In a major first aid incident, the first aid manager of a workplace will need to ensure that appropriate debriefing is available to the First Aiders and other workers who may be affected by the incident.
There are a few anticipated general responses to a major first aid incident, including:
Anxiety due to fear of pain, death, financial loss, loss of employment ability etc.
Denial
Confusion
Anger – usually from fear/pain
Embarrassment – incident may have involved poor judgement
Shock
Self-pity – casualty could become child like
Depression
In such situations, it is important to debrief after such incidents. Such debriefing should provide an opportunity for the workers to deal with the emotions raised by the incident. This could be done by the first aid manager or might require specialist assistance externally.
After a first aid incident, the first aid manager should evaluate the effectiveness of the first aid provided, including:
Review the casualty report form
Talk to the First Aiders involved
Check if equipment all worked well
Self-evaluate things that what could have been done better
Assess if the current First Aid kits suit the common hazards within the workplace
Determine if it is necessary to increase the number of kits or equipment required
Assess the status of the kits
Evaluate if the skills of the First Aiders are up-to-date
Evaluate if there is a need in the increments of numbers of First Aiders
Assess the knowledge of first aid procedure of the staff upon incidents
Evaluate if the emergency services are easy access
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