First Aid

PREREQUISITES:

15. Do ONE of the following:

(a) Visit an emergency medical station house or training center in person. From the medical first responders that you meet during your visit, learn about how they serve their community and about their careers. Discuss with your counselor what you learned during your tour and interviews.

(b) Interview an emergency medical services professional about their work. Learn about how they chose this career and about their duties. Discuss what you learned with your counselor and whether you might be interested in this career.

(c) Identify three career opportunities that would use skills and knowledge in emergency medical services. Pick one and research the training, education, certification requirements, experience, and expenses associated with entering the field. Research the prospects for employment, starting salary, advancement opportunities, and career goals associated with this career. Discuss what you learned with your counselor and whether you might be interested in this career.

(d) Identify how you might use the skills and knowledge in the field of emergency medical services to pursue a personal hobby and/or healthy lifestyle. Research the additional training required, expenses, and affiliation with organizations that would help you maximize the enjoyment and benefit you might gain from it. Discuss what you learned with your counselor and share what short-term and long-term goals you might have if you pursued this.

HOMEWORK:

2. Preparing for First Aid Emergencies. Do the following:

(a) Obtain a copy of the Scout Annual Health and Medical Record and discuss the importance of the form including information on immunizations, allergies, medications, health history, and medical examinations to providing first aid at Scouting events.

(b) Using checklists provided in the First Aid merit badge pamphlet or ones approved by your counselor, do the following:

(1) Assemble a personal first-aid kit for hiking and backpacking. Demonstrate the proper use of each item in your first-aid kit to your counselor.

(2) With your counselor, inspect a unit, home, vehicle, or camp first-aid kit and discuss your findings.

14. With guidance from your counselor, develop a plan to teach a first-aid skill or topic using the EDGE method. Discuss your skill, topic, and plan with your counselor, and then teach your skill or topic to your family or to one or more Scouts.