Outdoor First Aid (16 hrs)

Outdoor First Aid (16 hours)

Qualification:      ITC Level 3 Award in Outdoor First Aid (RQF)

Duration:            2 days / 16 hours

Certificate:          Certified by ITC First and valid for 3 years

Elements began in the mountains – it’s part of our heart and soul. From mountains to beaches, rivers and forests, First Aid in the outdoors comes with its own unique set of challenges. This is not just about First Aid, but about managing incidents with a huge variety of different ‘ELEMENTS’ to consider. 

We take the basic principles of First Aid and apply it to situations where weather, varied terrain, limited equipment and isolation can challenge even the most simple scenarios. The first day covers essential lifesaving techniques with the second day building upon this with more in depth First Aid and plenty of practical scenarios outdoors. Concentrating on issues involved with the longer-term care of casualties in remote environments we focus on incident management, casualty monitoring and relaying information to rescue teams. 

This Level 3 qualification is accredited by the Institute for Outdoor Learning (IOL) at band 3, is regulated by Ofqual and can be found on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).

Anyone that spends time in the outdoors for work or play. Meets the requirements for many National Governing Body Instructor Awards such as Mountain Leaders (ML, WML, MIA, MIC, IML), Climbing Instructors (SPA), Ski/Snowboarding Instructors (BASI), Mountain Guides (BMG), Canoe and Kayak Instructors (BCU), Mountain Bike Instructors (MIAS), Sailing Instructors (RYA), Watersports Instructors plus Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Leaders (DofE), Walking Guides, Orienteers (BOF) and many more.

It also meets the Outdoor First Aid requirement for Forest School Practitioners but please note, although we cover procedures for children, we do not cover the full Level 3 Paediatric First Aid content or assessment criteria often required by those that work in Early Years. If you require Outdoor First Aid AND the official full Level 3 Paediatric First Aid qualification, then please consider our Forest School & Paediatric First Aid DUAL QUALIFICATION course which is designed specifically for those that work with young children in a woodland environment. 

Roles & responsibilities, scene assessment, vital signs, primary survey, secondary survey, casualty monitoring, recovery position, hypothermia (including cold shock), hyperthermia, seizures, CPR including safe use of an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) for adult, child & drowning, choking, bleeding (including life-threatening bleeding & crush injury), shock, burns, minor injuries, lyme disease & adder bites. 

This course also covers systematic injury assessment and treatment: soft tissue injury, fractures, dislocation, head and facial injuries, neck & spinal injuries, plus medical conditions including diabetes, asthma, stroke, heart attack, allergic reactions, anaphylaxis & safe use of adrenaline auto-injectors. We spend time outdoors running through practical scenarios and full incident management, including the longer-term care of casualties and handing over to the rescue services. 

Assessment is carried out throughout the day by the trainer, who will observe you demonstrating practical First Aid skills on a manikin and with other learners. To achieve the full regulated qualification, you must: attend for the full duration (regulated qualifications have mandatory contact training time requirements), take a full and active part in the practical, scenario-based training, and successfully demonstrate all of the required practical First Aid skills. There’s no scary exam or question paper.

This is a practical, hands-on course delivered both indoors and outdoors. It involves working closely with other learners and includes some physical contact during training activities.

You'll be expected to participate in practical exercises such as placing someone into the recovery position and performing at least two minutes of CPR on a manikin positioned on the floor. As a result, you should be reasonably fit and able to bend, kneel, and get down to floor level several times throughout the day.

If you are likely to require any help or support, have an injury, medical condition, disability, or any other circumstance that may affect your ability to participate fully, please contact us before the course. We may be able to make reasonable adjustments to the training or assessment, or where appropriate, offer a non-regulated qualification or a certificate of attendance. We'll be happy to discuss the options available and help you find the most suitable solution.

Learners must be 14 years + to register for this qualification, however, due to the nature of training and safeguarding reasons, learners must be 18 years + to join a public course. Please contact us if you are under 18 years and would like to join as we may have some alternative options for you.

Some learners require multiple qualifications. Additional qualifications may be gained by completing this training, avoiding the need to do multiple courses. Additional qualification options available for this course include:

ITC Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW)

ITC Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work + Forestry (EFAW+F)

There is no additional training time required as all of the content and assessment criteria can be covered on the course. Learners receive an additional certificate valid for 3 years. This can be added as an additional optional item when booking online or can be requested on the day. There is an additional registration and certificate fee of £20 per qualification. Please note, additional qualifications cannot be requested AFTER the course.

Certified by our Awarding Organisation ITC First and valid for 3 years. Electronic certificates are emailed out to learners approximately 2 weeks after the training. This fully accredited qualification is regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) and is part of the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). 

You need to do the full course again to revalidate. The HSE also strongly recommend that First Aiders attend an annual Basic Skills Refresher course (3 hours) to prevent skill fade and maintain confidence.