Caregiver Peter has been enrolled on a first aid course to become one of the nominated ‘first aiders’ at the Bridge Street nursing home. Peter must attend a number of training sessions before he can be recognized as a qualified first aid provider.

Situation: Peter is attending a specific first aid training workshop concerned with treating patients in the event of fainting. The workshop considers the reasons why someone might faint as well as specifying how a person who has fainted should be treated.

Audio: Listen to the audio file here.

Grammar points:

Prepositional phrases (place, time and movement)

Persons: Mr Law (first aid training instructor) and Peter (caregiver) Location: The session takes place in a training room.

Mr Law:	During this session you will learn what to do if someone faints. From time to time people faint and this can be due to a number of reasons. Can anyone here suggest any reasons for why a person might faint? Yes, Peter.
Peter:	According to a medical book I’ve read, people faint as a result of pain, exhaustion, hunger or stress.
Mr Law:	That’s correct Peter, though there are some other reasons. Fainting could also be due to someone sitting down or standing up for a long time, or that someone is too hot. When someone does faint, their pulse normally slows right down. In most cases the patient will recover within a few minutes. If this doesn’t happen, and someone is still unconscious after two or three minutes, then their situation could be more serious.
Peter:	Would you carry out a primary survey in this case?
Mr Law:	Yes Peter, you would carry out a primary survey. However, there are three signs we can look for to determine if someone has just fainted. The first is a brief loss of consciousness. If this happens the patient may fall to the floor. The second sign is a drop in heart rate resulting in a slow pulse. The final sign to look for is pale, cold, sweaty skin.
Peter:	Does falling to the floor help a person to recover?
Mr Law:	Yes, in the case of fainting lying down helps blood return to the brain. The way we treat a person who has fainted, or a person who feels faint, is based on this fact. Peter would you like to help me with a demonstration?
Peter:	Yes of course.
Mr Law:	If a person is feeling faint help them to sit on the floor, then gently lay them back. Once they are lying on their back, this could be someone who has already fainted, raise their legs to around knee height. You can use your own knees or use a chair if one is available. Keeping the legs raised above the head will help the blood to return to the brain. From this position look for signs of recovery in their face. When the patient recovers, slowly help them to a sitting position and reassure them. Make sure they are able to get plenty of air, which may mean opening a window. If they still feel light headed or dizzy, ask them to remain seated until they have fully recovered. If they don’t recover in a few minutes, carry out a primary survey. You can sit back down now Peter, thank you. Can anyone remind us of the basic procedure for dealing with a patient that has fainted?
Peter:	We should lie them down on the ground, raise their legs higher than their head, make sure they have air and then sit them up slowly.
Mr Law:	Very good Peter, that’s correct.