Emergency First Response Instructor /instructor trainer courses

[DevonDiver]

I would say your main market would be Dive shops but as far as training Instructors, I don't expect that would be too good cause PADI is going to make it mandatory for Instructor Candidates to have it so the CDs will probably make it part of the IDC.

I've not met many CDs who would be that interested in running EFRi courses...and quite a few that aren't qualified to do it anyway. Small money for them in the big scheme of things...

 

[Dive-aholic]

It's just recently become a requirement. I'm sure all the CDs you come across now will either be EFRi or working on it.

 

[desparoz]

As of this year, to be an EFR Instructor Trainer (IT) is a prerequisite to get on the CDTC. In past years its been run as part of the CDTC, so the vast majority of PADI CD's should be EFR-ITs.

Cheers

Des

 

[EMTPDiver]

Not to flame PADI's EFR program at all. Last year I was totally shocked at the quality of my ACLS renewal course, offered by a corporation that specializes in AHA training. Pathetic and sad, breaking every rules in the book. I contacted the office in charge at the AHA, and they said I'd have to present the complaint to the program director first. Guess who was the program director?? It was the father of the instructor. He passed it off to another officer in the company, explaining why they were compliant in most of my complaints (totally wrong), and that the instructor was being chastened for the quality of his teaching (yeh, right).

The problem with simply associating the brand (AHA, PADI, redcross) with the quality of instruction is that you do ignore the qualification of the instructor.

So far, I do not trust how AHA responded to my complaint. I do know that PADI has some kind of quality assurance program, but I don't know how well that works either.

What was wrong with the ACLS renewal course specifically? Just curious...

 

[aparatchiki]

I've not met many CDs who would be that interested in running EFRi courses...and quite a few that aren't qualified to do it anyway. Small money for them in the big scheme of things...

Certainly, there is money to be made in EFR and EFRI courses. and there is certainly a great potential outside of the diving community. What may be true to your location may be different from another location (country/region).

While AHA seems to be "superior" and indeed EFR materials have mentioned AHA guidelines one way or the other. There is still room for other agencies and their instructors to grow its (for the lack of a better term) business.

As an update, i pursued the EFR IT program and have passed it. I am now part of an effort with several organizations (public and private) in building networks of instructors to share the skills of responding to emergencies. There is one International Financial Organization that we are working with that specifically contracted us to help in training instructors for remote communities. It's not a major effort but its a start in building self sustainability in these communities in developing nations.

At the end of the day, what's important is that there are instructors who are able to share the skills and knowledge to others that may be instruments of saving lives.

 

[fisherdvm]

What was wrong with the ACLS renewal course specifically? Just curious...

This specific course? Since it was a renewal course, it was going to be only 4 hours. Since it was going to be over the new 2004 ACLS criteria, it should have been done specifically to cover the new changes in BLS and ACLS - which is very extensive. We simply had a 12 page case scenario, and went through the 12 cases quickly. Half of the students had not even open up the book, and have not read it. Finished the problems in about 30 minutes. A student arrive late after we've had the "lecture" already, and was still given a card. We did the megacode as a group. Only 3 students actually had hands on on the dummy, so only about 1/2 of the group actually demonstrated manual skill on the dummy. One student was doing respiration about 50 breaths per minute, but no one commented on the hyperventilation. The exam was given as "open book", and open discussion. It was so noisy with the chatter from the student's who had not studied and don't know the new criteria. The class ended when we finished the exam, which was less than 2 hrs from when we started.

Then we paid for the class. Those who wanted a BLS card, simply paid the fee, and got one. No written test nor skill tests were required to get the BLS card.

So how many rules did they break? Let a student have a card who missed a lecture? Giving out BLS card without testing? Group megacode with notes? Only half of the student were participating in megacode,and only 1/3 got to be a group leader.

On every ACLS renewal I've ever had, the megacode was instructed with each student being the leader, and each student ran at least 3 scenarios. Which I believe, has to be A fib, asystole, and bradycardia.

