Since emergencies do not occur on a regular basis, it is imperative that you are prepared at all times, both emotionally and physically. Emergency situations require that you act quickly 8. appropriately. Providing help when you are untrained or ill prepared can leave you feeling a sense of failure and may change the course of a patient's life. We believe your attendance at this training class will give you the skills and confidence you need to provide quality first aid care and hopefully, save a life!

Staying calm and thinking clearly will help you focus during an emergency. Most of what you need to know is common sense. The remainder is learning and retaining the skills you need to provide effective, emergency care for the patient. Learning first aid is similar to learning any new skills; the more you practice and review, the more confident you will become and the better you will perform those skills.

When the emergency has subsided, your normal coping mechanisms will begin to kick In. Your thoughts, feelings and concerns about a given situation wilt begin to pass. Many times during emergency care, your patient will die, despite all your hard work and effort. Our bodies use coping mechanisms to deal with sad or stressful situations such as this. This coping process has five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

People move through these stages at different speeds and in different ways. This transition may take several weeks or longer. It is crucial you allow yourself the grace and time to work through the stages and begin your healing. Unfortunately, the feelings may not subside. Therefore, it is important you recognize the signs of stress overload and not let it affect your life or your health.

If you or a loved one notice any of these signs, you need to seek help. Help is available in the form of critical incident stress debriefing, professional mental health care or religious counseling.

Another factor to consider in emergency care is dealing with the injured person's family. They will need information, comfort and caring. They may be frightened, angry and possibly even combative. Maintain your own safety while providing them with answers to their questions.