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Mental Health First Aid Dementia

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What is Dementia?

Dementia is a condition in where there is a gradual decline in the brains functioning – it can cause a number of different symptoms that interfere with a person’s ability to carry out the normal tasks of daily living.

Name of dementia:

What are the most common forms of dementia?

Alzheimer’s disease

Causes:

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common sort of dementia. Alzheimer’s is where there are damaged tissues building up around the brain and as a result of proteins deposit and this causes the cells around them to die.

There are two types of proteins, called amyloid which forms plaques around the brain and tua, which form tangles with in the cells of the brain. Also, chemicals that carry messages in the brain are affected.

Signs and symptoms:

There are 3 different stages of Alzheimer’s disease which show different signs and symptoms – they are as follows;

Mild Alzheimer’s disease – common signs and symptoms could be;

  • Confusion
  • Becoming forgetfulness or poor memory
  • Speak difficulty in selection of correct words
  • Becoming disorientated

Moderate Alzheimer’s disease – common signs and symptoms could be;

  • Loss of ability to function independently
  • Progressive loos of memory

Severe Alzheimer’s disease – common signs and symptoms could be;

  • Become extremely confused and disorientated
  • Suffer from delusions and hallucinations
  • Become very wary of people around them
  • Severe memory loss
  • Not been able to know how someone is
  • Some individuals may become violent

Vascular dementia

Causes:

Vascular dementia is when arteries that supply blood to the brain become blocked – this can cause a stroke and the brain is starved of oxygen and tiny areas of the brain are damaged, leading to vascular dementia.

Signs and symptoms:

Signs and symptoms of Vascular dementia may sometimes develop very sudden or gradually over a period of months – common signs and symptoms could be;

Slow concentration levels making simple task become very hard for them

  • Low attention span
  • Memory loss
  • Chane in mood swings and general personality
  • Signs of depression
  • The ability to function when walking and loss of balance

  • Not sleeping and wandering during the night

Lewy Bodies

Causes:

Dementia with Lewy Bodies are tiny protein deposits found in nerve cells that disrupt the functioning of the brain. When a build-up occurs, it prevents the brain from making the required amount of important chemicals

Signs and symptoms:

Signs and symptoms of Lewy Bodies may sometimes develop gradually and become worse over a period of years – common signs and symptoms could be;

  • Memory loss
  • Instable confusion
  • Loss of smell
  • Rigid movement
  • Slow walking with a shuffle
  • Hallucinations
  • Unable to contain a regular sleep pattern
  • Muscular jerking in the arms and legs
  • No facial expression

Mental Health First Aid Dementia

Frontotemporal dementia

Causes:

Frontotemporal dementia is common form of dementia in people under 65 years of age.  It is caused when damage to the front areas of the brain by clumps of abnormal protein forming inside.

Signs and symptoms:

The most common symptoms Frontotemporal dementia involve severe changes in personality and emotional behaviour – other common signs and symptoms could be;

Sudden changes in personality and emotional behaviour, for example, the individual may become less complex to other people emotions and seem bitter towards them. This can also include a person who was very outgoing, may become very isolated or vice versa.

Shyness and not willing to speak to anyone due to difficulty in understanding what people are saying.

  • Have very childish behaviour.
  • Poor personal hygiene.
  • Mood swings and possible depression.
  • Repetitiveness behaviour and possible hording of other people things.
  • Have very inappropriate behaviour to others, such as inappropriate language or comments or even inappropriate sexual suggestions.
  • Become very aggressive.Become easily distracted.

For further information on our Mental Health First Aid Dementia courses please contact us here or for our mental health done for you training package please see here

Schizophrenia Mental Health First Aid

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Schizophrenia Mental Health First Aid – Part 2

How can an individual’s schizophrenia may affect others?

Not only will schizophrenia affect the individual life it may also affect others around them.  It will affect others, but mainly family and friends, even though friends and family will have the persons best interest at heart they may become frustrated after a period of time if the individual has not made any progress.

Some examples could be;

  • Sometimes family or friends may not be able to cope with the individual suffering schizophrenia due to the slow recovery time. This can become very frustrating for the family. The individual may be suspicious or aggressive to family and friends and they may feel they cannot offer the support for this condition, in some cases they may wish to cut ties with the person.
  • As previously mentioned, a person suffering with schizophrenia has delusions and hallucinations bringing a huge dysfunction to their normal daily routine, such as hygiene, eating, and exercise. This again can cause frustration and anger after time from friends and family.
  • Schizophrenia suffers will depend on alcohol and drugs to take away any self-relieve. This will affect the family by watching the person worsen and even develop further mental health issues such as paranoia

What are possible interventions and treatments for schizophrenia?

Medical interventions for schizophrenia are to help reduce they illness or even reduce the possibility of a relapse.

Some examples of possible interventions for an individual suffering from schizophrenia would be:

Antipsychotic medication

Antipsychotic medication is a prescription drug, but it will not cure schizophrenia. It can however, help relieve the symptoms of schizophrenia such as delusions and hallucinations.

