Inclusive first aid training can break down barriers and build confidence, as Ricci Masero explains
First aid training is important for keeping everyone safe at work, but something interesting came up when a good friend of mine went to a first aid class recently. She noticed that some men seemed worried about asking certain questions or physically helping women in emergencies. They were afraid people might think they were doing something wrong, even when they’re just trying to help.
Emergencies don’t care about gender or social rules. When someone needs help, the most important thing is saving their life and keeping them healthy
This concern over voicing queries and acting in emergencies raises important questions about the intersection of workplace safety, gender dynamics and the unintended effects of social movements.
Question revelation
During this workplace first aid course, participants were learning how to use an emergency defibrillator. As the instructor explained the proper technique, one of the female trainees raised her hand to ask a question that would spark an important conversation:
“Is it necessary to remove a bra when using the defibrillator on a woman?”
The instructor confirmed that yes, it is indeed necessary for the defibrillator to work effectively, as the metal underwiring in many bras can interfere with the device’s function and could potentially burn the patient.
After the session, a male participant admitted that he had the same question but didn’t ask it for fear of being viewed negatively. This moment of hesitation speaks volumes about the current climate in which men often feel they must second-guess their actions, even in potentially life-saving situations.
Fear of public CPR on women
According to a University of Pennsylvania study, women are less likely than men to receive CPR in public because some responders are scared to touch a female victim’s chest. This has real-world ramifications. The study discovered that men are 23% more likely to survive cardiac arrest because rescuers were more hesitant to perform CPR on women.
“By uncovering this disparity, we’ll be able to think about new ways to train and educate the public on when, why and how to administer bystander CPR, in order to help save more lives – of both men and women,” says Audrey Blewer MPH, Assistant Director for Educational Programmes at Penn’s Center for Resuscitation Science
The team evaluated 19,331 cardiac events using data from the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium. They found that 45% of men received bystander CPR in public, compared to 39% of women, and that men’s odds of survival were higher than those of women.
“The key takeaway from these data is that we need to find better and more effective ways to educate the general public on the importance of providing bystander CPR, and the importance of being comfortable delivering it regardless of factors like the gender, age, or even the weight of the person in need,” says Benjamin Abella MD, MPhil, Director of Penn’s Center for Resuscitation Science.
The ‘Me Too’ effect on emergency first aid
In recent years, there has been a significant shift in awareness around issues of consent, personal boundaries and appropriate behaviour in professional settings. The ‘Me Too’ movement, among other social changes, has played a crucial role in bringing these important topics to the forefront of public discourse. This increased awareness has led to positive changes in workplace dynamics and a greater emphasis on creating safe, respectful environments for all employees.
These shifts have also prompted many individuals to reflect more deeply on their interactions in professional settings. While this reflection is a positive change, it may have had some unexpected effects in contexts like first aid situations, where necessary physical contact is needed.
This situation raises several important questions:
- What are the potential long-term effects on workplace and public safety if this trend continues?
- How can we ensure that increased awareness of personal boundaries doesn’t inadvertently hinder potentially life-saving actions?
- What strategies can be employed to help all individuals, regardless of gender, feel comfortable and confident in providing emergency care?
- How can first aid training evolve to address these new concerns while maintaining its effectiveness?
Addressing these questions is vital to ensuring that workplace safety isn’t compromised as we continue to make strides in creating more respectful and inclusive professional environments.
Gender dynamics in professional healthcare
It’s worth pointing out that this issue isn’t confined to first aid scenarios. In professional healthcare settings, male nurses and doctors sometimes report feeling uncomfortable or anxious when providing intimate care to female patients.
“Providing intimate care for women clients was a challenging experience for male nurses. Participants described how it required them to invade these clients’ personal space. Consequently, they often experienced various negative feelings.”
This study concluded that professional healthcare environments need to provide more support and guidance for male staff, enabling them to develop effective coping strategies to manage challenging situations. These professional strategies could serve as a model for workplace first aid training, emphasising the importance of urgent care while acknowledging and addressing concerns about misinterpretation.
Importance of immediate action in emergencies
Over a third (38%) of UK adults have never undertaken any form of training to learn essential CPR skills. Yet medical professionals and organisations emphasise that in many emergencies, particularly cardiac arrests, every second counts. This underscores the critical importance of addressing any barriers, psychological or otherwise, that might prevent someone from taking immediate action in an emergency.
