Training notes

Blog

Practical first aid, CPR and career reading from the trainers who run our courses.

Featured

29 Sep 2026

3 min read

How to prepare for your first aid practical session

What to do before your first aid practical session, what to bring and wear, and how the session runs, from check-in to CPR assessment.

Read article

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

No articles found

There are currently no articles in this category.

Woman practising CPR on a manikin, with stepping stones leading to her in scrubs at a cardiac ultrasound machine

01 Sep 2026

6 min read

From first aid to echocardiography: healthcare career pathways

A first aid certificate won't make you a sonographer. Here's the realistic route into cardiac sonography in Australia and where echo training fits.

Trainer doing two-finger chest compressions on an infant manikin on a table, with a child manikin on a floor mat

01 Sep 2026

5 min read

Infant and child CPR: what changes when the patient is small

Infant and child CPR uses the same 30:2 ratio and 100 to 120 rate as adult CPR, but the hands, depth, head position, breaths and AED pads change.

A student studies online on a laptop at home, then two people practise CPR on floor manikins as a trainer watches

01 Sep 2026

3 min read

Online theory before practical: how blended delivery works

In a blended first aid course you finish the theory online, then attend one in-person practical. How it works, why CPR is hands-on, USIs and certificates.

First aider kneeling to give a seated woman a reliever puffer through a spacer, with an autoinjector and first aid kit

01 Sep 2026

6 min read

Anaphylaxis and asthma: what a first aider is trained to do

What first aiders are trained to do for anaphylaxis and asthma: ASCIA's adrenaline steps, the 4-puff reliever routine and when to call 000.

Trainer coaching a group of employees as they practise CPR on manikins on a meeting room floor

01 Sep 2026

4 min read

On-site group training: how we run first aid at your workplace

On-site first aid training in Melbourne: we bring the trainer and equipment, and you provide a room. How HLTAID011 and HLTAID009 group sessions run.

Cardiac sonographer in navy scrubs scanning a patient's chest, with an ultrasound image of the heart on the monitor

01 Sep 2026

7 min read

Becoming a cardiac sonographer in Australia: the pathway explained

To become a cardiac sonographer in Australia, you need an ASAR-accredited course and a supervised training position. See the steps and where Scope fits.

01 Sep 2026

5 min read

Using an AED: what the pads, prompts and shock button do

To use an AED, switch it on and follow the prompts: pads below the right collarbone and left armpit, stand clear, press shock if told, then restart CPR.

Person at a signpost choosing between CPR practice on a manikin and a first aid scene with a splint, puffer and kit

01 Sep 2026

3 min read

HLTAID011 or HLTAID009: which unit do you actually need?

HLTAID011 covers CPR plus first aid for injuries and illness. HLTAID009 is CPR only. Here's who needs which, and how the yearly and 3-year renewals work.

Trainer watching a student do CPR on an adult manikin on the floor during a first aid practical assessment

01 Sep 2026

4 min read

What to expect on the day of your practical assessment

What your assessor checks at a first aid practical assessment, including 2 minutes of floor CPR and scenarios, and what happens if you're not yet competent.

Office, warehouse and break room, each with a first aider in a green armband and a first aid kit on the wall

01 Sep 2026

5 min read

How many first aiders does your workplace need?

Safe Work Australia recommends 1 first aider per 50 workers in low-risk workplaces, 1 per 25 in high-risk ones. Victoria's code differs. Plan per shift.