SAM.I. First Aid experts continue revision of Contest guidelines

The EC First Aid came together in Vienna on 28-29 July 2017, hosted by ASBÖ. Apart from bringing the guidelines of the Samaritan Contest up to date, they also put some final touches on the new SAM.I.-internal first aid certificate.

The Contest guidelines had last been revised in 2011, in preparation of the Contest in the following year. Since then, several aspects of the ERC guidelines, representing the current state of medical science in first aid, have changed, and with them first aid training. The revision, which is scheduled to be done in time for the Contest 2018, will also add some additional aspects not directly related to first aid, such as recommendations on a simpler and clearer points scheme for Contest tasks.

The SAM.I.-internal European First Aid Certificate, meant to facilitate recognition of certificates in Europe until an officially recognised solution is found, also received some final touches at the session. It will be published in the next months, after the interested partners have subscribed to applying the new version.

Vienna was also the last meeting of the EC First Aid in its current form, as the implementation of the SAM.I. strategy of 2016 plans to implement so called “competence centres”. The Competence Centre for First Aid will most likely be taking over all tasks of the EC First Aid and continue its work.