“A cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops beating; a person is immediately unconscious and will die within minutes if not treated quickly… The UK lags behind other countries in CPR awareness and currently less than one in 10 survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Simple, lifesaving skills and confidence aren’t yet as widespread as they can and must be,” says James Cant, CEO of the Resuscitation Council UK
Legal protections: The SARAH Act
It’s crucial to note that there are legal protections in place for those providing first aid in good faith. In England and Wales, SARAH (the Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Act 2015) was introduced by the government to protect individuals who offer reasonable help to someone who is unwell or injured.
This legislation provides a degree of safeguarding for those who try to offer first aid with good intentions. It requires courts to consider the context of the person’s actions when assessing liability for negligence or breach of statutory duty. This means that if someone acts heroically to help another person in an emergency, the law will take this into account.
However, awareness of this protection is low among the general public. Many may still feel vulnerable when providing emergency care, unaware that they have some legal protection for their good-faith efforts.
“No individual has ever been successfully sued in the UK for providing first aid, but the fear of it being possible has long concerned individuals and caused hesitation in providing aid – which ultimately could lead to a less favourable health outcome or even death. The key provisions of the SARAH Act seek to address this,” explains Carolyn Port of Winterbury Training.
Rethinking gender division in first aid training
During the first aid course that inspired this article, men and women were put in separate groups when practicing hands-on care. This was most likely intended to make everyone feel more comfortable, but it actually creates some problems.
By splitting up groups like this, we’re sending a message that it’s odd or wrong to help someone of a different gender. This doesn’t match real life, where you might need to help anyone in an emergency. It also means people miss out on practising with a mix of individuals, which could make them less confident in real situations.
Creating a more inclusive and effective training environment can help to combat these issues, alternative approaches should be considered by first aid training providers. Training could use mixed-gender practice groups, rotate partners regularly, and employ scenario-based exercises involving patients of different genders. Open discussions about any discomfort or concerns, and more emphasis on how to touch people in an appropriate way would also be beneficial.
By changing how we teach first aid, we can help everyone feel ready to assist anyone who needs help, no matter who they are. The main goal is to make sure people feel confident giving first aid to anyone who needs it.
Moving first aid forward with dialogue and guidelines
To address these complex issues in first aid training, several steps can be taken:
- Open discussions in first aid training about these concerns: Trainers should create a safe space for all participants to voice their questions and anxieties without fear of judgment.
- Clear guidelines on appropriate emergency physical contact: Develop and communicate explicit protocols for emergency situations, emphasising the medical necessity of certain actions.
- Increased awareness of legal protections like the SARAH Act: Ensure that all trainees are aware of the legal safeguards in place for good-faith first aid efforts.
- Encouragement for all participants to ask questions: Foster an environment where curiosity is a sign of engagement and responsibility, not potential impropriety.
- Regular refresher courses: Offer frequent opportunities for employees to update their skills and discuss any new concerns that may have arisen.
- Diverse training scenarios: Include a wide range of emergency scenarios involving patients of different genders to normalise providing care to anyone in need.
- Emphasis on teamwork: Encourage a buddy system approach to first aid where possible, which can help alleviate individual anxieties and ensure comprehensive care.
By fostering an environment where all questions are welcomed and addressed professionally, alongside carefully constructed mixed-gender practice scenarios, we can ensure that everyone feels comfortable providing potentially life-saving care when it’s needed most.
Support everyone to ask questions and act in emergencies
Let’s face it, emergencies don’t care about gender or social rules. When someone needs help, the most important thing is saving their life and keeping them healthy. That’s something we can all agree on.
We need to make real, lasting changes in our workplaces and communities. This means talking openly in first aid training, backing up people who ask difficult questions, and making sure everyone feels included.
Let’s use this opportunity to get people talking about how to make all of us feel strong and capable in emergencies. We want a world where people aren’t afraid to ask questions or jump in to help when it really counts.
Remember, the best kind of first aid is quick, skilled and given with confidence. If we work on these issues together, we can make sure that when an emergency happens, someone will be ready – no matter who needs help or who’s giving it.
Ricci Masero is Marketing Manager at Intellek
