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Preparing for your course

How to prepare for your first aid course

Three things make the day go smoothly: finish your online pre-course learning at least 24 hours before the session, have your USI ready with the name matching your enrolment, and arrive 15 minutes early in clothes you can kneel in. The session itself is hands-on, so the more prepared you are, the more time you get to practise.

Before the day: the pre-course learning

Every REACHAU course is blended by default. You cover the theory online, at your own pace, and the session is reserved for practical skills. The online part is not optional and it is not a formality: the RTO requires it to be completed at least 24 hours before your session, and if it is not done you may not be able to attend.

  1. Watch for your enrolment emailIt arrives after you book and contains your login for the online learning. Check the name on it matches your USI name exactly, and let Britt know straight away if it does not.
  2. Work through the modulesSet aside time and do it properly. The content is what you will be assessed on in the session, so the better you know it, the more relaxed the day will be. You can stop and come back.
  3. Finish at least 24 hours before your sessionThe system records completion. Finishing the night before at 11pm is cutting it fine. Aim for two or three days out.

Finding online learning hard? Talk to Britt before the session. By arrangement, any course can run with an in-session quiz instead of online theory (this adds hours to the day), and a paper version is available if required. Language, literacy and numeracy support and reasonable adjustments are also available through the RTO. Nobody misses out because the online format does not suit them.

Your USI: do this first

An RTO cannot issue your Statement of Attainment until your Unique Student Identifier has been verified, and ABC First Aid does not create USIs on students' behalf. So this is yours to sort out, and it is quick.

  • If you have done any nationally recognised training since 2015, you probably already have one. Use "Find your USI" at usi.gov.au rather than creating a duplicate.
  • If not, create one. It is free, takes about five minutes, and needs one form of ID such as a driver's licence, Medicare card or passport.
  • Give your USI to Britt when you enrol, and make sure the name on your USI account is the name you book with. The certificate is issued in the USI name.

More on the USI and how certification works.

What happens on the day

Here is the shape of a typical session. Times vary by unit and group size, so check your enrolment email for your start time and venue.

  1. Arrive 15 minutes early

    The RTO asks students to be at the venue at least 15 minutes before the start. Arriving late means you cannot join the session and it is recorded as non-attendance, so build in a buffer for parking and finding the room.

  2. Sign in and settle

    Britt checks you off, confirms your details match your USI, and runs through how the session will work. If you have a support need you have not mentioned yet, this is the moment.

  3. Hands-on skills

    Because the theory is already done, the session goes straight into practice: CPR on manikins on the floor, AED use, bandaging, positioning a casualty, using adrenaline auto-injector and asthma trainers, and the other skills your unit covers. You practise each one before you are assessed on it.

  4. Scenarios

    You work through realistic situations, usually in small groups, applying DRSABCD and making decisions under a little pressure. This is where confidence comes from, and it is the part learners say they remember.

  5. Assessment

    Assessment is woven through the session: direct observation of your practical skills, simulated scenarios, and some verbal or written questions. If a task does not go to plan you get two further attempts. Britt tells you what to work on and when to try again.

  6. Certificate

    Once you are assessed as competent and your USI is verified, ABC First Aid emails your Statement of Attainment. If you need a replacement or a printed copy later, that comes from the RTO; the Student Handbook (PDF) explains how.

The practical requirements

Be honest with yourself about these before you book, and talk to Britt if anything is a concern. Most things can be worked around if she knows in advance.

CPR on the floor

Every unit includes performing CPR on an adult manikin placed on the floor for at least two minutes without stopping. That means kneeling, leaning over the manikin and compressing at the correct depth and rate. Knee padding can be arranged as a reasonable adjustment.

Moving and positioning

You will kneel, get up and down from the floor several times, and help place a casualty in the recovery position. HLTAID012 also includes infant CPR using a two-finger technique.

Reasonable adjustment

If you have an injury, disability or other circumstance that could affect the practical assessment, tell Britt before booking. The RTO can consider adjustments such as extra time, padding, breaks or scheduling, as long as the unit's evidence requirements are still met.

Language, literacy and numeracy

You can let Britt know about any learning needs at enrolment. Support ranges from one-on-one time with the trainer to a different assessment format. It is confidential and it is normal.

What to bring and wear

  • Your USI, already created or found, with the name matching your booking.
  • Completed online learning, finished at least 24 hours before the session.
  • Photo ID in case your identity needs confirming against your enrolment.
  • Clothes you can kneel and move in. Pants or shorts rather than a skirt or dress, closed shoes, and nothing you would mind getting a bit crumpled on the floor.
  • Hair tied back and minimal jewellery so nothing gets in the way during CPR and bandaging.
  • Water bottle, glasses if you need them for reading, and any personal medication.
  • Your enrolment email with the venue, start time and any venue-specific notes.

Group bookings. If you are organising a session for staff, send this page to everyone attending and ask each person to confirm their USI and online learning a few days before. It saves the most common day-of problems. More for employers.

Ready to book?

Session dates and bookings are on reachau.com.au. Book early enough to leave time for the online learning before your session.

Training and Assessment is delivered by Britt at Regional Education and Career Help Australia on behalf of ABC First Aid RTO 3399.

Common questions about course day

How long does the online pre-course learning take?

It depends on the unit and how much you already know. Allow a couple of hours for HLTAID011 and work at your own pace. You can stop and come back, but it must be finished at least 24 hours before your session.

What if I have not finished the online learning before the session?

The RTO requires it to be completed at least 24 hours before. If it is not done, you may not be able to attend and the booking is treated as non-attendance. If you are struggling with the online format, contact Britt early so an alternative can be arranged.

What happens if I arrive late?

Students are asked to arrive 15 minutes before the start. Arriving late prevents you from joining the session and is recorded as non-attendance, because assessment needs the full session. Plan your travel and parking with a buffer.

What if I cannot kneel on the floor for CPR?

Tell Britt before you book. Assessment requires at least two minutes of CPR on an adult manikin on the floor, but reasonable adjustments such as knee padding or breaks can often be arranged. The unit's evidence requirements still have to be met, so an honest conversation up front is the best path.

What if I do not pass an assessment task on the day?

You get two further attempts. Britt will tell you what to work on and when to try again, usually in the same session. If you are still not competent after those attempts, the RTO will advise re-enrolment in the unit.

When will I get my certificate?

Once you are assessed as competent and your USI is verified, ABC First Aid emails your Statement of Attainment. Timing varies, so if you need it by a specific date for work, let Britt know at booking. The certification page explains what the document contains.