St John Ambulance Australia New South Wales

St John Ambulance Australia (New South Wales)

St John Ambulance Australia Logo
Abbreviation	St John NSW
Motto	Saving Lives Through First Aid
Formation	1883
Type	Charitable organisation Limited company
Headquarters	Burwood, New South Wales, 2134
Location	New South Wales
Parent organisation	St John Ambulance Australia
Affiliations	Order of St John
Website	http://www.stjohnnsw.com.au/

St John Ambulance Australia New South Wales (St John NSW) is a self-funding first aid service charitable organisation dedicated to helping people in sickness, distress, suffering or danger. It is part of an international organisation that consists of eight Priories that form the Order of St John. The organisation is sometimes incorrectly referred to "St John's Ambulance" instead of "St John Ambulance".

History of St John Ambulance

In the Nineteenth Century a group of citizens revived the Order of St John in England, drawing their inspiration from the example of the Knights of St John who, in medieval times, offered care and shelter for pilgrims and crusaders.

St John Ambulance was subsequently formed to put its humanitarian ideals into practice in the new industrial society, promoting the cause of first aid for the sick and wounded through volunteer effort - a novel concept at the time and a much-needed one.

The movement spread to Australia in 1883 and has since developed into the organisation that we know today. The work of the Order of St John is carried out in many countries around the world. St John is a Royal Order of Chivalry with the Queen as its Sovereign Head.

Activity Streams

St John NSW has several areas of focus:

Event Health Services

St John provides volunteer First Aiders, First Responders, Advanced Responders and Health Care Professionals to provide medical services at small community events from school fates and sports days, corporate events and large public events such as ANZAC day services and New Year's Eve celebrations.^[1]

Previously known as First Aid Services (FAS), and Operations Branch (OB).

Training

St John Ambulance is one of the largest first aid training organisations in Australia. St John NSW delivers nationally recognised training through the Australian Qualifications Framework, through the registration of their parent organisation St John Ambulance Australia.

Public

St John NSW can provide training to the public for units of competency including:

• Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (HLTAID001)
• Provide basic emergency life support (HLTAID002)
• Provide first aid (HLTAID003) (previously known as Apply First Aid and Senior First Aid)
• Provide an emergency first aid response in an education and care setting (HLTAID004)
• Provide first aid in remote situations (HLTAID005)
• Provide advanced first aid (HLTAID006)
• Provide advanced resuscitation (HLTAID007)
• Manage first aid services and resources (HLTAID008)
• Provide pain management (PUAEME005A)
• Perform rescue from a live LV panel (UETTDRRF06B)

Revenue derived from training is reinvested into training volunteers and community programs to promote the cause of saving lives through first aid awareness.

Internal

St John NSW members undergo internal training programs to obtain clinical qualifications and positions within the organisation.

• St John First Aiders hold:
  • Provide first aid (HLTAID003)
• St John First Responders hold:
  • Requirements of St John First Aider
  • Provide advanced first aid (HLTAID006)
  • Provide advanced resuscitation (HLTAID007)
  • Provide pain management (PUAEME005A)
  • Certificate II in Emergency Medical Service First Response (HLT21112)
• St John Advanced Responders hold:
  • Requirements of St John First Responder
  • Certificate III in Basic Health Care (HLT33112)
• Senior officers hold:
  • Certificate IV in Leadership and Management (BSB42015)
• Trainers hold:
  • Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40110)

Members must undergo yearly reaccreditation and minimum hours to hold clinical ranks. Other positions also require ongoing professional development to demonstrate currency.

St John does not train paramedics or offer diplomas in paramedical science programs in NSW.

Education and Awareness

As advocates for first aid, St John NSW volunteer trainers deliver first aid skills in the community.^[2]

St John NSW supports and funds a "First Aid in Schools" program aimed and engaging primary school aged students in first aid.^[3] St John continues to use its influence to promote early education in schools across Australia.^[4]

Examples of the program success is becoming more visible in the media:

• Nikita Stutchbury saves mother, October 2015^[5]
• Zach Redwood saves five-year-old brother, March 2016^[6][7]
• Preston May saves little brother, March 2016^[8]

Recognition programs are in place to award the public for use of first aid and CPR skills in the community. "Save a Life Award was an important opportunity to publicly acknowledge the admirable actions of recipients, and thank them on behalf of patients, their families and the local community."^[9]

St John produce and distribute publications aimed at educating the general public including posters and fact sheets. The "St John Australian First Aid Manual" is widely distributed and is edited by a clinical board yearly to align with the most current evidence available.

St John Ambulance Australia has created and operates an Automated External Defibrillators (AED) register. The register aims to help locate this essential equipment often required in cardiac arrest.

Equipment

St John NSW offers several services including:

• First aid kit manufacture and sales (direct or through local retailers)
• First aid stock manufactured and distribution
• Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) sales including equip, install and compliance check
• Kit audit and restock services for state Work Health and Safety Act compliance.^[10]

First aid equipment is also utilised within the Event Health Services branch.

Ophthalmic Care

St John NSW raises funds and recruits staff for "ophthalmic projects in rural and remote areas of Northern NSW" the St John Ophthalmic Eye Hospital in Jerusalem.^[11]

Emergency Response

Stub to expand St John NSW is a "participating organisation under the NSW HEALTHPLAN and maintains a formal resource commitment agreement with NSW Health"^[12] to assist in disaster relief activities.^[13]

Vehicles

Vehicles are used within St John NSW to support the organisational needs and values.

Casualty Management Vehicles

Stub to expand An ambulance, or patient transport vehicle, that is either two or four-wheel drive. This type of vehicle is fitted with a patient stretcher, piped oxygen, and other pre-hospital care equipment, marked with highly visible vehicle livery, with permanently fitted red and white lights, and siren. Strict internal policies guide the use of lights and sirens.

Support Vehicles

Stub to expand

Business Steam

Stub to expand Vehicles may be used for specialist business areas, such as the equipment supply and restocking business stream. Vehicle livery is intended to match the vehicle purpose, and may possess either corporate or service specific branding.

Role Specific

Stub to expand Where the Board and/or the CEO has determine that a vehicle is required for effective performance in the job role, that role may access or be assigned a fleet vehicle. Vehicles are either plain in appearance, or branded with corporate livery.

Key Volunteer State Positions in New South Wales

Commissioner - Associate Professor Dr Jason C Bendall OStj

Assistant Commissioner (Metropolitan Operations) - Mr Colin Lott

Assistant Commissioner (Regional Operations) - Mr Joshua Clark

Assistant Commissioner (Strategy & Planning) - Mr John Ward

Assistant Commissioner (Clinical) - Dr David Fahey

Assistant Commissioner (Youth) - Mr Paul Compton

Assistant Commissioner (Operational Support) Ms Kerrie Hall

State Clinical Governance Officer - Mr Geoff Kiehne

State Nursing Officer - Mr Elliot Williams

State Paramedic - Mr Alex Cardenas

State Chaplain - Bishop Richard Hurford (ret)

State Emergency Management Officer - Mr Sven Nilsson

Operations Support Group State Staff Officers - Event Planning & Delivery

- Mr James Broska - Mrs Louise Wilson

- Mrs Margaret Vincent

See also

• St John Ambulance Australia
• St John Ambulance

External links

• St John NSW Website
• St John Ambulance Australia Website

References