The Russian Red Cross has proposed abandoning the exclusively online format for first aid training and making in-person practical skill sessions mandatory. This was announced by Pavel Savchuk, President of the Russian Red Cross, on September 10 at the press conference “Knowledge to Save: First Aid as a National Priority” held at the Russia Today International news agency.
The press conference was organized in the run-up to the World First Aid Day, celebrated this year on September 13. Its purpose was to bring together experts in humanitarian response, health care, disaster medicine and rescue services as well as lawmakers to work out consolidated solutions aimed to develop and structure first aid training in Russia.
The current strategy of the Russian Red Cross is to teach as many people as possible how to act in emergencies with the view that by 2030, at least one member in each family would have first aid skills.
“This is the key and undeniable principle of the Russian Red Cross: it is impossible to learn how to save lives by attending video classes or taking online tests. First aid is a complex set of motor skills and muscle memory. The online-only format creates an illusion of being competent, which dissolves at the most critical moment. This is why we argue for a legislative framework to make offline training mandatory, so that certificates would attest to skills actually possessed rather than serve as a formality to be submitted to employer, or just for self-assertion,” said Pavel Savchuk, President of the Russian Red Cross, who is also member of the RF Civic Chamber.
During the press conference President of the Russian Red Cross presented analysis findings for the first aid educational and awareness-raising services market. Of the 150 regional organizations surveyed, 98% use online format for first aid training, while summative assessment is mostly limited to testing, and hands-on skill practice is not even scheduled. This system discredits the very idea of teaching life-saving skills.
In addressing the issue the Russian Red Cross intends to put forward a number of legislative proposals. Those include, in particular, giving a special legal status to first aid training and define special terms and procedures for delivery of such educational programs as a licensed activity. Moreover, in order to facilitate the development of the training system RRC has suggested introducing mandatory hands-on simulator practice taking up at least 50% of training time, making training programs subject to approval by public health authorities and amending the federal law “On Fundamentals of Health Protection of Citizens” and relevant by-laws to standardize the requirements with respect to specialized educational institutions and teaching quality.
The importance of these moves was underscored by First Deputy Chairman of the RF State Duma Health Committee Badma Bashankaev who noted that the issue of first aid training has long been on the legislators’ radar screen, and it will take systemic legislative change to elevate this work to a new level.
“We have passed a law that totally rules out online-only and digital-only medical education. A similar system should be put in place for first aid training. A year ago we embarked on the process to modernize the procedure for first aid administration in line with the recent law amendment. There used to be a uniform set of first aid instructions for everyone, and now specific procedures have been developed for waterborne transport, aviation, etc. New standards have been adopted for first aid kits, and the list of conditions requiring first aid has been expanded. There are protocols which did not exist before: for example, assistance in case of venomous bites or acute psychological stress reactions. All these developments were enabled by our new law, which has been in effect for a full year. This work must certainly be continued. It is impossible to learn first aid skills by taking online classes only: where to place your hands and how to “lock” them, how to feel the pressure when doing chest compression to the depth of 5–6 cm at the rate of 120 compressions per minute to restart the heart. This is very difficult to master just by learning theory,” pointed out First Deputy of the RF State Duma Health Committee.
Apart from legislative initiatives, the Russian Red Cross is already taking steps towards a more transparent training system. The organization has launched a service on its official website that allows users to verity first aid training personnel’s certificates to make sure their trainers have proper qualifications and their RRC certificates are genuine.
The need to standardize educational programs, certification of first aid training providers and instructors, and collaboration between the government and NGOs were among the topics covered by Leonid Dezhurny, First Deputy Chairman of the Specialized Commission of the Russian Ministry of Health on “First Aid”.
He stressed that the only way to ensure the population’s ability to administer first aid in emergency is to implement a comprehensive approach, which encompasses standardized training processes using modern learning aids, effective first aid teaching methodology, and learning quality control.
“Today, the main prerequisites for improving the quality of first aid training and delivery are proper training of first aid instructors, making modern learning aids available to them, and putting in place a system of quality control with respect to training they receive and provide. If we manage to do all this to ensure effective implementation of existing first aid programs (at schools, universities, secondary specialized colleges and driving schools, as part of teacher training and occupational safety programs, as well as in the training of persons for whom administering first aid is a duty), the outcome will be preparedness to deliver first aid to millions of people annually. NGOs engagement in first aid training, and promotion of first aid will further increase the number of individuals with relevant skills, so that in a relatively short time we will have the capacity to administer first aid to practically everyone who needs it. This is a national priority!” – remarked Leonid Dezhurny.
