COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course includes all topics covered in a Wilderness Advanced First Aid course plus numerous additional topics, case studies, patient assessment drills, and a final simulation. Mornings will be devoted to lectures and afternoons will be devoted to practical hands-on sessions and rescue simulations. Instructors will use made-up victims, stage blood and video taping as means for enhanced learning.

“The whole trip was awesome! I now have a WFR certificate which allows me to jump into new adventures! ” — Guillermo Luque, Madrid, Spain

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Students will be able to:
• Demonstrate competency in assessing a patient, handling emergencies, and utilizing Basic Life Support equipment and procedures to the level of certification.
• Determine blood pressure and lung sounds
• Demonstrate the ability to perform CPR, control hemorrhaging, properly assess and stabilize an injured spine, manage fractures and other musculoskeletal injuries, reduce simple dislocations, cleanse and dress wounds, and manage environmental emergencies.
• Determine the nature and extent of illness or injury, measure pulse rates and blood pressure, assess respiratory status, observe changes in skin color, search for medical alert identification.
• Establish priority for emergency care and render appropriate care to competency level.
• Assess and assist in the extrication of a patient from an entrapment.
• Demonstrate knowledge and be able to use or assist in the use of accepted rescue and medical techniques, procedures, and devices as needed.
• Assist in evacuating patient to an ambulance or medical facility and use accepted emergency medical techniques, procedures, and devices.
• Report nature and extent of illness or injury to ambulance personnel or receiving facility via radio, establish on-line medical control as needed, continually reassess patient during evacuation and provides care as needed.
• Work in extreme environmental conditions and various terrains.
• Document and report both orally and in the prescribed format to ambulance or hospital personnel.

LECTURE TOPICS

• Infection control.
• CPR.
• Anatomy & physiology.
• General concepts, ALS/BLS I.
• Patient assessment system.
• Circulatory, respiratory systems.
• Fractures, dislocations.
• Stable injuries.
• Splints I - extremities.
• Nervous system.
• Spine injuries.
• Wounds, Burns.
• Principles of trauma, Splints II - spine.
• Emergency childbirth.
• Lifting, moving, extrication.
• Quiz/Case studies.
• Toxins, bites & stings.
• Medical emergencies.
• Altitude or diving.
• Litter packaging and carries.
• Patient carries.
• Small group simulations.
• Hypothermia, frostbite & cold injury.
• Hyperthermia & heat illness.
• ALS/BLS II. Near drowning.
• Search and rescue.
• Simulation.
• Lightning.
• Allergies & anaphylaxis.
• Backcountry medicine.
• Improvised litters.
• Medical & legal issues.
• Personal preparedness.

FIELD STUDIES & EXERCISES

• Case studies and real life senarios

What are my next steps?

At a Glance