Hospitalisation

Individuals who suffer with schizophrenia illness are mostly treated by specialist GP’s or mental health nurses as out patients. However, people who suffer with severe schizophrenia illnesses or those who may talk about self-harm or suicide will need specialist treatment in hospitals to help them recover and be kept under special observation

Electroconvulsive Therapy

This form of treatment was once known as electroshock therapy. This is mainly given under a general anaesthesia where seizures are electrically induced into the individual to help them with some relief from mental disorders

Psychological Treatment

Psychological Treatment can help with the behavioural, psychological, social and emotional problems with this condition, thought therapy would allow an individual to control their symptoms and realise the early warning signs and put an action plan in place to stop any relapse.

These types of therapy can include;

  • Training sessions of rehabilitation that will help the individual to improve confidence and social skills in order to help them live more independently and not rely on friends and family on a day to day basis
  • Individual psychotherapy activities to help build self-esteem and allow the person to understand their illness in a less stressful environment
  • Support group therapy – this will give ongoing support to the individual or more important to discuss with other sufferers just how they are feeling at times
  • Family support therapy will allow the whole family, as well as the person suffering with schizophrenia illnesses to understand more and be able to deal better with any situation they may encounter

How can an individual with schizophrenia can help manage their own illness?

Following on from Medical interventions and treatment for schizophrenia an individual can also help to manage their own illness. This self-help can be managed in a few different ways for example;

Self-help groups

By attending self-help groups, this would provide an opportunity for individuals moving forward to share experiences best practice and different ways of dealing with the illness, the groups will also help better understand the condition and other advice and support out there.

Avoid unnecessary stress

A person could also avoid undue stress where possible, if a person is working long hours at work then they could reduce this time by speaking with their line manager or employer. The equality act 2010 makes “reasonable adjustments” to facilitate the employment of a disabled person, this includes individuals diagnosed with a mental health illness

General good health

A Healthy life still is so important for self-help with an individual who is diagnosed with schizophrenia illness, especially if they are antipsychotic medication as this could cause high risk to the persons physical health. Nutrition and a healthy balanced diet are essential and it’s also advised for a more day to day healthy life style too, this could include; taken regular exercise such as walking, jogging, biking, swimming etc.. along with having a regular sleep pattern and avoiding doing stressful jobs or activities.

How can others help an individual with schizophrenia to manage their illness?

There are many different ways in which other people can help someone diagnosed with the illness schizophrenia. First and foremost, family and friends can have a pivotal role in helping an individual manage their condition.

People with schizophrenia need to feel loved and wanted and really need and benefit talking to someone so they can discuss their feeling and thoughts.

Here are some ways that friends, family and others can help someone with schizophrenia illness;

Know more about the schizophrenia illness.

People can conduct in-depth research in order to find out more about the illness and by knowing more about the illness, this will allow them to emphasis with the individual and notice any possible triggers. For example, it can be very difficult to understand and act if the person is disagreeing with you on something they believe in which is not actually true. So by understanding the illness and symptoms, will become more beneficial to focus on how the person is actually feeling instead of what they are actually experiencing

By understanding the illness more will also help to put planning in place and looking at different way in dealing with it.

Practical support

They could offer practical support such as helping them find accommodation or taking them to therapy groups if they lack the transport or if there are any barriers.

Schizophrenia Mental Health First Aid

Keep a diary

It is very useful to keep a record of the person who has the illness and log everything down. This can include, any types of symptoms, old or new, any medication that the person is or had taken and if there have been any side effects from the types of mediation. By keeping this type of diary will help friends and family to look out for the various signs in the future.

Join support groups

Friends and family can play a major role in encouraging the person to attend and join support groups. This will help the individual talk to others who suffer with schizophrenia and share experiences and best practice on how they cope with different symptoms

Continued offer of help and support

Also let the person know you are there for them anytime of the day or night. This will help them feeling wanted and loved and can help reduce any stress levels.  By offering strong emotional support will be huge for a person with schizophrenia, friends and family could also encourage the person to continue with their treatment and offer encouragement.

Provide emergency help

This is a vital part in the ways in which others can help the individual with schizophrenia. For example, we discussed earlier that a person who suffers from severe schizophrenia may have self-harm or suicidal thoughts. If this is the case then friend and family need to act fast and get the immediate help in order to get the person safe and the appropriate treatment

What resources are available to an individual experiencing schizophrenia?

Local resources would be GP’s

A GP is normally the first port of call – they can offer advice, make referrals and prescribe any appropriate medication.

The GP’s will also put in place the next stages for the person such as, mental health assessment, a care plan, appoint a social worker to work on a day to day basis with the person and monitor and review the person on a regular basis

What they offer

Medication that is prescribed could be a therapy in order to help control symptoms.

Community mental health teams

The community mental health team provide the day to day support for the individual and any treatment in order for them to make sure the person has as much independence as they can.

Other treatments and services involved could include taking therapy, counselling and cognitive behaviour therapy which will work with the individual to self-control their condition. An independent social worker can also be appointed

Schizophrenia Mental Health First Aid

For further information on our Mental Health First Aid schizophrenia courses please contact us here or for our mental health done for you training package please see here

 

Mental Health First Aid Schizophrenia

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Mental Health First Aid Schizophrenia Part 1

What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a severe psychotic mental health disorder that affects how a person may be thinking, feeling, and behaving. Individuals suffering with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality and will not know what is real and what is unreal

Schizophrenia is a long-term condition that will also affect a number of psychological symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations

Even though schizophrenia may not be as common as other mental health disorders, the symptoms can be very disabling.

