Q&A

The Intermediate First Aid Course is a requirement of Workplace Health and Safety (OHS). The Standard Childcare First Aid Course is governed by Alberta Social Services (Licensing). Both include CPR and AED. Workplace Health and Safety does not recognize Standard Childcare Certification. Although the Standard First Aid Course may include child and baby CPR, it is mostly an adult injury care course with no medication administration certification.

Alberta Social Services- Licensing is one of the governing bodies of Childcare workplaces. In terms of First aid requirements Licensing states the following:

A minimum of one in every two of the primary staff members must have an up-to-date first aid certificate acceptable to the Statutory Director. If available, Child Care First Aid should be taken, but other courses may meet the requirement if Child Care First Aid is not available in your area: please reference the Childcare Licensing Handbook | Children’s Services © 2021.

Government of Alberta  |  February 1, 2021  |  ISBN 978-1-4601-5013-9

Please note: taking an Intermediate Standard First Aid is not a replacement for the Standard Childcare First Aid as you would be missing two very important component: Medication Administration and Childhood Illnesses.

In addition to the above, in that a Childcare facility is a registered business, Alberta OHS regulations also apply. This means that in addition to fulfilling the requirements of Standard Childcare First Aid, OH&S First aid requirements must also be followed.

Childcare Facilities fall under a medium hazard work environment (classified by OHS) and depending on the number of employees and time in minutes from a medical facility a daycare may require a Basic (Emergency) First Aid/CPR and a Intermediate (Standard) First Aider on site.

See the current legislation provided here: OH&S Code. Refer to S2-1 to determine the Type and Size of First Aid Kit required and your First Aider requirements over and above the Childcare First Aid requirements.

In summary, based on lisensure requirements, Childcare Facilities require 2 types of First Aid/CPR certificates to meet the requirements of their governing bodies.

According to the Emergency Cardiac Care Coalition (ECC) which includes the following members: The Canadian Red Cross, St. John’s Ambulance, Canadian Ski Patrol, Lifesaving Society, and the Heart and Stroke Association; the CPR levels are as outlined:

• CPR Level A: Includes Adult CPR and AED only. Most individuals take CPR Level C.
• CPR B: Includes Older child up to the age of 12, child and baby CPR. This CPR level is specific to the Standard Childcare First Aid.
• CPR Level C: Includes adult, child, baby, two-rescuer CPR and AED.
• BLS Provider CPR: Includes adult, child, baby, two-rescuer skills, AED, and BVMs (bag-valve-masks). Most often taken by Health Care Providers: Nurses, Paramedics, EMTs, Physicians, Dental Professionals, etc.

A CPR level must be included with the First Aid courses to be recognized. These different levels can be combined with either the Standard First Aid Course or Emergency First Aid Course. These two courses are recognized by Workplace Health and Safety and are recertified every 3 years unless mandated by your employer.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation BLS Provider Course is the required course if you work with AHS. The Heart and Stroke requires yearly certification. The Heart and Stroke does not allow a grace period on expired cards. If your card is expired you are required to take a full course.

According to Workplace Health and Safety and Alberta Social Services, First Aid Certificates are valid for three (3) years. You can recertify any time during this period up to and including the date of expiry. You cannot recertify if your certificate is expired, at this point you are required to take a full course.

Government regulations stipulate that all First Aid Courses must include a CPR component.

Workplace Health and Safety Alberta (OHS) is the governing body for all First Aid companies and provides a publically available list of approved training agencies: Approved first aid training agencies

The Canadian Red Cross is on the OHS list as an training agency. The Red Cross authorises Training Partners to run their courses. Each approved Red Cross training partner is not listed separately on the OHS list.

Breath for Life is an approved training partner of the Red Cross, follows the Red Cross’ approved OHS program and issues Red Cross certificates. See Breath for Life’s approval letter: Course approval letter Red Cross

Due to the many fraudulent certificates issued to individuals and “non-approved” Training Partners issuing certificates across Canada, the Canadian Red Cross decided that it would no longer allow the issuance of hard-copy certificates and would take control of the problem by developing an electronic platform for certification.

This e-certificate system has many advantages:

• Companies can check the validity of the e-certificate on the Red Cross website: www.myrc.redcross.ca;
• This prevents certificates from being edited and changed rendering them invalid;
• Prevents “Non-approved” providers from issuing invalid certificates;
• Allows you to access your certificate at any time: this means you cannot lose it;
• With your card always on hand, it is easy to check when the card expires;
• If you need to demonstrate certification to your employer you can save it to your desktop, print it off and hand it over;
• Have multiple certifications? No problem, the account will keep track of all your certificates;
• Can’t read the instructor’s handwriting or have a label that your employer does not like on your certificate? The e-certificate received is computer generated and validated by the Red Cross. They are easy to read and are tamper proof.

Canadian Red Cross Certificates:

1. Go to the Canadian Red Cross portal website: https://myrc.redcross.ca/
2. Click the menu that has 3 stacked lines
3. Click Sign in
4. Enter your email and reset the password if needed
5. When in your account go to My Profile to make profile changes and/or My Certifications to find your ecard

Heart and Stroke Foundation Certificates:

1. Go to the Heart and Stroke Training Portal Website: https://cpr.heartandstroke.ca/
2. If you do not have an account select create an account and follow the steps
3. If you already have an account enter either your HSF id# (found on your certificate) or your email and click continue
4. Enter your password or click Forgot Password
5. When in your account go to My Profile My Certificates