Our second week in the education period was full of interesting things and I want to share some of those I learned. There's still too much I want to share so even the whole education isn't going to fit here for I decided that the "prisoner treatment" deserves a single dedicated post. I guess one can have such a good problem of having "too many things" to write about.

Previous posts you might want to check out if you're not familiar with why and what I'm doing in civil service.

My Civil Service #1: Explaining the Liability to Military - A necessity for national defence with the cost of human rights?

Mindfulness

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To put it simply mindfulness is "being consciously in the present moment with acceptance". It is a practice used getting conscious with oneself's body and mind.

Mindfulness is not a new thing even though the term is; originally developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in the 1970's with the intention of helping patients in pain who hadn't gotten any help from drugs, it is an application of a thousands of years old Buddhist meditation technique.

Some basic exercises are breathing observation and "body scanning" which we also tried on the lecture.

Doing those exercises can feel anxious, like some in our education group remarked it to be; if you have never really stopped and taken the time to relax just by yourself it might be a hard thing to do. But it will get easier with time.

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More exercises you can try

Brain changes

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With regular practice of mindfulness amygdala, a part of brain responsible for fear causing the "fight or flight" response, reduces in size.

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Amygdala as red

When the stress inducing "fight or flight" response lessens, the stimulus can access prefrontal cortex responsible for higher cognitive abilities such as attention and decision making.

The lecture didn't actually include any of the information concerning brain which I think would've been a good inclusion; I got the feeling some people dismissed mindfulness as some "another spiritual awakening whatever thing" because the lack of hard evidence presented.

Though I understand why she had done it the way she did because she wanted to give actual practical advice that could be applied in real life.

Potential benefits

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First aid

From theory to practice

We got to test our skills on CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) with these dolls. We also used defibrillators (they weren't real but a practice copies) which purpose is to even out heart rate with an electrical impulse in case of dysrhythmia caused by ventricular fibrillation, for example.

"Sorry dude, I'm gonna have to thrust your breastbone by 5-6 centimeters to make your blood flow"

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CPR isn't needed (obviously) if victim is breathing, instead put him on the recovery position and call help.

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Car accident simulation

Another practical and a creative lesson was a simulation of an aftermath of car crash that had to be navigated through as a bystander: two guys were in a car, the other was in panic and the other was unconscious.

First open the unconscious one's respiratory tracts by raising the head up and check if s/hes breathing. This is super important for most of car crashes don't cause lethal injury right away but leaving them as they are puts them in a risk of chocking when their leaning head blocks his/her airways.
If not breathing call 112 (or whatever emergency number in use), take him/her out of the vehicle and start CPR until help arrives.
If breathing call emergency number and keep victim's airways open until help arrives. Do not remove the person if not under an immediate threat, like car being on fire.
Calm down the conscious victim (if available) and command him/her to get something warm to keep the unconscious victim warm or put pressure on his/her potential wound.

Initial fire fighting

A quick practice on the usage of fire extinguisher and fire blancket.

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Just a quick burst is enough to put out a grease fire.

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I am a young man from Finland currently on education period of my civil service.

In the near future I will share more of my experiences on my duty.

Check my introduction post if you want a better impression on me.

See you later!

My Civil Service #4 - Mindfully increasing my life saving skills

Previous posts you might want to check out if you're not familiar with why and what I'm doing in civil service.

Mindfulness

Brain changes

Potential benefits

First aid

Car accident simulation

Initial fire fighting

I am a young man from Finland currently on education period of my civil service. In the near future I will share more of my experiences on my duty. Check my introduction post if you want a better impression on me. See you later!

I am a young man from Finland currently on education period of my civil service.

In the near future I will share more of my experiences on my duty.

Check my introduction post if you want a better impression on me.

See you later!