 How does media coverage cause fear and misunderstanding to schizophrenia?

The media tends to blow schizophrenia out of proportion and it is widely misinformed in the media, due to this a lot of the general public have a fear of this condition. For example, the media often use the term “schizophrenia” to portray someone as being totally out of control or having a split personality – but it’s not and this leads to high volumes of the general public to believe it is without understanding the disorder.

Media coverage can also portray an individual with this condition as violent and that the individual is only safe to society if they are locked away in an institute. Well this is not the case as most people who suffer schizophrenia do not tend to commit any violent crime – but studies have shown that individuals with drug or alcohol problems are twice more likely to commit violent crime

Stigmatisation of the media cover of is schizophrenia can be excessive.  For example, the individual can be seen as being so disruptive that people with those conditions must be isolated from society. This can also cause fear for the person suffering and also their family

What are possible causes of schizophrenia?

With schizophrenia, there is no evidence or answers as to why some people will suffer with schizophrenia and some people won’t – but at the same time, its not easy to identify what caused it. Individuals who will be diagnosed with schizophrenia will have a few ongoing factors in their life which could possible trigger the causes,

The possible causes of schizophrenia could be:

  • A genetic inheritance can be a cause of this, as some families are more prone than others. By developing a certain gene can make someone more vulnerable but not necessarily develop schizophrenia however, someone is more likely to develop this condition if their parent has schizophrenia.
  • Drug abuse can be a possible cause of schizophrenia – for example, using excessive amounts of cannabis, an individual is six times more likely to develop this condition if they use cannabis or any other recreational drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, LSD or ketamine on a regular basis.
  • Brain damage can be a possible cause of schizophrenia – for example, either an infection during pregnancy or the possible lack of oxygen to the brain is reduced during birth.
  • A stressful life event may trigger schizophrenia, this could be things such as, being homeless or living in deprived areas where poverty is high, a job loss or loss of a family member.
  • Physical or verbal abuse may also be factors of the causes of schizophrenia.

What are the feelings an individual with schizophrenia may experience?

A person with schizophrenia may experience positive and negative feelings

Positive feelings with schizophrenia do not mean good, it actually refers to symptoms not present in an individual without schizophrenia – the positive symptoms help identify abnormal mental functions such as;

  • Delusions such as a false belief a person has even though there is over whelming evidence to suggest otherwise, such as believing they are being followed or spied on constantly. There is limited examples of delusions as it can be about anything.
  • Hallucinations are when a person is hearing, seeing, feeling or smelling things that are not real, most people with schizophrenia say they hear voices, these voices may give orders that they feel should be followed and can be often aggressive voices or of a sexual nature
  • Thought process, this can be things such as, thought insertion where a person belief their thoughts in their mind are not their own.
  • Another one could be thought broadcasting where the individual believes their thoughts are being read by others.
  • Thought withdrawal, this is where the individual thinks someone is removing their own thoughts from their own mind
  • Thought blocking, this is where the individual had a mind block where they cannot remember what they were actually talking about in a certain conversation

Mental Health First Aid Schizophrenia – Negative symptoms

  • Some negative feelings with schizophrenia are the absence of the mental function that should be present and these could be:
  • Lack of motivation where everything seems as an effort, tasks may not be complete and concentration levels are poor. This can include facial expressions and voice tone
  • Emotions may be flat and sometimes these emotions maybe odd, for example they mag giggle at something that is actually not funny or sad
  • A person experiencing negative feelings would also be more likely to self-neglect and show signs of poor personal hygiene, and may appear to be in their own zone of thoughts. Education can be difficult and this could have memory problems for the individual and also difficulty in planning and organising.

How can schizophrenia affect the individual and their life?

Schizophrenia can carry a vast negative impact with major affects to an individual’s life and normal day to day life and routine can become near impossible. Delusions and hallucinations will stop the individual focusing and they are more likely to neglect themselves such as personal care, dressing, eating and drinking and going shopping.

individuals suffering with schizophrenia often turn to alcohol and or drugs to take away any thoughts. This would have a huge effect as it will make the condition worse, especially if the individual is on medication as it would not work as effective.

An individual with schizophrenia may withdraw themselves and this would make it harder for them to have a healthy relationship with their friends and family, they may even become suspicious or hostile of them.

Individuals with schizophrenia often have suicidal thoughts. Any talk of suicide from someone suffering schizophrenia should be taken extremely serious and help should be sorted immediately

Mental Health First Aid Schizophrenia

For further information on our Mental Health First Aid schizophrenia courses please contact us here or for our mental health done for you training package please see here

Mental Health First Aid Postnatal Depression

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Mental Health First Aid Postnatal Depression. Postnatal depression affects certain mothers once they give birth to their baby.  Postnatal Depression can leave the mother feeling low for a lengthy period of time and the illness can be either mild of severe.

What the difference between the terms ‘baby blues’ and ‘post-natal depression’?

Baby blues is a temporary form of depression and soon disperse once the mother has adjusted to changes and demands of the baby. The time duration of baby blues usually only last three or four days.

