FAQ Level 3 Certificate in Emergency Response Ambulance Driving (RQF)

FAQ Level 3 Certificate in Emergency Response Ambulance Driving (CERAD ™ ) (Pathway 1)   This Qualification is for learners who will be driving Category C1 Ambulance Vehicles (also known as “Class 3” Ambulance Vehicles) These vehicles are described as Ambulance (medium) vehicles with 4 or more wheels and a gross vehicle weight exceeding 3500KG but not exceeding 7500KG About the course This FutureQuals Level 3 Certificate in Emergency Response Ambulance Driving is the most widely recognised and accepted emergency response driving qualification for Pre-Hospital professionals with a responsibility to respond, such as Emergency Care Assistants (ECA), Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), Associate Ambulance Practitioner (AAP) or HCPC Paramedic in the NHS and private sectors. Aimed at people who will be dispatched by an Ambulance Trust Emergency Operations Centre (Ambulance 999 control room) or those clinical staff providing ambulance services providing event medical services that have the risk of needing to transport patients so as not to put pressure on NHS ambulance resources for private events. This qualification has 3 different pathways based on the vehicle type that the learner will be required to drive as part of their role. This Pathway is for those learners who have a category C1 on their driving license and are required to drive C1 category ambulance vehicles The Awarding Organisation states : “Successful completion of this qualification only authorises the Learner to drive at high speeds in the class of vehicle in which the qualification was delivered and assessed. For Learners wishing to qualify on an additional pathway post-achievement of this qualification, they must be registered on, and achieve, the new pathway separately.” Course entry requirements Learners are required to evidence the following before they can be accepted on to the course: Be 18 years of age (or older) (21 if using our vehicle) Hold a valid driving licence for the full duration of the qualification Learners must have a contract (or job offer) with an Ambulance Service (NHS/HSC or Private) that CQC regulated (or equivilent) Learners are not required to have any formal qualifications in literacy or numeracy; however as a Level 3 Certificate qualification – learners will be expected to demonstrate an adequate level of written English (comparable to an a-level academic standard) Learners are also expected to have access to a laptop and have basic IT skills as we use Microsoft Office 365 to facilitate elements of the course, course material and host your portfolio which you are required to complete. Course content Successful completion of the course meets the requirements for ambulance service drivers to claim exemptions under the road traffic legislation and to operate to the specification of the Road Traffic Regulations Act (exemptions for speed limit regulations) Whilst guided learning hours with your facilitator are very “practical”, learners have a significant amount of knowledge to acquire. Even when ‘on-the-road’ facilitators will still be teaching theoretical and knowledge based aspects of the course a summary of topics are below: Current Driving Legislation Complying with legislation and driving regulation Consequences of disregarding legislation and driving regulation Exemptions available for routine and emergency response ambulance driving Incident management Driving in a range of weather conditions Emergency response ambulance driver responsibilities Human Factors Human factors that contribute to road traffic collisions Conflict situations Personal actions to reduce hostility Coping strategies used to combat the effects of stress Potential causes of decreased driver alertness Impact of fatigue during daylight hours and hours of darkness Techniques to use when affected by fatigue Anticipating and responding to behavioural changes of other drivers Managing confrontational behaviour Managing effects of stress Managing distractions from within the vehicle Vehicle Daily Inspections (VDI) Ambulance vehicles within own organisation Ambulance vehicle daily inspections Legal requirements of a pre-driving ambulance VDI Pre-driving checks Reasons for performing a pre-driving check (PDC) Carrying out ambulance vehicle checks Reporting vehicle defects Vehicle controls Driving economically and progressively Hand positioning and steering techniques Manual transmission, automatic transmission and electric vehicles Considerations for using brakes Tapered braking Static and mobile brake tests Braking technique and meeting the needs of the patient Advantages of acceleration sense Using acceleration sense The importance of smooth acceleration Maintaining passenger safety and vehicle stability Vehicle Safety Systems Types and causes of skids Avoiding skids Electronic Stability Programme and ABS braking Safety aids and vehicle stability Passive safety aids and active safety aids Reversing and Manoeurvring Acting as a banksman Banksman requirements when reversing and manoeuvring Banksman signals Following the directions of a banksman Reversing and manoeuvring In-line, fend-in and fend-off positions The System of Car Control Phases of the system of car control Advantages of the system of car control Types of hazards Taking, using and giving information Forward planning, anticipation and observation Using the phases of the system of car control Cornering Negotiating bends Factors to consider when approaching a bend The effect of vehicle condition and type on cornering Approaching and negotiating a bend Positioning when negotiating bends Adjusting speed in response to the limit point Overtaking Legal requirements for overtaking and passing on the left Effects of ambulance vehicle performance on overtaking Factors to consider when overtaking whilst driving under routine conditions Factors to consider when overtaking whilst driving under emergency response conditions Identifying opportunities for overtaking Single-stage overtaking and three-stage overtaking Driving on various road types Different types of roads Different types of motorways Procedure for breakdowns Different types of road furniture Traffic signs found in The Highway Code Signals found in The Highway Code Markings found in The Highway Code Situations requiring in-line, fend-in and fend off positions Anticipating speed of other vehicles Anticipating other drivers’ actions and behaviours Joining and exiting multi-lane carriageways Driving on multi-lane carriageways Driving during the hours of darkness Preparation requirements for driving an ambulance vehicle during the hours of darkness Preparing an ambulance vehicle for driving during the hours of darkness Speed perception during the hours of darkness Dealing and managing dazzle from other road users’ lights Using emergency warning equipment during the hours of darkness Managing effects of fatigue Emergency