Lack of Knowledge for First Aid MB

[scubascout]

Most of the boys in our troop take first aid at summer camp. The week after they come back they dont remember a thing. First Aid is something a scout should know right off the bat. Our SM says that if you earn the First Aid MB at summer camp, you learn nothing. They tell you the answers, make you do some homework, and you comeback with just a little bit of knowledge about first aid.

As proof, we're doing the MB with the SM as the counselor and he asks the boys who have the MB questions about the scenerio and they either guess or just pass it on to another boy. As the SM being the First Aid Counselor for the troop, he got the Ambulance Corps to come over and teach us the stuff first hand, which I think will help us remember what to do.

I just want to know is the lack of knowledge of first aid appearing in your troop?

[jr56]

First Aid is like any other scout skill. If the boys don't use the information they've learned by practice, teaching other scouts, participating in activities and or games requiring the use of their knowledge, they lose it.

[WVBeaver05]

Unfortunately, I have seen something similar.

In this case, it was with the first year camper program. In addition to teaching many of the Tenderfoot to First Class requirements, this program tries to include 2 merit badges. First Aid and Cooking.

For the Tenderfoot to 1st Class requirements, the staff teaches but the Troop determines when the requirement is met and signs off. In this case, I had two Scouts participate and receive completed merit badge cards for First Aid. As I reviewed the first aid requirements for the ranks, I found that they did not know ANY of them.

We had to teach them first aid in order for them to meet the rank requirements, but they already have the First Aid MB.

Fortunately, the Scouts that took the regular First Aid MB class came back well trained. At least it provided me with something to follow up on with the Camp Director.

YiS

[jr56]

Many times I have observed that 1st year scouts do not seem to have the emotional maturity to complete anything but the most simple merit badges and get anything out of them. Just a personal observation, and of course there is always exceptions.

[Lynda J]

We have the boys teach First Aid from time to time. We will take one skill and have two boys teach it to another group. THen the next week two more will teach another skill. It refreshs their knowledge. We from time to time will also have a bandaging or splinting relay. Time them and see how well they do the bandages and splints. The boys have fun and they practice their skills.

I have been teaching First Aid in some way for years. I know that there are times that I forget something but the minute I need to use it, it comes back.

There was an artical recently about a man that came upon a wreck. He had to think about his first aid. But he told the EMT's when they got there that he remembered what he had learned in Boy Scouts some 30 years before.

[t305spl]

http://meritbadge.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1127

Just scroll to my response in that First Aid Section.
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Re: Scubascout's Comments

Yes Scubascout, unfortunately this does happen when scouts are taught First Aid quickly without the proper discussion and hands on needed to learn how to use the techniques properly(practice is very important). Scouting First Aid is just the Basics of First Aid but still need to be learned properly because a well-trained Basic First Aider can do a tremendous amount of good when an emergency occurs.

Not only will it be a help to a person involved in the incident(whatever it may be), but also to the Scout(or other Basic First Aider). An Emergency Scene can become very intimidating and even scary but someone who is confident in their skills are able to handle the situation much better.

Rendering First Aid is very spontaneous, it is not something you get forewarning for. But that doesn't mean you can't prepare for the time you need to render it.

Another problem scouts learning First Aid face is that in most cases they are not properly taught how to initiate a response from trained Emergency Care Providers. Calling 911 properly activates the EMS System in most cases. But teach them when you visit other places who to contact. For example: At a Ski Area you wouldn't call 911 that would delay a response you would contact the local Ski Patrol, At the Beach or Waterpark you would contact the Lifeguard/First Responder Units on staff, and at a Bike Race you would contact the local Bike Patrol Unit.

If you are visiting a new place i.e. a Ski Resort, Waterpark, Biking Event, or even a regular Amusement Park. Talk to your scouts about who they should contact incase of an emergency. Leaders stop in the First Aid Stations give your contact information to the Patrollers, and you can even ask them to come speak to the scouts about safety and safe activation of the areas First Aid and Rescue Team; I am sure they would be more then happy to stop in and educate the scouts.

So sum it up, remember First Aid is only part of rendering First Aid the second half is activating the EMS System for the area you are in.

Have Fun, Be Safe, and Be Safety Conscious!