Baby blues is very common with new mothers and affects around 80% of mothers and normally occurs two to four days after birth. Some common symptoms could include feeling emotional and crying for no apparent reason, the mothers may suffer a loss in appetite and experience difficulty in sleeping.

Postnatal is different as it can last for a lengthier period of time and can be severe and disabling for the mother.

Postnatal Depression can affect 1 in 10 new mothers and occurs when the baby is in-between four to six months old.  Post-natal can come on gradually or all of a sudden and the effects can be either mild or severe and common symptoms can be confusion, anxiety or depression.

What are the possible risk factors for developing postnatal depression?

As with most Risk factors associated with mental health, they can be categorised as the following:

  • Physical
  • Psychological
  • Environmental

Certain risk factors for developing post-natal depression can vary as there are many possibilities, risk factors for developing post-natal depression could include:

  • The mother experiencing a difficult of traumatic labour or birth
  • An none wanted pregnancy where the mother did not want to give birth
  • Fertility issues including difficulties in conceiving
  • Relationship problems, including domestic violence
  • Sexual or violent abuse as a child or adult
  • Lack of support from the baby’s partner, family and social isolation

What are the main features of puerperal psychosis?

Puerperal psychosis is an extreme form of post-natal depression and can also be known as postpartum psychosis, some describe it as losing touch with reality and being over demanding.

Puerperal psychosis develops very suddenly and often occurs within the first few weeks of given birth. The features can include hallucinations, delusions, depression or even suicide attempts, sudden mood swings, thoughts of causing harm or rejection to the baby and anxiety.

Puerperal psychosis can cause irrational actions and behaviour, it is similar to the characteristics of bi-polar and schizophrenia. Characteristics vary depending on the individual and previous mental health.

What are the feelings an individual may have when experiencing post-natal depression?

Post-natal depression can affect women in various individual ways. It often starts within the first year after giving birth and can develop all of a sudden. Mental Health First Aid Postnatal Depression

An individual that suffers with postnatal depression may experience a wide range of feelings, these may include feeling despondent and constantly thinking of negative thoughts, they may also feel very tired and lethargic. A loss of appetite often may occur along with a disturbed sleeping pattern.

The individual may be hostile to their partner or the baby, have panic attacks and a feeling of anxiety.

Mental Health First Aid Postnatal Depression

 Postnatal Depression can affect people in different ways, for example;

The mother

The mother may have a lot of depression and negative thoughts with postnatal depression, but the effects may vary depending on the severity of the post-natal depression. Other factors that may affect the mother could be the lack of motivation which could result in the individual neglecting themselves or the baby.

They may feel isolated and have difficulty sleeping, this will mean they will be tired and affect how they do things. These can lead to anxiety and increase the risk of a panic attack.

Bonding with the baby

It’s vital for a mother to bond with her baby so she can offer the baby the security, emotional safety and well-being that is required.

Postnatal depression can affect bonding as it could cause the mother to feel unable to look after the baby, the mother may feel failure and being detached because of bonding problems. They may want no physical contact with the baby and in serious cases may have thoughts of harming the baby.

Others

It can make it sad and uncomfortable for friends and family to witness the mother unable to cope with having a baby and dealing with depression.

They may feel helpless if the mother refuses to be helped and she may seem unapproachable – this will cause uncertainly of how to react. Partners may suffer emotionally and financially as they may need to take time off work to support the mother.

Partners, friends and family may feel helpless and this could lead to friction and conflict. They may also feel partly to blame or even become depressed themselves.

Mental Health First Aid Postnatal Depression – What are the preparations for birth that may reduce the risk of postnatal depression?

The mother, family and friends can all help in a collective way to help reduce certain risks of post-natal depression – this can be done well in advance of the birth by clear planning and preparation

Some ways of reducing the chances of postnatal depression would be to have ideas in mind in the planning ahead. Good exercise and a healthy balanced diet during pregnancy can help the mother emotionally and also her unborn child. To have a birth plan of wishes and preferences may also reduce the risks.

The person should avoid stress where possible and have appropriate support thought the pregnancy and decide on a birthing partner. A good way to avoid the possible stress is to attend antenatal sessions with their partner and keep good communications with the local health nurse.

The knowledge and opinions of mother hood from other mothers to get and insight into their experiences or any changes and what may occur would also help.

What are self-help measures for post-natal depression?

By having self-help measures in place this can allow a mother to manage any possible risks of Post-natal depression

The following self-help measures for post-natal depression could be:

  • Eat a health balanced diet and not go too long without food – this will keep sugar levels up and this can help stop any anxiety.
  • Joining support groups and sharing experiences with other sufferers, this can gain new ways of coping and reduce the feeling of isolation
  • Learning to nap when the baby does– this will keep the mother feeling less tired and feeling low
  • Don’t drink alcohol or use any drugs or substance – not only could this affect the unborn baby but also could make the mother incapable of any other self-help measures
  • Talk to a supportive person such as a friend or family member – by doing this, it can allow others to have an insight into ways they can support you. Also, it can give the sense of release to open up and talk about feelings.
  • Set daily and weekly goals and targets – this can help with the mother’s routine with the baby
  • Do regular steady exercise such as walking – this will help with recovery and keep a health mind set
  • Relax as much as possible and don’t take on unnecessary tasks or challenges – this will keep the mother fresh and motivated and reduces the risk of anxiety

What are possible treatments for post-natal depression?

