One of the things that I have found very useful in life is my First Aid training.
Both for helping others & knowing what’s happening to me, it has proved invaluable.
One of the strange ways it helped me was a few years ago when I suffered a traumatic injury. Whilst in hospital I started shaking, convulsing & collapsed. This would’ve scared the crap out of me, but I knew that I was going into shock, and I knew this was my body’s way of shutting down to protect me by concentrating on my vital systems.
It helped me understand what was going on, and why certain things had to be done. I was actually very calm in a situation where I would’ve otherwise panicked & possibly made things worse.
It has also helped when my son has been ill or injured. I’ve either known what to do, or understood why his body was doing what it was doing. Either way it helped me stay calm by giving me an understanding of the situation. It’s not knowing things that scares most people.
I highly recommend going on a course. If you’re lucky you could get your company to send you on one & maybe get a little extra cash for being a work First Aider. It’s win/win.
Courses are supplied by the UK’s leading first aid providers, although other courses are available (I use St John Ambulance). When I had my first course there was a practical exam at the end, but now the trainees are observed during the training course and there’s no pressure of a final exam.
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Sometimespace 
June 23rd, 2013 at 4:19 pm
Good advice.
I never did any training but have appreciated St. Johns Ambulance many times in the past when I’ve been at off roading events and injured myself. I should have done the training for the same reasons you explain.
My wife did the 1st aid training as part of her being in the ‘St. Johns Ambulance Cadets’ many years ago.