Hospital volunteers learn how to use life-saving medical kits | Latest news

Hospital volunteers learn how to use life-saving medical kits

Volunteers at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) have been trained to use medical kits to give them the skills that could potentially save lives.

The Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID) purchased 100 medical kits and distributed them around Nottingham city centre with the aim to equip people with medical items they can use in the event of someone being seriously injured, including knife crime victims.

Experts from the East Midlands Major Trauma Centre at Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) trained 13 volunteers in the first session this week, teaching the ABC’s of stopping a bleed. Alert – call 999, Bleeding – find the source and Compress – put pressure on the bleed.

Kerry Harper, Voluntary Services Manager at NUH, said: “As members of the local community, it’s important that our volunteers get involved with life-saving initiatives like this. The more people know how to use the medical kits, the more likely someone will be around with the skills needed to help save a life. The 13 volunteers who attended the training found the session really engaging and enjoyed getting stuck in with the hands on practice.”

Well over 200 people in our local community have now been trained to use the kits in a matter of months, including staff from local bars, restaurants and shopping centres in Nottingham City Centre - and NUH’s dedicated volunteers are the latest to embrace this opportunity, requesting to be trained so they (and NUH) play their part.

The training sessions are delivered by Clinical Director of the East Midlands Major Trauma Centre, Adam Brooks and his team. Adam said: “Initial feedback from the first few training sessions has been really positive, and this shows that our local community really do want to get involved and are now equipped with life-saving saving skills to prevent unnecessary injury or loss of life.”

Feedback also shows that those who have taken part to date feel they would now be confident in using the skills they learned to help save someone’s life which can only be a good thing for the city of Nottingham.

Leila Simms, a volunteer at NUH who took part in the training said: “The training was excellent, now knowing how to use the medical kits and what equipment is inside, puts my mind at rest. If an incident was to occur I would have the skills necessary and the confidence to try and stop the bleed until the emergency services arrived.”

“I don’t think that prior to the course I would have felt confident treating someone. Now I am confident that I could use the techniques we were taught to help in the situation whilst waiting for professional to attend.”

“The nurses doing the demonstrations and running you through how to carry out the first aid were so helpful and insightful.”

“The staff were all friendly and approachable. I am also grateful that they were willing to give up their time to teach us valuable information and skills.”

Over 1,500 volunteers support NUH across QMC, Nottingham City Hospital and Ropewalk House and are vital and valued members of Team NUH. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, find out more here: https://www.nuh.nhs.uk/volunteering-opportunities

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