Should First Aid Be A Required Course?

moe.ron · #1 04-26-2004, 09:39 AM

What do you think?

I personally think so.

Lady Pi Phi · #2 04-26-2004, 09:52 AM

While it's very, very useful, not it should not be required.
You can take a first aid course, that's great. But to actualy be certified in first aid, you have to recertify yourself every year. It's a lot of time and money.

It's should not be a required course in university, but maybe it should be taught in phys. ed. in highschool.

sairose · #3 04-26-2004, 09:53 AM

I think so. I wish I knew first aid.

I also think home ec/family consumer science should be REQUIRED in high school. Honestly, I learned many skills in my high school course that I STILL use...we were taught to manage a bank account, to use a checkbook, to cook and sew of course, etc.

Lady Pi Phi · #4 04-26-2004, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sairose
I think so. I wish I knew first aid.

I also think home ec/family consumer science should be REQUIRED in high school. Honestly, I learned many skills in my high school course that I STILL use...we were taught to manage a bank account, to use a checkbook, to cook and sew of course, etc.

Family Studies (what we called it) was only offered in the tecnical highschools in Toronto (as far as I know, I don't know if it was offered in the private schools).

I found it utterly useless in elementary school. We learned nothing.

I learned more from my mother and grandmothers and aunts then I ever learned in family studies.

33girl · #5 04-26-2004, 10:21 AM

Our high school phys ed teacher did "cycles" every 3 years so you didn't have the same thing year after year. One of those was first aid - I still have the little booklets we had to make up. It was definitely helpful. We were also offered the chance to take a CPR course after school free of charge.

rainbowbrightCS · #6 04-26-2004, 11:13 AM

I think it should be required in high school. Not every one goes to college.

Taualumna · #7 04-26-2004, 11:26 AM

Most schools around here got rid of Home Ec/Househould Arts/Family Studies because they felt that cooking/sewing could be taught at home or have moved to other departments (business, phys.ed, etc). Since my high school got rid of it in the late 70s-early 80s (the former family studies lab is now the guidance office), the cooking club has to actually use the school cafeterial kitchen! The University of Toronto used to have a Home Economics department, where you can actually get a degree, but guess what it is now? A Club Monaco store. I think one of the only universities that still offers such a program (which includes a Household Management and Nutrition), is Brescia College a Catholic, women-only college affiliated with the University of Western Ontario.

As for first aid: I've only taken a course two times, once in Girl Guides to earn my First Aid badge, and once again in high school gym.

chideltjen · #8 04-26-2004, 04:48 PM

i was taught first aid my freshman year of high school in PE. We all took a certification test but of course it expired a year later. I've never gone back to get recertified. And frankly I forget most of it.

dakareng · #9 04-26-2004, 11:30 PM

Requiring first aid for college degrees is like requiring phys ed. It seems so high school. If a course does not pertain to your major or advance your critical thinking/ analysis/ writing skills, why should it be part of an advanced education? Yes, there are always courses you take in the guise of "General Education" but most have some academic merit. Does first aid? I took in in college and I don't think it does. Yes, it was an easy A (not as much fun as History of Jazz though) and did somewhat add value to my program of study (nursing).

It does make sense, and could be considered applicable for some students such as health sciences or elementary education (playground duty, anyone?) but not for all students. Just my 2 cents....

CutiePie2000 · #10 04-27-2004, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by moe.ron
What do you think? I personally think so.

Hmm...I'm not sure how extensive you mean by First Aid (cuts, burns) but I definitely think at a MINIMUM, people should learn CPR and the Heimlich Manoever (including CPR on infants and children).

dakareng · #11 04-28-2004, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CutiePie2000
Hmm...I'm not sure how extensive you mean by First Aid (cuts, burns) but I definitely think at a MINIMUM, people should learn CPR and the Heimlich Manoever (including CPR on infants and children).

Yes, but should you get college credit for it? That's where I'm drawing the line. Yes, I think everyone should learn the Heimlich and all parents should know child/infant CPR/ choking. I just don't see how it could be spread out over a 15 week semester and be considered an academic subject that everyone from nursing to engineering must take. (yes, I could see the reaction of the Dean of the Engineering school that resented all those "artsy, fartsy classes that had no business in his curriculum"- and that was a quote from my summer as an orientation leader)

Tippiechick · #12 04-30-2004, 10:13 PM

I believe that it should be required for Education majors at the least... At MTSU, it is only a requirement for Early Childhood majors. But, as an Eled Major, I plan to take the "first aid for children" course.

If it would be beneficial to your area of study, then I think it should most definitely be required.

Teachers are "In Loco Parentis," meaning that we are taking the place of parents while children are in our care. So, yes, I think it would be almost irresponsible to not be aware of the basic first aid procedures, etc.

For other majors, such as History, Mass Communication, etc. I think it would help in life to know those skills. And, I think schools should make students aware of their availability towards elective credit. But, I don't think it should be required.