Over the years I have been to loads sports events, concerts, theatre shows and music festivals and each time I've managed to stay inconspicuous. No one gets in my way or tries to ask me anything. I just blend into the background the same as the thousands of other people present.
The moment I put on my St John Ambulance uniform however, people start coming up to me and asking questions. Normally they are looking for directions and inevitably it will be directions to the nearest toilet. Failure to answer or provide appropriate directions will usually result in a frown, or at the very least a disappointed shake of the head. That's fine though, I can live with that. It just means that before every duty I attend, my first task is to find out where the toilets are.
It's always nice to feel helpful and if the duty is uneventful then breaking up the monotony with a quick chat can be rather pleasant.
This was far from being the case at I recent event I attended – the filming of BBC2’s Flog It! in the stunning Wells Cathedral. An American tourist came in to look round and gradually made her way to the ‘in memory’ candles next to where I was standing. Not being able to find a taper to light her candle, I suggested she might find one at the back of the cathedral where more candles were located. I thought my suggestion was helpful but I was swiftly proved wrong by being reprimanded for "just not being good enough!" She then proceeded to lecture me on how disgraceful it was that the BBC were in the cathedral as their presence added a short detour to her journey to the back of the building. Clearly circumnavigating a few tables and chairs is complicated for some people, or perhaps it was the increased journey length that upset her. Either way she was not happy, and it was made very apparent that I was at fault.
The bag I was carrying labelled 'first aid', or the jacket I was wearing labelled 'St John Ambulance' were clearly not sufficient to identify me as having nothing to do with the candles. As far as this lady was concerned, the fact was that I was in uniform meant I must be in overall charge of the cathedral. Probably the BBC too for that matter.
I find it quite fascinating how people react to uniforms and the 'official' status they assume that person to have. I wouldn’t for one moment suggest they look up to people in uniform, but there is a definite awareness of their presence, an assumption of some kind of secret knowledge, and with that comes a degree of expectation. When in a sports stadium, it is expected that anyone in uniform will know where stand X, row Y, seat Z is. At a festival they are expected to know where the burger vans are and the relative merits of each one. And as I mentioned earlier, anyone in uniform will always, always be expected to know where the toilets are. It is a position of responsibility the wearer must live up to, or they will suffer the consequence – the dreaded frown.
Being in uniform and being visible also means you are likely to be under constant scrutiny. Your every action and the way you behave will be observed at all times, and every flaw will be noted. Every flaw may be noted but that does not mean all the good you do will be noticed – bad news travels with the speed of sound, good news tends to stay in a sound proof box. It’s something to keep in mind the next time you're on duty though. Even if it's a quiet day and you think you're sitting inconspicuously at the back, think again! You're probably being watched, so act like you're being watched.
Also find out where the toilets are, take a candle taper with you and if you are in a cathedral, perhaps a minister's dog collar. Just in case not being able deliver communion "just isn't good enough!"
Friday, 11 March 2011
Monday, 7 March 2011
Communication, communication, communication!
As a student of public relations I spend a lot of my time trying to extol the virtues of effective communication and getting people to talk to one another. Effective communication being a good thing may sound pretty obvious but reality doesn't always have much to do with common sense. Anyway, the importance of communication is no less when it comes to delivering first aid.
During a recent training exercise, I had the fun of being strapped into a Kendrick Extrication Device (KED). The KED is a jacket normally used to immobilise a casualty's upper body, enabling them to be removed from a confined space while reducing the risk of further damage. Another use for the KED however, is to immobilise the lower body in the event of a pelvic injury, as I was using my fairly dismal acting skills to demonstrate on this occasion.
I actually found that being immobilised in such a way was quite an unnerving experience. Maybe it was just the exercise artificiality, but there seemed to be a lot of people getting intimately close while repeatedly pulling, shoving, lifting and tugging. I could only imagine what it would be like for a real casualty with a real injury, someone already likely to be suffering both physical and mental stress.
Communication is therefore essential on the part of the first aider who must talk to the casualty at all times. If moving them, let them know first so nothing comes as a surprise. They will already be distressed so the last thing they need is more pain inflicted on them, especially if it seems unnecessary.
Talking to them does not just mean telling them what you are doing, but explaining why. If you fully discuss your actions and the reasoning behind them, then your apparent confidence will help provide reassurance. The psychological value of reassurance can be just as important as the physical treatment. Perhaps keep in mind that if you don’t tell them what you’re doing, they’ll try to find out themselves, any movement potentially aggravating a spinal or neck injury.
Communication is not just a one-way information flow. It is not just the first aider who should talk to the casualty, the casualty should do likewise with the first aider. Arguably this is still the responsibility of the latter who needs to ask the right questions in order to obtain the relevant answers. This interaction will give the first aider a better idea of the extent of the injury and what needs to be done to prevent further pain or damage. By ensuring that communications are symmetrical, the first aider and casualty can discuss a suitable way forward and agree on a treatment that is designed to suit the situation.
So the next time you treat a casualty, don’t just switch to auto pilot and treat them as though they were a dummy. Remember you’re dealing with a fellow human who is probably quite scared. Talk to them. Listen to them. Make sure there is a mutual understanding between you. Then treat them.
During a recent training exercise, I had the fun of being strapped into a Kendrick Extrication Device (KED). The KED is a jacket normally used to immobilise a casualty's upper body, enabling them to be removed from a confined space while reducing the risk of further damage. Another use for the KED however, is to immobilise the lower body in the event of a pelvic injury, as I was using my fairly dismal acting skills to demonstrate on this occasion.
I actually found that being immobilised in such a way was quite an unnerving experience. Maybe it was just the exercise artificiality, but there seemed to be a lot of people getting intimately close while repeatedly pulling, shoving, lifting and tugging. I could only imagine what it would be like for a real casualty with a real injury, someone already likely to be suffering both physical and mental stress.
Communication is therefore essential on the part of the first aider who must talk to the casualty at all times. If moving them, let them know first so nothing comes as a surprise. They will already be distressed so the last thing they need is more pain inflicted on them, especially if it seems unnecessary.
Talking to them does not just mean telling them what you are doing, but explaining why. If you fully discuss your actions and the reasoning behind them, then your apparent confidence will help provide reassurance. The psychological value of reassurance can be just as important as the physical treatment. Perhaps keep in mind that if you don’t tell them what you’re doing, they’ll try to find out themselves, any movement potentially aggravating a spinal or neck injury.
Communication is not just a one-way information flow. It is not just the first aider who should talk to the casualty, the casualty should do likewise with the first aider. Arguably this is still the responsibility of the latter who needs to ask the right questions in order to obtain the relevant answers. This interaction will give the first aider a better idea of the extent of the injury and what needs to be done to prevent further pain or damage. By ensuring that communications are symmetrical, the first aider and casualty can discuss a suitable way forward and agree on a treatment that is designed to suit the situation.
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| Models of Public Relations (Adapted from Grunig & Hunt, 1984, pp. 22). |
Communication is not just verbal, even an unconscious casualty can tell you a lot. Observations can all help build a picture of the condition of the casualty. It is not only the casualty you need communicate with, but their friends and family who may need reassurance as well, or could provide some vital information about the casualty.
So the next time you treat a casualty, don’t just switch to auto pilot and treat them as though they were a dummy. Remember you’re dealing with a fellow human who is probably quite scared. Talk to them. Listen to them. Make sure there is a mutual understanding between you. Then treat them.
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