Possible treatments for postnatal depression could be:

Counselling or talking therapy

This can help the sufferer open up and talk about their feelings, then the counsellor can help the individual find ways to change things for a happier life. Mental Health First Aid Postnatal Depression

The two main types of therapy are cognitive therapy and interpersonal therapy

A type of psychotherapy which is about the way people (in this case mothers suffering post-natal depression) reflect on things that affects how they feel emotionally and in general.

It spotlights on the current way of thinking and behaviour instead of thinking about past experiences.

Hormone therapy can reduce the symptoms of post-natal depression, it is a replacement of oestrogen what the mother maybe short of after childbirth.

Anti-depressants

Can be effective treatment for post-natal depression but must be prescribed by a doctor, normally your local GP. The Anti-depressants can help the mother with her symptoms by allowing her to function better and engage better with her new born. The Anti-depressants may only be given on prescription if the mother is suffering with moderate to severe depression

What local resources are available to an individual experiencing postnatal depression?

Resources

  • local GP’s can prescribe medication or refer the person to an expert, counsellor or community mental health team. A the GP can refer the mother to a health visitor to arrange regular home visits to offer advice and support.
  • A counsellor can be very helpful as they can offer an impartial and objective view on how the person is feeling. The community mental health team will be a constant network of support.

Treatments

Treatments available could be:

  • Guided self-help is where the GP can provide information to help the individual self-help, these cover the issues the person is facing and provide practical advice on how to deal with them.
  • Antidepressants can be prescribed by a GP to help an individual deal with this condition, this will usually be a last resort such as a severe form of PND and counselling has not been successful.
  • Talking therapies encourage the person to talk through their problems, two common forms of talking therapies are cognitive behavioural therapy which aims to break negative thought patterns and find new ways of thinking. The other one is interpersonal therapy which aims to identify if relationships with others may be contributing towards feelings of depression.

Please click here to download the The Power of Positive Thinking videos and resources

What resources can a person with puerperal psychosis require?

Resources an individual with psychosis would require would be:

  • Referral to a community mental health team would happen if the mother is suffering a severe condition or if the individual does not respond to current treatment. The community mental health are a specialist team of nurses, occupational therapist, psychologies and psychiatrists
  • Mother and baby mental health clinic maybe recommended if no one can look after the baby and the CMHT feel it will impact on the baby’s development to separate if from its mother.
  • Admission to hospital can be a resource if the condition is extremely severe and there is deemed to be a risk of self-harm or harm to the baby. If there is support from family then it may be recommended they care for the baby until the mother is well enough to return home.

What are the treatments a person with puerperal psychosis would require?

There are two main treatments, these are which would be a

Medication for puerperal psychosis can be made from a combination of; mood stabilising medication such as an anti-epileptic drug, an antipsychotic to help symptoms of psychosis or a tranquilliser to help the mother keep calm and relaxed.

Under no circumstances can the mother breastfeed their child id they are taking any types of these medication.

Electroconvulsive therapy may only be used under special circumstances and when other treatments have not been successful.

Electroconvulsive therapy is a process that requires to be taken out under a general anaesthesia.

The procedure sends electric currents to the brain, in turn to purposefully cause a brief seizure to the individual. The whole procedure is thought to make changes to the brain by decreasing the number of connections.

For further information on any mental health please contact us here or contact us if you would like to book an in-house mental health Postnatal Depression first aid course

Free Training Courses In Durham

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Are you age between 16 and 24, unemployed due to the effects of COVID-19 or would like a change in career, then why not join our free courses in Durham. SMARTT North East will deliver a 12 day course held at Consett AFC football stadium

We are starting Tuesday 2nd September (a week Tuesday) at 10am at Consett AFC
 
We will brief all the learners in more detail on the start of the course but here is the dates and times;Online Business Ideas

  • The address is Belle view stadium, Delves Lane, Consett DH8 7BF
  • Start Tuesday 2nd 10am to 3pm
  • Wednesday – Friday 10am-3pm the rest of the week
  • The following 2 weeks will be Monday-Thursday 10am-5pm

We will of cause be having breaks and lunch times etc but food will not be available due to COVID-19, so leaners will be need to either bring lunch or they have the option to use local shops

All course resources will be supplied on the day of the course and PPE will be available for practical activities  (gloves/masks/sanitiser)

Learners are not requested to wear a face mask or gloves during the sessions but if they wish to do so them that’s OK

Free Training Courses In Durham

What qualifications can I get for free?

Successful learners will gain 6 sector skills qualification in the following;

Level 2 Food Safety for Catering
Level 2 Personal Licence Holders
Level 2 Conflict Management
Level 2 Emergency First Aid at Work
Level 2 Principles of Fire Safety
Level 2 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health

Learners will take part in many different activities in both classroom environment and outdoor, such activities will include; Problem activities, Communication, Working in teams and Improve own learning. We use a variety of teaching methods to ensure learning styles are accommodated including kinaesthetic, auditory and visual methods, and appropriate and sensitive assessment procedures to support learners and encourage confidence and trust. Free Training Courses In Durham

If you have question on our COVID-19 Risk Assessment please view it here and please visit here for free resources

For further details please dont hesitate contacting us here

Free First Aid Courses

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SMARTT are running free First Aid courses in Consett. The courses are part of a fully funded course though DurhamWorks.

