Irish primary school teachers’ experiences, training and knowledge in first aid

Abstract

ABSTRACT Injury and illness can occur in children. Since children spend a considerable amount of time in school, teachers must have the ability to assist when required. However, no research to date has examined Irish primary school teachers’ experiences, training and knowledge in first aid. An online survey (n = 587) examined Irish male and female primary school teachers previous first aid experiences, training and knowledge. Respondents generally showed high levels of both previous first aid training and exposure to events requiring first aid. In addition, most teachers knew the location of the school’s first aid equipment and were aware of their school’s first aid policy. However, many felt ill-equipped to deal with these situations, particularly for serious incidents and over a third of teachers were not currently certified in first aid. While teachers displayed good overall knowledge, gaps were evident. The findings demonstrate the need to develop a multilevel school strategy to ensure teacher proficiency and school preparedness in managing situations requiring first aid.