New First Aid Training

A new first aid training course has been developed by NAUI. The National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) is one of several scuba diving training and certifying organizations. The first aid course is open to divers and nondivers.

I was one of three reviewers to develop the new course text and fact-check each page and entry. NAUI did a nice job of keeping it clear and simple.

Each of the different scuba training agencies has different approaches and philosophy. NAUI stresses "Safety through Education." Similar to discussions on which university or car is best, there are spirited exchanges by divers from different organizations on which scuba organization is "best." I did my training to become a scuba instructor with NAUI and have been active to help develop some of their textbooks and training courses.

The new First Aid Training course includes all standard first aid, plus first aid for aquatic life and diving injuries, CPR (including professional rescuer), defibrillators, blood-borne pathogens, and emergency oxygen administration.

The NAUI First Aid course meets International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) recommendations. Effective June 1, 2007, the course also meets acceptance of the United States Coast Guard. We received a letter from their Training and Assessment Division stating our course "meets or exceeds the standards of the American Red Cross Standard First Aid and Emergency Care or Multimedia Standard First Aid and will satisfy the first aid training requirements of 46 CFR 10.205(h)(1)(iii) for a merchant mariner license."

NAUI Vice President Jed Livingstone said, "For the first time in the emergency responder training market there exists an international consensus on what constitutes effective CPR and First Aid skills and the training methods and content needed to educate the general public and professional rescuer communities."

NAUI offers several diving courses from skin diver (using no air tanks) to scuba instructor, and specialty courses such as rescue, Nitrox, and technical diving. Their certification is accepted internationally.

Related:

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list for the first aid course
• More to save a life - give blood - Blood Hero
  
• More on this and other diving books on my web site, DrBookspan.com

Labels: education, scuba

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