As well as free First Aid courses, learners will also gain 6 further qualifications in just 12 days – please see here for more details on the other courses

Free First Aid Courses

Below are just a small sample that will be covered on the free First Aid Courses; but please download our FREE 104 page First Aid Manual

Respiratory System

How the respiratory system works?

The main aim of the respiratory system is to supply oxygen to all parts of the body; breathing is essential to life.

How we breathe in and out – When the diaphragm contracts (goes down) we breathe in, when it expands (goes up) we breathe out. Air is drawn in through the mouth and nose and goes down the trachea (windpipe). The oesophagus is behind the trachea and food and drink go down this. To stop food and drink going down the trachea there is a flap of skin called the epiglotis that prevents this from happening. From the trachea the air goes down into the bronchus and in turn the bronchus tubes (one to the right lung, one to the left lung).

From here the alveoli act as a two-way valve (membrane), air passes through the membrane into the blood and waste products from the blood are drawn into the alveoli. When we exhale, the diaphragm expands, waste products are expelled up the bronchus, the trachea and expelled through the mouth and nose.

  • The composition of the air that we breathe in is a mixture of:
  • Nitrogen (76%)
  • Oxygen (20%)
  • Other gases (4%)
  • Carbon dioxide (trace)
  • When we exhale we breathe out a mixture of:
  • Carbon dioxide (4%)
  • Nitrogen (76%)
  • Oxygen (16%)
  • Other gases (4%)

What are the 4 main functions of the respiratory system?

The 4 main functions within the respiratory are;

  • Breathing – (air)
  • Sound Production –
  • Olfactory Assistance – (smell)
  • Protection

Small Splinters

Splinters are foreign objects that embed themselves into the skin, either fully or partially. Splinter injuries are often surprisingly painful and are a common occurrence that can be caused by many
things such as:

  • Shards of glass
  • Splinters of wood
  • Splinters of plastic
  • Sliver of metal.

To find out more or book a place on our courses please contact us here

Please click here for more free resources

Free First Aid Course At Consett AFC

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SMARTT will be running more Free First Aid Course at the home of Consett AFC next month.  Not only will we be running free First Aid, people who attend the course will also receive a further 7 qualifications over the period of just 12 days.

Where can I learn first aid for free?

Free courses include;

  • First Aid – Level 3
  • Personal Licencing – Level 2
  • Food Safety – Level 2
  • Control of Substances Hazardous to Heath (COSHH) – Level 2
  • Conflict Management – Level 2
  • Fire Safety – Level 2 (Fire marshal)

If you are aged between 16 and 24 and currently unemployed you can learn and gain the first aid qualification amongst the others for free.

How do I get CPR certified for free?

CPR is included in the course as well as defibrillation training

Minimising Infection

It is essential that as a primary aider you do not transmit infections in your casualty or indeed agreement infections out of your casualty. To assist in minimising the threat of infection and go-infection there are numerous precautions that may be taken together with;

  • Having suitable personal hygiene
  • Ensuring that barrier gadgets are used
  • Protecting any open cuts or sores
  • Minimising contact with blood or physical fluids
  • Converting gloves among casualties
  • Washing palms thoroughly after eliminating gloves.

What are barrier devices?

Barrier devices are essential pieces of first aid equipment which will help stop the spread of infection and cross-contamination between the casualty and first aider. Barrier devices, like the name says, put a barrier between the first aider and the casualty

Barrier devices can include:

  • Powder / Nitrile free gloves
  • Face masks/shields
  • Pocket masks/shields.

Cleaning after an incident

Once the incident has been handed over to qualified medical assistance, then the clearing up process must commence; this process consists of:

  • Ensure that all used bandages and used items such as personal protective equipment (PPE) are placed in a yellow clinical waste bag, or similar
  • Ensure that the area where any blood or other bodily fluids have been spilt is thoroughly cleaned
  • Restock the first aid kit and replace any other equipment that may have been used during the incident
  • Record and report the incident.

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What do you do when assessing an incident?

When you arrive at an incident you need to conduct what called a scene survey. This is to make sure ensure that the safety of everyone around is paramount. The following steps will help you ensure that the scene is safe;

  • Control the situation – take a rain check and control all the surrounding including any traffic or bystanders
  • Look around to identify any dangers – identify anything that will or can cause harm to the casualty, anyone around you and most of all yourself.
  • Assess the area and situation – Gain as much information as possible about what happened, ask bystanders and anyone around what they seen.
  • Protect and prioritise – make sure barriers are on, IE gloves, and when dealing with multiple casualties prioritise treatment.

What is a Primary survey?

The primary survey is a systematic system of;

  • approaching
  • identifying
  • dealing and coping with instantaneous and or existence-threatening conditions.

Having conducted a scene survey and established that the immediate area is safe from any dangers, you can now approach the casualty. When approaching the casualty an initial casualty assessment should be conducted; this initial assessment is called a primary survey

This systematic system can be remembered by an acronym DRABCD

What does DRABC stand for?

The systematic system acronym DRABCD stand for;

Danger

Response

Airway

Breathing

Cpr/Circulation

Defibrillation

Let’s look at each in turn

Danger – Before you approach the casualty, make sure the area around the casualty is safe in order for you to treat them, also to protect yourself any bystanders.

