Should teachers have first aid training?

[Mrs. SnowStormRN]

Hello. I just returned from my daughters Spring Concert. The parents arrive 30mins early so the kids can reheorifice before they perform. While we waited for what seemed like forever, a couple of women were talking behind me. My husband would say I was "ear hustling," anyhow - they were talking about a girl having a seizure in class and lady B words were, "If the teachers had some sort of first aid training the outcome would have been better." Then the ladies debated on the issue. What is your view on this? I don't have any school nurse experience, I know at my daughters school there is only one school nurse. I dont know how fast the school nurse can be notified, or if she is handling something else how is she found for emergencies? Should teachers have first aid training or an inservice on common emergency incidents in children? Are teachers required to be CPR certified? Now I'm curious of others opinions on this.:redbeathe

[Heidi the nurse, BSN, RN]

The big problem is money. If the district requires it, they have to pay for it.

In the district I work for, our special ed teachers are required to have it. We also have a list of CPR and first aid card holders in the office in the case of an emergency. This year we got a grant for AED's so at least anyone in the building will be able to deal with that situation.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

Teachers in my school are not required to take first aid/CPR. Just this year we received a grant which allowed 7 people per campus to be trained in CPR and AED use. Any first aid tips they receive come from me (you would be surprised how many adults are not aware to have the student put pressure on a bleeding wound or pinch a nosebleed closed while they are walking to my office!)

I think it would be great if they received some training, but I bet my paycheck if something came up they would still not be prepared or would not be willing to help. Some are so scared of liability that they want me to assess every little papercut or invisible boo-boo.

[Ellekat2]

My sister had a student seize in her classroom this year; it was the first time the girl had seized. Fortunately for my sister and the student, another student's mom (an RN) was in the hallway and was able to take over care while my sister removed the rest of the children from the classroom. I do think all teachers should be trained in BLS and routinely be advised on how to react to common health problems in the classroom. However, to expect a teacher to suddenly become a health professional while handling twenty or more other children is unrealistic. They need to know who to call for reliable, quick response in the classroom and begin basic BLS procedures. Anything else should be beyond their level of expertise.

[flashpoint]

I think everyone should have CPR and first aid training. When I was in school (a long time ago), if a student had special needs and the class was going to be away from the classroom, his or her parents (or someone who knew how to deal with the special needs) had to go along. The teacher couldn't be expected to manage a medical or other type of emergency while also managing a class of twenty-five students. In the classroom, nurses or the ambulance service could be called if needed.

When I was in school, I don't remember having so many students with special needs or extreme medical conditions. A few of the asthmatic students carried inhalers. I can remember one student with an epi-pen. The diabetics I remember managed their blood sugar checks, diet, and medication at school from an early age. We did have one girl who had some horrible heart condition and she always had a relative at her side in school, but that was about it.

[Heidi the nurse, BSN, RN]

My sister had a student seize in her classroom this year; it was the first time the girl had seized. Fortunately for my sister and the student, another student's mom (an RN) was in the hallway and was able to take over care while my sister removed the rest of the children from the classroom. I do think all teachers should be trained in BLS and routinely be advised on how to react to common health problems in the classroom. However, to expect a teacher to suddenly become a health professional while handling twenty or more other children is unrealistic. They need to know who to call for reliable, quick response in the classroom and begin basic BLS procedures. Anything else should be beyond their level of expertise.

In our district, we do training for staff regarding seizure, asthma, life threatening allergies, and in our diabetic satellite schools - diabetes. So they know how to do "first aid" for seizures and how to recognize an asthma attack or if someone is having difficulty in that way, but a American Red Cross first aid class - no. Same with CPR. And I do think it is unfortunate because my kids day care had a parent suffer a heart attack outside their facility, so you never know when some might need assistant.