Courses · Emergency Response
First Aid Theory for Disability Support Workers
Bleeding, burns, fractures, anaphylaxis, asthma, seizures, stroke, diabetes and envenomation — first aid theory built around the emergencies that actually happen in support work.
Important — this module does not certify you
IMPORTANT — This is a non-accredited theory course. It is NOT the nationally recognised unit HLTAID011 Provide First Aid, and this Certificate of Completion is NOT a Statement of Attainment. Nationally recognised first aid certification requires in-person practical assessment through a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), including demonstrated CPR on a manikin, bandaging and use of an adrenaline autoinjector trainer. Most employers require HLTAID011 renewed every 3 years, with the CPR component (HLTAID009) renewed annually. Use this module to build and refresh knowledge, and to prepare for practical assessment — not as a substitute for it.
About this module
A comprehensive first aid theory course written for Australian disability support. Covers the primary and secondary survey, severe bleeding and shock, burns, fractures and sprains, medical emergencies including anaphylaxis, asthma, seizures, stroke, cardiac events and diabetic emergencies, snake and spider bite management, heat and cold illness, poisoning, and how to document and report it all under the NDIS.
Who it is for
Support workers, SIL and group home staff, community access workers, allied health assistants, team leaders — anyone who may be the only person present when something goes wrong.
What you will be able to do
- Conduct a primary and secondary survey and set priorities correctly
- Manage severe bleeding, shock, burns, fractures and soft tissue injuries
- Recognise and respond to anaphylaxis, asthma, seizures, stroke, cardiac and diabetic emergencies
- Apply pressure immobilisation for snake and funnel-web spider envenomation
- Respond to poisoning, heat illness and hypothermia
- Document, report and escalate incidents in line with NDIS obligations
- Manage a fall, a suspected fracture and a head injury without making either worse
- Apply pressure immobilisation correctly to an entire limb
- Assess someone who cannot tell you what is wrong
- Keep a first aid kit and a first aid record that stand up to scrutiny
Aligned to
- ANZCOR (Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation) Guidelines
- NDIS Practice Standards — Provision of Supports
- NDIS (Incident Management and Reportable Incidents) Rules 2018
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011 — first aid duties
Lesson plan
What the module covers
| # | Lesson | What it covers | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Before you start — scope, limits and legal protection | What this module is, what it is not, and what the law expects of you. | 8m |
| 02 | The primary and secondary survey | Finding what will kill them first, then finding everything else. | 10m |
| 03 | Bleeding, wounds and shock | Stopping blood loss, and recognising the body shutting down. | 12m |
| 04 | Medical emergencies | Anaphylaxis, asthma, seizures, stroke, cardiac and diabetic emergencies. | 18m |
| 05 | Bites, stings, poisoning and the environment | Pressure immobilisation, poisoning, heat and cold — Australian-specific first aid. | 14m |
| 06 | Falls, fractures and head injury | The most common serious injury in support work, and the one most often mishandled. | 16m |
| 07 | The kit, the record, and being ready before it happens | What is in the kit, what to check, what to write, and what to rehearse. | 10m |
| ✓ | Final assessment | 17 scenario-based questions · pass mark 85% · unlimited attempts | ~15m |
Also in Emergency Response
Anaphylaxis
Recognise anaphylaxis, give adrenaline without hesitating, and know why lying the person flat matters as much as the injection itself.
CPR
DRSABCD, compressions, rescue breaths and defibrillation — the theory behind resuscitation, aligned to current ANZCOR guidelines.