First Aid Merit Badge and American Red Cross

[dj]

Can anybody out there tell me if an American Red Cross CPR/First Aid course can be taught to meet First Aid merit badge requirements. Since the last post in 2005 on this issue I know that there has been a national authorized provider agreement signed between BSA and American Red Cross and a few councils using that agreement. I am getting ready as a merit badge counselor to teach the First Aid course at summer camp. Since I am also an American Red Cross First Aid and CPR instructor I was wondering if it was okay to use those materials for the class? Any thoughts. I have not scoured the book recently to check differences (that will be done next week), but the requirements look pretty close. Any help from someone with more experience with this agreement would be appreciated.

[FrankJ]

The short answer is no.

Although you can cover more in a class, you can only require the requirements. IE show a knowledge of CPR, not a full certification. (I would encourage everybody to get certified, but it is not required.)

Also the red cross does not require a student to teach a skill--It is an merit badge requirement.

I would suggest reading the merit badge book. The skill set from being a red cross instructor will give you the knowledge required to teach the merit bagde, but you most cover the requirements of the merit badge.

Maybe you could offer to teach a CPR cert course as well. There are always scouts & scouters at camp that need it.

[hacimsaalk]

well, i would teach from the American red cross material, to meet the MB requirements. that way all bases are covered. i would only teach wut is neccessary. it is a good course, and it will cover more than wiut the MB requires.

[alex gregory]

Can anybody out there tell me if an American Red Cross CPR/First Aid course can be taught to meet First Aid merit badge requirements...

The Oregon Trail Chapter of American Red Cross offers a First Aid MB course called "When Help is Delayed" that is specifically and intended to satisify virtually all the MB requirements. The only requirments not satisifed through the course are teaching first aid skills to another scout and making your own First Aid Kit, both of which were easily satisfied through the troop. The course was eight hours on a Sunday and cost $25. The course is reccommended for scouts and scouters, and you get CPR certified. The course I took with my son was taught by a former Eagle scout and now paramedic.

The Red Cross program was much better than the 4 to 5 hours of first aid I observed this past summer at camp. I was very disappointed with the lack of applied learning and superficial training I saw @ summer camp. The summer camp program was about getting a MB first, and learning first aid second.

The Red Cross course I took did not go beyond the badge requirements, it just did a better job at teaching the requirements. The extra time and focus and smaller class size allowed the participants to actually learn and demonstrate the requirements. The CPR certification was basically automatic and no extra work was required beyond the MB requirement.

Regardless, as discussed in other posting, First Aid is not something you learn once and then you're done. First Aid skills need to be practiced and maintained.

[RWSmith]

"First Aid is not something you learn once and then you're done. First Aid skills need to be practiced and maintained."

Amen!

[mt_goodrich]

First Aid is not something you learn once and then you're done. First Aid skills need to be practiced and maintained.

Add another "amen".

I continually stress to the boys that they need to keep up with their first aid skills, as it is something they may have to use. I get the roll of the eyes, but it is something I will continue to stress.