques
• head injuries
• poisoning
• respiratory distress, including asthma
• seizures & convulsions, including febrile convulsions and epilepsy
• shock

• Located and interpreted workplace policies and procedures

Knowledge Evidence for emergency first aid response

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:

• State/Territory regulations, first aid codes of practice and workplace procedures including:

• ARC Guidelines for provision of CPR and first aid to infants, children and adults
• guidelines from Australian national peak clinical bodies
• safe work practices to minimise risks and potential hazards
• first aid requirements for services under the Education and Care Services National Law
• infection control principles and procedures, including use of standard precautions
• requirements for currency of skill and knowledge

• legal, workplace and community considerations, including:

• awareness of potential need for stress-management techniques and available support following an emergency situation, including the psychological impact on children
• duty of care requirements
• respectful behaviour towards a casualty
• own skills and limitations
• consent, including situations in which parental/caregiver consent is required
• privacy and confidentiality requirements
• importance of debriefing

• considerations when providing first aid including:

• airway obstruction due to body position
• appropriate duration and cessation of CPR
• appropriate use of an AED, including placement of pads for adults and children aged older than 8 years
• specific considerations when using an AED on children aged between 1 and 8 years, including identification of AED with paediatric capability, paediatric voltage and use of paediatric pads
• chain of survival
• standard precautions
• how to conduct a visual and verbal assessment of the casualty

• principles and procedures for application of first aid management of the following scenarios:

• abdominal injuries
• allergic reaction
• anaphylaxis, including signs, symptoms and triggers and using different types of adrenaline auto injectors
• asthma, including signs, symptoms and triggers and using different types of bronchodilators
• basic care of a wound
• bleeding control
• burns
• cardiac conditions, including chest pain
• choking and airway obstruction
• crush injuries
• diabetes
• dislocations
• drowning
• envenomation
• environmental impact, including hypothermia, hyperthermia, dehydration and heat stroke
• eye and ear injuries
• febrile convulsions
• fractures
• head, neck and spinal injuries
• minor skin injuries
• needle stick injuries
• poisoning and toxic substances
• respiratory distress
• seizures, including epilepsy
• shock
• soft tissue injuries, including sprains and strains
• stroke
• unconsciousness

• basic anatomy and physiology relating to:

• how to recognise a person is not breathing normally
• chest
• infant respiratory systems and implications for provision of CPR
• basic anatomical differences between adults and children, and the implications for provision of first aid
• normal clinical values for children
• response/consciousness
• upper airway and effect of positional change

Assessment Conditions

Skills must be demonstrated working individually in an environment that provides realistic in-depth, industry-validated scenarios and simulations to assess candidates’ skills and knowledge.

Assessment resources must include:

• adult, child and infant resuscitation manikins in line with ARC Guidelines for the purpose of assessment of CPR procedures
• AED training device
• different types of training adrenalin auto-injector training devices (e.g. EpiPen and AnaPen)
• different types of placebo bronchodilators and a spacer device
• roller bandages
• triangular bandages
• workplace First Aid kit
• workplace injury, trauma and/or illness record, or other appropriate workplace incident report form
• wound dressings

Simulated assessment environments must simulate the real-life working environment where these skills and knowledge would be performed, with all the relevant equipment and resources of that working environment.

Assessor requirements

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.