Unless you are employed by others you will need your own set of training equipment. As with most occupations there is equipment that you need to buy, equipment that is useful and then there is ‘nice to have’ equipment. It is very easy to get carried away!
Required equipment
HSE Guidelines recommend a minimum ratio for certain equipment (e.g. manikins). I am assuming that you want to teach up to the course maximum of 12 and the numbers below reflect that. You can have more. For instance I actually have 1 manikin per learner to make life easier, however I appreciate that is a big outlay – as well as needing a decent size vehicle.
Prices are for new. Expect to pay about half this for second hand.
| Item | Workplace | Paediatric | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Manikin | min 3 (1:4) | – | about £200 each |
| Child manikin | min 3 (1:4) | min 3 (1:4) | about £200 each |
| Baby manikin | – | min 3 (1:4) | about £200 each |
| Bandages and dressings | 1 per learner | 1 per learner | allow £1 per learner, although better quality ones will last several sessions even though they are more expensive |
| Flexi splints (reusable) | 3-4 per course | For 3-day Workplace and outdoor courses. Any course that covers fractures | |
| Training defibrillator | 1 per manikin | 1 per manikin | About £300-400 |
| First Aid Kit and Accident book | 1 | 1 | This is your workplace! |
| Hygiene items | Nitrile gloves, manikin wipes, hand gel, training faceshields | ||
| Black / blue pens | Learners always forget to bring pens! |
Desirable equipment – useful to have
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Projector / screen / laptop / extension lead / cable guard | If using Presentations |
| Magic whiteboard | Magic whiteboard is white plastic on a roll that can stick to walls with static. Used for writing on or projecting onto |
| Choking vests | Used for practising dealing with choking. Comes in adult and child versions. Trainers are divided as to how good they are but I find them great for reinforcing learning |
| A4 whiteboards | Useful for group work |
| Airway demonstrator | This a head that can tilt demonstrating how a head tilt and chin lift can open an airway. Used as a visual tool by some trainers |
Back Office – to manage courses
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| PC / Laptop | |
| Printer | I’ve bitten the bullet and got a Laserjet as I’m fed up of unclogging inkjets if I don’t use them for a while. If you plan on printing your own Certificates a decent one plus decent card is a must |
| Landline or virtual landline | Having a mobile number as your main contact screams ‘small business / one person band’. Giving out a virtual 01 / 02 number that is on permanent redirect to your mobile looks so much more professional. Couple that with…. |
| Answer service | … virtual assistant. When I’m teaching I can’t be answering the ‘phone. I have a service where unanswered calls are diverted to a real human answering service who will take a message then email and text me the message so I can call them back. Again this gives the impression of a larger Organisation. We use Answer.co.uk and can highly recommend it |
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