Response – This is to see if the casualty will respond to you if you tap them on the shoulder or call their name

Airway– Ensure the airway is open by tilting the head back and opening the airways, this is known as the head, chin, tilt approach

Breathing – Check the causalities breathing for 10 seconds – this is done by looking down the chest and looking for chest movement, listening for any noise and feeling if any breath is coming out the causalities mouth

(note, if the causality is breathing there is no requirement to do circulation – you would put the casualty in the recovery position, we will look at this later)

Cpr/Circulation – This is only don’t when the casualty is not breathing. CPR is 30 chest compressions and 2 rescue breaths)

Defibrillation

What does CPR stand for?

CRP stands for cardio, pulmonary, resuscitation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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First Aid At Work Course | In-House

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SMARTT North East Ltd is an approved centre for the deliver of RQF Level 2 and Level 3 First Aid Training Qualifications.

Our team of highly experienced trainers are mainly ex service personnel and are fully qualified with expertise and experience not only in emergency first aid but battle and combat first aid.

What are the aims of First Aid?

The aims of first aid can be known as the 3 P’s

  • Preserve Life – This is the immediate effective first aid given to a casualty to save life
  • Prevent Worsening – Been able to recognise and treat the injury caused will help assist with preventing the injury from worsening
  • Promote Recovery – This is the ongoing treatment and support given to the casualty until the arrival of qualified medical assistance

Do you need consent to help someone?

There is an over belief that a person that is requires help actually wants the help – but in some cases this is not true.

Before you start to direct first aid, the individual needs to give their permission or consent.

Therefore, before commencing any kind of treatment the emergency first aider or responder should ask for consent from the casualty in order to treatment them.

Not always is the casualty responsive due to their injuries and is unable to give consent, therefore you can assume consent is given to go ahead with treatment.

What are the responsibilities of the First Aider at work?

The responsibilities of the emergency first aider will be dependent on specific workplace requirements.

Responsibilities could include:

  • Ensuring the first-aid equipment is in order and ready to use
  • Arriving at the scene
  • Ensuring the scene is safe
  • Contacting the Emergency Services
  • Prioritise treatment of multiple casualties
  • Clearing up after an incident
  • Incident reporting and recording

What are 10 items in a first aid kit?

There are many items you can have in a first aid box at work, but here are the most populist 10

  • latex free gloves
  • Eye Protection.
  • CPR Face Shield.
  • Tourniquet.
  • Gauze Pads.
  • Hypoallergenic Plasters.
  • Surgical Tape.
  • Triangular Bandages.
  • Eye Wash
  • Contents List.

Should eye wash equipment be in a First Aid box?

If no running main tap water is available, then at least a litre of sterile water or sterile saline. Should be present and in an approve suitable eye wash bottle or container.

The container should be at least:

  • Safely secured
  • Ideally mounted onto wall if possible
  • It should be located in next to the first aid kit.

What do you need to do when you arriving at the scene of an incident?

  • When arriving at the scene, always try to remain as calm as possible.
  • Take control of the situation as there will be people milling around and – through no fault of their own – becoming a hindrance rather than a help.
  • Conduct a scene survey, this will be covered in full later on in the course.
  • Before approaching the casualty ensure your own safety, that of bystanders and others who may be in the vicinity.
  • gain as much info about the events as possible from bystanders and the casualty.
  • With the information gathered in order to inform the Emergency Services when they arrive.

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Contacting the Emergency Services

The first aider should establish the procedure for calling the Emergency Services from their workplace (i.e. is there a direct line out or do you have to go through a switchboard?).

It will either be the first aider or a bystander that contacts the Emergency Services.

As well as 999 the European Union (EU) emergency number 112 is also in operation.

Once you call the Emergency Services you will be asked “what emergency contacts are you needing?”

At this point if there is a requirement for Police, Fire or Ambulance or a combination then you can state what the requirement is. Inform the Emergency Services of the exact location of the incident, including full address and postcode. Inform them of the nature of the incident (what happened and how), the number of casualties involved and the extent of their injuries (what their actual or suspected injuries are).

How to minimise transmitting infections?

It is important that as a first aider you do not transmit infections to the casualty or indeed contract infections from them. To assist in minimising the risk of infection and cross-contamination there are various precautions that can be taken such as:

  • Having good personal hygiene – ensuring that your own personal hygiene is at a high standard at all times.
  • Ensuring that barrier devices are used – when dealing with any casualty ensure that you wear disposable gloves and use face shields.
  • Covering any open cuts or sores – if you have any open cuts or sores ensure that these are covered with a dressing.
  • Decreasing touching blood or bodily fluids – if possible, avoid direct contact with and blood or bodily fluids.
  • Changing gloves between casualties – if possible try to change gloves between casualties so that blood and bodily fluids are not passed from one casualty to another.
  • Cleaning both hands fully once you have taken off your gloves – after dealing with a casualty, even when wearing gloves, hands must be thoroughly washed.

What are barrier devices in First Aid?

Barrier devices are essential equipment and help to eradicate the spread of infection and cross-contamination. Barrier devices, as their name suggests, place a barrier between the first aider and the casualty

Barrier devices include:

  • Nitrile powder-free gloves
  • Face shields
  • Pocket masks.

