Lessons I learned from renewing my first aid certificate
It’s a strange feeling, walking into a training room and realising you’re not the one at the front with the slides and the responsibility. No group to settle and reassure, no reminders to give about phones on silent! Just me – and a slightly nervous feeling of being back in the learner’s seat.
Recently, it was time for me to renew my First Aid qualification – and for once, I got to be the one listening, learning, and being assessed. It was a little nerve-wracking, but I loved it. It was also a great reminder of how valuable it is to pause, refresh, and get some feedback of your own.
As trainers, we all know the importance of keeping our knowledge sharp. I like to think I stay up to date. I read blogs, scroll through forums, and keep an eye on the latest guidance. It’s part of the job, and I genuinely enjoy it.
But there’s a world of difference between reading about something and actually doing it again in person. Sitting there, hearing someone else explain a process I’ve taught a hundred times before, I found myself thinking, Oh yes, I’d forgotten that little detail.
I’d also forgotten how energising it is to be surrounded by others. There’s a buzz in the room when people start swapping stories; from near-misses to funny moments. You just can’t get that from a webinar or a YouTube video.
There’s something so human about that exchange of ideas, especially when you’re practising together, laughing at the same hiccups, and realising that everyone, no matter how experienced, still learns something new every day.
Being Observed (and Surviving It!)
Now, I won’t lie – being observed always makes me a bit twitchy! After years of assessing others, having someone else watching me was a useful eye-opener. My technique wasn’t bad, but there were little things I’d started to shortcut without realising it.
It reminded me how easy it is to slip into habits when you’ve been doing something for a long time. Having someone point it out, kindly and constructively, was exactly what I needed!
And then came the CPR test. Two minutes under observation. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve timed learners doing this, offering encouragement. But doing it myself under pressure? That’s another story.
Two minutes feels like a lot longer when you’re the one doing the compressions. Counting in your head, focusing on the depth and rhythm, trying not to overthink it. By the end, I was puffing, laughing, and thinking, “Right, I need to remember how hard that actually is!”
It was such a good reminder that even the most experienced trainers benefit from feeling what it’s like on the learner’s side again.
Seeing Through Learners’ Eyes
One of the biggest things I took away from the day was empathy. I’d genuinely forgotten how it feels to walk into a course and think, Will I remember everything? Will I mess it up? Will the instructor be nice? (And yes, I will!)
It’s easy to forget those nerves when you’re used to leading sessions, but they’re real, and they matter. It made me think again about how important it is to make every learner feel comfortable right from the start; to smile, to reassure, to create that sense of ‘we’re all in this together’.
Going back into the learner’s chair was such a valuable experience. It reminded me that no matter how long we’ve been teaching, we’re never done learning. There’s always something new to notice, something to polish, or simply a better way to explain something.
So next time I’m in front of a group, I’ll remember how it felt to be in their shoes: the nerves, the laughter, the effort, and the sense of achievement when it all clicks.
Because really, that’s what great training is all about: learning together, supporting each other, and remembering that even teachers need to be taught sometimes.
I’d love to hear your experiences. Does the above ring true for you?