You know that student divers must complete administrative forms as listed in the PADI® Instructor Manual. These documents ask students to acknowledge that they understand diving risks and are willing to accept them, that they’re fit to dive and that they know and agree to follow safe diving practices. These key forms, as well as other required forms indicated in individual course instructor guides, work together to protect both the diving public and you, if an incident occurs and you must defend yourself.
Other PADI forms and record keeping materials, though they may be recommended and not required, do the same thing. Here are two significant examples:
PADI Training Completion Form (10234)
This form documents who was in a course along with related contact information, who completed training or was referred and when, and who taught and/or assisted with the course. If an incident occurs and you are asked who was in the class and what instructional staff were present, you don’t have to rely on memory. Class information is also helpful when you want to market continuing education, travel and events to a group that went through training together.
PADI Student Record File (10058)
The file includes the three required forms and allows you to document a student’s progress through the course. This can be especially important during entry-level training to track knowledge development, confined water and open water training, and note dive flexible skills and water skills assessments. Initialing and signing off sections of the PADI Open Water Diver Course Record and Referral page can help you in these important ways:
- Track all of your students, especially when a session is missed and made up
- Identify specifically what portions of the course have been completed should the student want a referral, so the next instructor knows where you left off training.
- Document precisely what the student did in your course in the event you are asked about it long after the course is over.
Good documentation takes out guesswork, helps you ensure all students meet all requirements, and helps in defense of your programs should they be called into question.
This originally appeared in the 3rd Quarter 2019 Training Bulletin. You can read the full edition here.