Our guarantee to you is we ‘Will’ beat any genuine written quote.

For further details on any of our First Aid Training courses please contact us or we can arrange to call you back and discuss your requirements

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Mental Health First Aid | Stress

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What is meant by the term ‘stress’?

Stress is the reaction an individual has to extreme mental or emotion demands or pressures given to them. Stress can also cause further and other mental health problems

What are the possible causes of stress?

Feelings of stress are typically triggered by matters happening inside the individual’s personal life which can contain:

  • being under masses of pressure
  • going through huge adjustments
  • worried about something
  • now not having much or any manipulate over the outcome of a state of affairs
  • having duties which you’re finding overwhelming
  • not having sufficient work or activities in your life
  • Uncertainty of your future or family life

There might be one big component causing the person stress, but stress also can be due to a build- up of small demanding situations. This could make it tougher for the man or woman to discover what’s making them feel careworn, or to provide an explanation for it to different human beings.

Within a workplace can be a very stressful environment for certain individuals, things that can cause stress in the workplace would be a demanding job where the person feels overwhelmed with what is expected of them. Mental Health First Aid Stress

They may also feel they have inadequate training so are not fully in control of their new job. They may feel the support and guidance they receive from colleagues and managers is not there and they do not have any positive relationships at work. Also, we must consider the working hours, long working hours may result in added stress and worry for the person.

The health and safety executive lists six main areas that can lead to work-related stress if they are not managed properly.

These are: demands, control, support, relationships, role and change.

For example, employees may say that they:

  • are not able to cope with the demands of their jobs
  • are unable to control the way they do their work
  • don’t receive enough information and support
  • are having trouble with relationships at work, or are being bullied
  • don’t fully understand their role and responsibilities
  • are not engaged when a business is undergoing change

Health and safety executive. 2020. Causes of stress at work. [SOURCE] Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/causes.htm.

How can stress be both useful and harmful?

We think of stress as harmful to our mental health but depending on the type of stress it can also be useful in its own way.

Useful stress can make you more a tentative and aware of dangers, it can help boost memory and help you solve challenges and overcome certain situations. It may also boost your immune system such as improving how your heart works and protecting the body from infection.

Stress is also a crucial caution machine, generating the fight-or-flight reaction. (conflict management). While the brain perceives some kind of stress, it begins flooding the body with chemical compounds like epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol.

Stress can be harmful and certain symptoms can affect the mind, body, thoughts or general feelings. If stress occurs over a long period of time then it can also weaken the immune system.

Stress that’s left unchecked can contribute to many health issues, for example; high blood pressure, heart disorders and obesity which can lead to diabetes.

What are examples of the symptoms of stress?

Although the person may not be aware of all the symptoms of stress it could include the following:

  • Butterflies in the stomach
  • Feeling sick of dizzy
  • Constipation or diarrhoea
  • Sexual difficulties such as erectile dysfunction
  • Aches, pains and headaches
  • High blood pressure and increased heart rate
  • Sleep depravation

Mental Health Awareness | Stress. How can stress affect an individual?

Stress can affect human beings in lots of unique ways and can cause health issues to an individual or even make contemporary fitness troubles get worse.

A few mental symptoms of stress consist of;

becoming tired, worrying, negative outlook, depression, anxiety, lack of appetite, lack of concentration and unable to sleep Some emotional signs include feeling tearful, irritable, mood swings, defensive, angry, frustrated, lack of self-esteem and sensitive.

What are the internal and external demands in life that may result in stress?

Internal demands are problems an individual may bring upon themselves by their own personal well-being and can be less obvious to identify.

Examples of these would be striving for perfection, lack of sleep, unhealthy diet, unnecessary worrying, putting others first and having low self-esteem.

External factors are situations an individual finds themselves in relating to their job, children, pregnancy, health issues with a loved one, bereavement, in ability to balance work and social life and if they are in bad debt.

What are healthy strategies that could be used to reduce or manage stress in life?

There are a number of different things a person with stress can do to reduce or manage with this condition better such as;

learning to relax by taking a bath, listening to some soothing music or reading a book. A individual could take regular breaks from work or any other activities they have so things don’t get on top of them.

They could look at their long-term goals instead of the short term, be better organised and look to change what they can control in their life. They should also focus on the positive aspects of their life, too often we look at the negatives. An individual should also confide in someone and not keep their emotions bottled up.

What is the purpose of keeping a stress diary and how they are used?

The aim of Stress diaries is to help an individual to record and file statistics about any stress issues they may have, this in turn will help them to analyse the stress in order to control them. They also help you to understand reasons of stress in extra elements. The levels of stress at which you operate maximum efficiently.

Mental Health First Aid | Stress

A stress diary can be useful for someone who is unable to pin point what the triggers of stress are. They can keep a diary for two to four weeks detailing down, the date, time and place the

stressful event occurred, what they were doing, who they were with, how it made them feel emotionally and physically and a rate from 0-10 on how stressful the event was.

The diary can then be reviewed after a certain period of time and it will be helpful in seeing what are the triggers and causes of stress.

For further information on any mental health please contact us here or if you would like to book an in-house Mental Health First Aid Stress course