Sad, but true, ACLS standard has dropped gradually since physicians were no longer required to be instructors. I've seen frank lack of knowledge in some instructor, and frank misinformation given during lectures. "Professional" instructors who do not practice ACLS regularly can not do a good job.

Not to slight the EMTs. I've had excellent instructors who were practicing EMTs. I will never make a good instructor (I don't practice it). But I do take it seriously, as I have ran 1 full code (cardiac arrest) in my office, unfortunately, the walk in patient off the street died enroute to the hospital.

 

[fisherdvm]

It's just recently become a requirement. I'm sure all the CDs you come across now will either be EFRi or working on it.

That is sad. It is simply pushing the C card. I wish they'd leave teaching CPR/first aid to the true professionals. The PADI efr course I've taken is quite lacking.

 

[desparoz]

That is sad. It is simply pushing the C card. I wish they'd leave teaching CPR/first aid to the true professionals. The PADI efr course I've taken is quite lacking.

The sad part is that CPR and first aid are simple skills that anyone can learn, and should. Yet many don't because they are put off by the complicated approach to training and skills development used by many organisations.

We need to get more people in the community trained in basic CPR and first aid, including AED usage. It makes a difference.

Many of the traditional CPR/first aid courses in many parts of the world (I've done resus training in Australia and the US) are overcomplicated and actually turn people off from having a go when its needed.

EFR provides simple, straightforward skills in a low stress manner. Its a great program for the lay person, and not complicated to do.

I'd much rather see more people all over getting training in basic CPR and first aid, than not do it at all because of perceived complexity. Or worse, not use the skills when needed due to a feeling of inadequacy

Just my $0.02

Cheers

Des

 

[fisherdvm]

You are right, they are simple skills. But it has to be taught right, and instructed correctly. CPR and AED use is straight forward, and easy to master.

First aid perhaps should be taught better than what I perceived in the one through my diving organization. That is where I think having someone who actually practice real first aid should be teaching. Simple splint, bandage, pressure bandage, tourniquet .... Things that can stop an arterial bleed if a diver is cut up by a prop. Simple acewrap for laceration of the face or scalp. Things a divemaster or instructor really should know before taking a group out on a dive.

To me, 5 ace wrap, a couple of tampons, abdomen dressing, or large gauze pack should be a minimum in a DM's first aid kit. But without it, torn Tshirt should be adequate to a person well versed in first aid.

This is where I think first aid is lacking. Helping someone stop a limb laceration and arterial bleed. That is the difference between life and death until the paramedics arrive.

 

[desparoz]

How often do these types of accidents occur? I've only done 1,100+ dives, and have only been nearby when one diver was hit by a prop from a dive boat. I wasn't at the scene, just diverted from diving there by the coast guard. This was in Florida in 95. No first aid at the scene would have helped this guy, apparently.

But in reality its a very rare accident, and one that even a very experienced dive instructor is unlikely to come across.


ILCOR, the international umbrella group that covers the Australian Resus Council, AHA and other national bodies, now only recommends direct pressure and pressure bandage for serious bleeding. Forget tourniquets and even pressure points.

In Australia, EFR has a First Aid at Work course which is fully compliant with national standards for first aid and CPR that are required for the workplace. These standards are in line with and in some cases exceed, global standards.

For the EFR First Aid at Work program, there are a handful of additional skills. For serious bleeding we do have to teach pressure points (in addition to direct pressure and pressure bandage), but thats it.

The "standard" EFR Primary and Secondary Care courses are great for the layperson. For workplace compliance (in Australia), a little more must be done, and the EFR First Aid at Work does that really well.

It still comes down to a simple point - we want more people to do the training for simple skills, and we want them to be comfortable using those skills as best they can when called upon. Not freeze up out of fear of being inadequate.

I personally think that any organisation that promotes this concept, EFR and others, is doing a really important thing.