E-Learning in first aid training? Trainers take stock in DIGIFIRSTAID.

The Erasmus+ project Digital First Aid Education (DIGIFIRSTAID) held its first in-person meeting in Riga from 30 September to 2 October 2022.

The project is a collection and exchange of practices in digitalizing first aid training, that the project partners adopted during the years of the pandemic, when in-person training was a challenge or downright impossible.

The host of this first meeting, the Samaritan Association of Latvia (LSA), had attempted the introduction of digital elements into their training even before the pandemic, in 2014, with many materials already created. However, official regulations on specific details of first aid courses ultimately hindered adoption, as they were incompatible with instruction outside of a course room. The issue was briefly taken up again in 2019 in an attempt to tailor the e-learning around the regulations, but ultimately never found implementation until 2020 when, during the Covid-19 pandemic, educators in regulated fields enjoyed more flexibility in conducting their courses. This led to a Zoom-based hybrid course that reduced contact among participants. Yet, the future of this concept is uncertain as the exceptions were temporary.

A more detailed article by LSA about their e-learning efforts so far is forthcoming and will be published on the project website at https://digifirstaid.samaritan-international.eu/

The project DIGIFIRSTAID will go on to explore the digitalization attempts, successful and less successful, at more partner organisations. The next meetings will take place next year in Italy.