Autonomic Dysreflexia training

What this course covers

• Explain what autonomic dysreflexia is, who is at risk, and why it is always a medical emergency
• Recognise an episode from its pattern — pounding headache, flushing and sweating above the injury, pale skin below, often a slow pulse
• Carry out the emergency response in the right order: sit up, loosen, find the trigger — bladder first
• Know when and how to escalate: the person's AD plan, prescribed medication rules, 999, and monitoring after an episode
• Prevent episodes through exact bladder, bowel and skin care, and keep the plans and records that protect the person

How much does Autonomic Dysreflexia training cost?

£4 per person on Care2Learn, with no minimum order and no subscription. If your team needs a full training matrix rather than one course, a subscription at £2 per learner per month covers every course in the catalogue — see the 2026 price comparison.

Who needs it

Everyone supporting a person with a spinal cord injury at or above T6 — domiciliary carers, care home teams, supported living workers and their managers — including night and agency staff who may be first on scene. Completion is recorded with the date taken and the date it is next due, so it appears correctly on your training matrix and can be evidenced at inspection.

What the learner receives

A certificate in their own name carrying the CPD Aligned seal, showing the completion date and the renewal date a year later, downloadable at any time. The record belongs to the learner, not just the employer — it travels with them rather than sitting in one provider's system.

Related courses

Providers usually assign these alongside Autonomic Dysreflexia.

• Spinal Cord Injury Care — 60 min online, £4 per person
• Bowel Care — 60 min online, £4 per person
• Catheter & Continence Care — 45 min online, £4 per person
• Basic Life Support & First Aid — 45 min online, £4 per person

You can also browse the full catalogue, or read about the Care Certificate for staff new to care.

Frequently asked questions

How long does Autonomic Dysreflexia training take?

About 50 min of e‑learning, across 12 sections with 15 assessment questions. Learners can stop and resume at any point, and it works on a phone.

What does Autonomic Dysreflexia training cover?

By the end of the course a learner should be able to explain what autonomic dysreflexia is, who is at risk, and why it is always a medical emergency; recognise an episode from its pattern — pounding headache, flushing and sweating above the injury, pale skin below, often a slow pulse; carry out the emergency response in the right order: sit up, loosen, find the trigger — bladder first. The full list of learning outcomes is set out above.

Is Autonomic Dysreflexia CPD Aligned, and how is it assessed?

Yes — the certificate carries the CPD Aligned seal. The assessment is multiple choice with a pass mark of 70%; attempts are recorded and learners can retake it. Renewal is set at 12 months from the completion date, so the course reappears on your training matrix when it is due.

If an episode settles once the trigger is fixed, was it still an emergency?

Yes. The national MASCIP, BASCIS and SIA statement is explicit that AD should always be regarded as a medical emergency: episodes can rebound, so guidance calls for blood pressure and symptom checks every few minutes while settling and continued monitoring for at least two hours after resolution — with every episode recorded, reported and reviewed against the person's plan.

Does this count towards the Care Certificate?

No — this is a standalone course rather than one of the Care Certificate standards. The Care Certificate is available as its own guided course for staff who are new to care.