SLC S21 Week1 [SUMMARY] || Empowering Life-Saving Skills: A Guide to First Response and Basic First Aid

Introduction

The Steemit Learning Challenge was introduced to provide an invaluable opportunity for users on this platform to gain practical knowledge and hands-on skills in various fields offered by professionals here. This initiative has fostered a diversity of learning experiences, with a wide array of courses presented by users who are experts in their areas of interest. This season, we decided to focus on teaching one of the most essential skills—Basic Life Support (BLS)—to equip people with the knowledge they need to act effectively in critical situations.

Basic Life Support is a fundamental skill that everyone should be familiar with. In life-threatening emergencies, immediate and appropriate action can make a significant difference, often saving lives. With this aim in mind, we structured the first week to cover the basics of First Aid, laying the foundation for handling emergencies that people encounter every day. Emergencies may range from common incidents like traumas and accidents to more severe situations such as fire emergencies.

The main emphasis of our first week's course was to prepare participants on how to respond effectively in these emergencies. We introduced participants to the various scenarios they might encounter and highlighted the crucial role they could play as first responders. By understanding the responsibilities and quick thinking needed, participants were encouraged to develop the confidence and presence of mind that are essential in emergency situations.

An integral part of the course was introducing the DRABC protocol, a structured approach to assessing and responding to emergency situations. DRABC stands for Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, and Circulation, which are the key steps in evaluating and providing initial support to an injured or unresponsive person. Each component was explained in detail to ensure participants understood the purpose and importance of each step.

Danger emphasizes assessing the scene for any potential hazards to ensure the safety of both the responder and the victim. Response focuses on checking if the individual is responsive by using simple communication or gentle stimulation. Airway addresses maintaining a clear airway to allow breathing if the individual is unconscious. Breathing and Circulation assess whether the individual is breathing adequately and if there is a pulse, guiding the need for CPR or other support.

As part of the learning challenge, participants were tasked with explaining their understanding of the DRABC protocol, reflecting on how they would apply each step in real-life situations. They were also encouraged to share any experiences they had with emergencies and discuss how they could use these new skills to respond more effectively in the future.

By the end of the first week, we aimed for participants to gain a comprehensive understanding of this protocol, which serves as a foundational skill in emergency response. This overview gave them the knowledge to approach emergency situations with more confidence and clarity, ensuring that they are better equipped to respond to crises effectively and responsibly.

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Statistics

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The number of entries this week exceeded our expectations, to say the least. We received 40 entries, though one of them was unfortunately invalid due to not following a couple of the rules. Both @abdu.navi03 and I had a detailed discussion about this particular entry, as it was probably one of the best we had read among all the submissions. The personal experience of facing an emergency situation described in that post was so vivid, it felt as though I was there, experiencing the situation myself. However, to maintain fairness in this challenge, we ultimately decided to disqualify the entry despite its quality. We would like to give that user an honorary mention and attach the link to their post.

@weisser-rabe : Link

_{side note:I was in a dilemma while finalizing this report. On one hand, I felt it would be unfair to the other participants if a post that hadn’t followed the challenge rules was not automatically disqualified. On the other hand, there are some posts that you read and feel are exactly what you’ve been waiting for—genuine feelings expressed in the blog, with a real-life example that comes straight from the heart. What do you all think of this situation?}

Total Number of entries	Invalid entries	Plagiarized content
40	1	0

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Out of these 40 entries 15 users had an Excellent approach to this course whereas 16 people had good entries and 8 users had an average approach.

8 or above	6 or above	Below 6
15	16	8

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Winners

With a background in medicine and having been schooled in pre-medical programs our whole lives, we have always faced strict grading criteria. This was something @abdu.navi03 maintained in this challenge post as well, even though I had advised him to be a bit lenient haha. Out of these 40 participation posts, the top four users were:

Position	Username	Blog	Score
1	@aneukpineung	link	9.2
2	@goodybest	link	8.8
3	@eliany	link	9.1
4	@kouba01	link	8.8

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Conclusion

As a final note, I’d like to give some advice to my participants: approach these First Aid lessons with the goal of truly learning something essential and life-saving, not just to earn high votes. Try to understand each and every step, as these are among the most valuable lessons.

In an emergency, it’s true that people may not remember each step precisely and often act on instinct. However, keep in mind that all the steps you’re learning have been tested by first responders, who have identified the best possible actions to take in critical situations.

This week, I look forward to reading your insightful contributions and hope for even greater engagement.

Regards,

Dr Huzaifa Naveed
Dr Abdullah Naveed