Paediatric First Aid (Level 3 RQF)

This qualification is for people who have a specific responsibility at work, or in voluntary and community activities, to provide help to infants and children in a range of first aid situations. 

The learner will:

• Identify the role and responsibilities of a paediatric first aider
• Identify how to minimise the risk of infection to self and others
• Differentiate between an infant and a child for the purposes of first aid treatment
• Conduct a scene survey
• Conduct a primary survey on:
• • an infant
  • a child
• Summon appropriate assistance when necessary
• Identify when to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to:
• • an infant
  • a child
• Demonstrate CPR using:
• • an infant manikin
  • an adult manikin
• Identify when to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with an automated external defibrillator (AED)
• Identify when to place an infant or child casualty into the recovery position
• Demonstrate how to place:
• • an infant casualty into the recovery position
  • a child casualty into the recovery position
• Demonstrate continual monitoring of breathing whilst the infant or child casualty is in the recovery position
• Identify how to administer first aid to an infant or child casualty who is experiencing a seizure
• Identify when an infant or child casualty is choking
• Demonstrate how to administer first aid to:
• • an infant who is choking
  • a child who is choking
• Identify whether external bleeding is life-threatening
• Demonstrate how to administer first aid to an infant or child casualty with external bleeding
• Demonstrate how to administer first aid to an infant or child with external bleeding
• Recognise when an infant or child casualty is suffering from hypovolaemic shock 
• Identify how to administer first. aid to an infant or child casualty suffering from hypovolaemic shock
• Identify how to administer first aid to a casualty with:
• • bites
  • stings
  • small cuts
  • grazes
  • bumps and bruises
  • small splinters
  • nosebleeds
• Recognise a suspected:
• • fracture or dislocation
  • sprain or strain
• Identify how to administer first aid to an infant or child casualty with suspected:
• • fracture or dislocation
  • strain or sprain
• Demonstrate how to apply
• • A support sling
  • An elevated sling
• Recognise a suspected:
• • head injury
  • spinal injury
• Identify how to administer first aid to an infant or child casualty with a suspected head injury
• Identify how to administer first aid to an infant or child casualty with a suspected spinal injury
• Identify how to administer first aid to an infant or child casualty with a foreign body in the:
• • eye
  • ear
  • nose
• Identify how to administer first aid to an infant or child casualty with an eye injury
• Recognise suspected:
• • asthma attack
  • diabetic hypoglycaemic emergency
  • allergic reaction
  • meningitis
  • febrile convulsions
  • Diabetic hypoglycaemic emergency
• Identify how to administer first aid to a casualty with suspected:
• • asthma attack
  • diabetic hypoglycaemic emergency
  • allergic reaction
  • meningitis
  • febrile convulsions
• Recognise when an infant or child is suffering from:
• • extreme cold
  • extreme heat
• Identify how to administer first aid to a casualty suffering from:
• • extreme cold
  • extreme heat
• Identify how to safely manage an incident involving electricity 
• Identify how to administer first aid for an infant or a child who has suffered an electric shock
• Identify how to recognise the severity of burns and scalds 
• Identify how to administer first aid for an infant or a child with burns and scalds 
• Identify how poisonous substances can enter the body 
• Identify how to administer first aid for an infant or a child with suspected sudden poisoning 
• Recognise suspected anaphylaxis in an infant or a child 
• Identify how to administer first aid for an infant or a child with suspected anaphylaxis 
• Demonstrate the use of a ‘training device’ adrenaline auto-injector

The qualification is available to learners aged 14 or over but a learner cannot assume the responsibility of being a first aider in the workplace until they reach the age of 16.

It is recommended that learners hold a minimum of level 1 in literacy or equivalent to undertake this qualification.

It may be possible to grant a reasonable adjustment for a learner who has a disability, medical condition or learning need. For example, assistance could begiven with reading or writing. 

Due to the practical nature of the first aid assessment there are physical demands. Learners must be able to get to the floor unaided and successfully demonstrate all required elements of the practical assessment on their own, with the casualty on the floor, as in a real-life situation. For example, a learner will need to get to the floor unassisted and demonstrate effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a manikin at floor level.

If a learner has any concerns they should contact their training provider to discuss before attending the course.

The qualification has 12 assigned guided learning hours (GLH) and 15 hours total qualification time (TQT).

GLH indicates the number of contact hours that the learner will undertake being taught or assessed under the immediate guidance or supervision of the trainer/assessor in the classroom.

TQT includes GLH but also considers any unsupervised learning or preparation that a learner may undertake independently which could include self-study or the completion of set tasks.

The minimum classroom contact time of 12 hours can be delivered in 2 days or can be completed over a maximum of 7 weeks ensuring that each session is a minimum of two hours.

The learner ratio for the qualification is a maximum of 12 learners to 1 trainer/assessor.

Learners are assessed against the required knowledge, skills and understanding, as detailed in the learning outcomes and assessment criteria shown below. For each unit there are: 

• Practical assessments – observed by the Trainer throughout the course, with the results of each learning outcome recorded on the practical assessment paperwork. There are 7 practical assessments for this qualification: 
• • Infant CPR and safe use of an AED 
  • Child CPR and safe use of an AED 
  • Choking casualty 
  • Paediatric wounds, bleeding and shock 
  • Unconscious casualty 
  • Management of paediatric fractures 
  • Management of anaphylaxis 
  • Catastrophic bleeding (optional) 
• Theory assessment/multiple choice question papers – there is 1 paper per unit for each Learner and Learners should answer all the questions under ‘examination’ conditions: 
• • The maximum time allowed for Unit 1 is 25 minutes and for Unit 2 it is 40 minutes. 
  • The minimum mark for Unit 1 is 11 out of 15 and for Unit 2 it is 18 out of 25 to be considered for an overall ‘Pass’ 

There are 2 possible grades available of Pass or Fail. All mandatory areas of assessment must individually meet or exceed the required pass criteria/mark for the Learner to achieve this qualification. 

Practical assessment

Scenarios are set recreating a real-life situation as far as possible to enable a learner to demonstrate their knowledge and practical skills. During the practical assessment the learner will be asked set related oral questions by the trainer/assessor.

The practical assessment is ongoing throughout the course with the trainer/assessor making learners aware of when they are being assessed and what they are required to demonstrate.

A learner must satisfactorily complete each scenario to pass the practical assessment.

The qualification is valid for three years from the date of achievement.

It is strongly recommended by the Health and Safety Executive that the learner attends annual refresher training.

Requalification

The HSE guidance states that on expiry of their qualification a first aider is no longer considered competent to act as a first aider in the workplace. It is advisable to arrange requalification before expiry to ensure that a workplace is not left with a shortfall of qualified first aiders.

The Learner needs to retake the qualification before the certificate expiry date to remain qualified.