First Aid Training

QNUK Level 3 Award in Outdoor First Aid

Regulated outdoor first aid training for instructors and leaders working away from immediate medical help, with practical casualty care for remote environments.

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QNUK Level 3 Award in Outdoor First Aid training with Good Skills Training

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QNUK Level 3 Award in Outdoor First Aid

Delivery & course duration: Face-to-face 3 days Blended E-learning + 2 days

Certification: QNUK

Maximum learners: Up to 12 per tutor

About the training

Course Overview

The QNUK Level 3 Award in Outdoor First Aid (RQF) is a regulated qualification for people who may need to provide first aid in outdoor and remote environments where professional medical help may not be immediately available. Outdoor first aid is about more than taking normal first aid outside. Weather, terrain, distance from help, limited equipment and the need to look after the rest of the group can all affect the decisions a first aider needs to make. Learners develop the essential life-saving skills of casualty assessment, CPR, AED use, choking and bleeding control before progressing into a much wider range of outdoor injuries and illnesses. The course includes major trauma, environmental emergencies, water immersion, temperature-related conditions and managing a casualty when evacuation may be delayed. A significant part of the learning and assessment takes place in an outdoor environment, giving learners the opportunity to apply first aid in more realistic conditions rather than assuming every casualty will be lying on a clean training-room floor. At Good Skills Training, we make the scenarios practical and relevant to the activities learners actually undertake. Good outdoor first aid training should build judgement as well as knowledge – quality training at affordable prices shouldn't be an alien concept.

Who should attend?

Who is this course for?

Outdoor activity instructors and leaders.
Mountain, walking, cycling and expedition leaders.
Outdoor education and activity-centre staff.
Scout, Guide and youth activity leaders working in outdoor environments.
Coaches and instructors responsible for groups away from immediate medical help.
People whose National Governing Body requires an appropriate outdoor first aid qualification.
Anyone responsible for first aid in an outdoor environment where professional help may be significantly delayed.

Course content

What will you learn?

The role and responsibilities of an outdoor first aider.
Managing an incident in an outdoor or remote environment.
Scene survey, primary survey and casualty priorities.
Protecting casualties from weather and environmental conditions.
Summoning emergency or rescue assistance from remote locations.
Monitoring casualties and vital signs while awaiting help.
Adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Using an automated external defibrillator (AED).
CPR considerations for children, drowning, avalanche and lightning incidents.
Managing an unresponsive breathing casualty.
Seizures.
Choking.
External and life-threatening bleeding.
Trauma dressings, haemostatic agents and tourniquets.
Shock.
Water immersion and cold-water emergencies.
Minor injuries, burns and scalds.
Secondary casualty assessment.
Fractures, dislocations, sprains and strains.
Support and elevated slings.
Head injuries.
Spinal injuries.
Chest, abdominal and pelvic injuries.
Burns and scalds.
Eye injuries.
Bites and stings.
Anaphylaxis.
Heart attack and other major medical emergencies.
Stroke.
Epilepsy and seizures.
Asthma.
Diabetes.
Hypothermia, heat illness and other environmental emergencies.
Practical outdoor casualty-management scenarios.

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Qualification code

603/2455/7

Maximum learners

Maximum ratio of 12 learners per tutor, in line with all first aid courses.

Prerequisites

No previous first aid qualification is required. Learners should be at least 14 years old. Learners aged between 14 and 16 may complete the qualification but should not be relied upon by an employer as the sole emergency first aider. This is a practical first aid qualification and requires floor work and outdoor practical activities. Learners must be physically capable of demonstrating the required first aid procedures, including performing CPR on a casualty or manikin positioned on the floor. Learners also need to be able to participate safely in practical outdoor scenarios, which may involve uneven ground, different terrain and changing weather conditions. Learners must have sufficient English to understand the training and assessment. The supplied QNUK V5 specification strongly recommends approximately Level 2 literacy. As this is a regulated qualification, learners must provide suitable proof of identity before assessment. If you have a disability, medical condition or additional support requirement that may affect the training or assessment, please tell us before the course so appropriate reasonable adjustments can be considered.

Course duration

The QNUK Level 3 Award in Outdoor First Aid (RQF) has 16 Guided Learning Hours. Good Skills Training offers the qualification through two delivery routes:

Face-to-face: normally delivered over 3 days, including practical outdoor learning and assessment.
Blended learning: learners complete the required online learning before attending 2 face-to-face practical training and assessment days.

The blended route allows some of the knowledge-based learning to be completed online while retaining the substantial face-to-face and outdoor practical training required for this qualification. QNUK permits a maximum of one-third of the Guided Learning Hours to be completed through video conferencing or self-directed e-Learning. At least two-thirds must be completed live and face-to-face with the learner and assessor in the same physical location. The online element must be completed before attending the practical sessions. The face-to-face days focus on applying the learning through realistic outdoor incidents, casualty management and assessment. Learners must complete the full qualification within 7 weeks.

Assessment

The qualification is assessed through an invigilated multiple-choice examination and observed practical assessments.

Multiple-choice examination: 40 questions.
Assessment time: 60 minutes.
Pass mark: 28 correct answers out of 40 (70%).
Practical assessment: learners must demonstrate the required first aid skills in realistic or simulated situations, including outdoor assessment.
Practical pass mark: 100% of the required assessment criteria.
Overall grading: Pass or Fail.

Learners get plenty of opportunity to practise and receive feedback before formal assessment. We want people to be able to make sensible first aid decisions outdoors, not simply remember enough information to pass an exam.

Certification

Learners who successfully complete all required assessments receive the QNUK Level 3 Award in Outdoor First Aid (RQF). Qualification number: 603/2455/7 This is a regulated Level 3 qualification awarded by Qualifications Network (QNUK). The qualification is valid for 3 years. Certification is subject to successfully completing both mandatory units and the relevant QNUK assessment and quality assurance requirements.

Requalification

The QNUK Level 3 Award in Outdoor First Aid (RQF) is valid for 3 years. Learners who need to maintain the qualification for their employment, outdoor role or National Governing Body requirements should complete appropriate requalification training before their current certificate expires. Outdoor first aid skills can fade when they are not used regularly. Refresher practice between formal courses is particularly useful for CPR, catastrophic bleeding, casualty assessment and outdoor scenarios where weather, terrain or delayed help affect the response. Employers and activity providers should also review training when activities, equipment, operating procedures or relevant guidance change.