Posts filed under ‘Training’
Deep in the Woods, Out on the River
Wilderness first aid required when medical technology is unavailable
By Michael Darzi
When calling 911 is not an immediate option and help in the form of a hospital or trauma center is more than an hour (or days) away, time becomes the essential element between wilderness first aid (WFA) and standard first aid. In such situations, the task of managing the injured and the ill will challenge one beyond basic first-aid knowledge, and require skills that make you think “outside the box.”
Wilderness medicine is required whenever medical technology is unavailable, whether due to a lack of adequate equipment or too distant medical facilities. WFA’s value makes it a requirement for many groups such as search-and-rescue and the Boy Scouts of America for its highadventure bases, and highly recommended for outdoor leaders and guides. WFA is an intensive 16-hour course that teaches students how to properly assess, treat, and manage common illnesses and injuries.
Long hikes, extended lengths of rivers, large expanses of ocean, and miles of asphalt may separate the patient from a medical facility. You may have to endure heat or cold, rain, wind, or darkness.
The equipment needed for treatment and evacuation may have to be improvised, and communication with the “outside world” may be limited or nonexistent. Remote locations and harsh environments may require creative treatments. All these things can be a part of the world of Wilderness First Aid.
The Sierra Club’s Potomac Region Outings (PRO) is teaming with The Center for Wilderness Safety to hold two Wilderness First Aid courses this summer. The courses, taught by The Center for Wilderness Safety at the Turkey Run Education Center in Prince William Forest Park, are sponsored by PRO.
Courses are open to all. Sierra Club outings leaders are eligible for reimbursement. CPR/AED certification is a prerequisite—if you do not have that, you may register for a CPR/AED course at TrinityPresbyterian Church, Herndon, VA. See the complete schedule at www.wildsafe.org/courses.
This WFA course covers more than the basic first-aid requirement for Sierra Club outings leaders. If you are interested only in a CPR/AED course, CWS also teaches American Red Cross CPR/AED and will gladly schedule a class to accommodate your schedule. See www.wildsafe.org/courses/cpr.htm for more information. Outings leaders are also eligible for reimbursement of basic first-aid training.
Michael Darzi is chair of Potomac Region Outings.Book Review – Altitude Illness: Prevention & Treatment
This new edition provides the latest information on prevention and treatment of altitude illness-from preparing for altitude to recognizing and treating the symptoms of acute mountain sickness, including high altitude pulmonary and cerebral edemas. Suited for both novice and seasoned hikers, climbers, trekkers, and skiers, Altitude Illness, nd Edition, also includes an updated examination of how altitude interacts with certain drugs, a new section on using the web to find more information about altitude illness, and much more.
· Updated guidelines for people going to altitude (heights above 7,000 feet) with pre-existing health conditions such as heart conditions, diabetes, and cancer
· A handy glossary and easy-to-read tables covering symptoms and signs, altitude illness, and high altitude drugs
· Case studies of real situations and a question-and-answer section help readers better understand general issues about altitude and its effects, and more
This LITTLE book is a great to-the-point guide regarding diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of all types of altitude illness. Many other books about altitude on the market get a bit too deep into the medical science to be practical for an on-the go guide, or they are a bit too sparse, leaving the reader with some ambiguity when its needed least. Neither is the case with this book; it provides just the right level of detail.
The book’s author is a distinguished medical doctor in the field of altitude illness and a mountaineer who has spent a significant amount of time working in the Himalaya. He presents the info as mountaineers need it. In particular, a few tables and decision trees are particularly helpful for quick diagnosis and treatment of the various ailments found at altitude.
Altitude Illness: Prevention & Treatment
Author: Stephen Bezruchka
Paperback: 156 pages
Publisher: Mountaineers Books; 2nd edition (September 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0898866855
ISBN-13: 978-0898866858
Product Dimensions: 6 x 3.9 x 0.5 inches
Hands-Only CPR: The How, Why, and Does it Work?
By Clif Castleman, WEMT & American Red Cross Instructor
My thoughts as a medical professional (and by the way, these protocols have already become effective in Loudoun County, Virginia), are that overall, it makes sense, however you’re only supposed to provide chest compressions for the first two minutes after arriving on the scene where somebody has collapsed and you witnessed them collapse then switch over to providing “traditional” CPR. The order of things is a bit of a lie; because first things first, you still have to check the scene for safety, then check the victim to see if they’re responsive; if so, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency response number. Only then should you begin to do chest compressions.
After two minutes of chest-compressions-only have been done, both the American Heart Association and American Red Cross state that you then need to go into “traditional” CPR with 30 chest compressions and two breaths. This is because there is enough residual oxygen in your bloodstream and vital organs, however after roughly two minutes, that residual oxygen is used up, and must be replaced with new fresh oxygen. Remember, the air we breathe contains roughly 21% oxygen and when we breathe it in, our body uses only about 5% of that, exhaling 16% oxygen – which is way more than enough for another human being to utilize.The real key to all of this is the Automated External Defibrillator, or AED. The AED is designed to shock the heart back into an effective rhythm. The sooner an AED is brought to the aide of a person who has collapsed and is completely unresponsive – even to painful stimuli such as a sternal “noogie” or a hard pinch on the back of their arm – the better chance that person has of being successfully revived. If you find yourself in a situation where you just saw the individual collapse, have checked for scene safety, checked them for responsiveness, and have called 9-1-1 – and there’s an AED in the building but no one else to go get it, GO GET THE AED FIRST and don’t worry about the two minutes of compressions, because literally speaking, the chest compressions are only pumping somewhat oxygenated blood to the vital organs long enough for an AED to restart the heart on its own.
Red Cross Offers Continuing Education Credits
By Maya Chawla
Friday, November 14, 2008 — After completing an extensive application process, the American Red Cross has been approved as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). Now, a variety of American Red Cross courses offered in Disaster Services, Preparedness and Health and Safety Services and International Services have been approved for continuing education credits.
This move is in an effort to help those in various professions that need continuing education units to maintain licensure or certification including, but not limited to, nurses, social workers, recreation professionals, teachers and day care providers. The ability to allow Red Cross course takers to obtain continuing education units (CEUs) for professional development differentiates the Red Cross from other training providers.
“It was important to get these courses accredited for those professionals needing CEUs,” said Scott Conner, Senior Vice President, Preparedness and Health and Safety Services. “Across all lines of service, the American Red Cross prides itself on educating the public about many issues and it’s certainly an added value to receive CEUs for taking our training courses.”
The following courses, among many others, are eligible as continuing education credits:
Disaster Services
- Psychological First Aid
- Foundations of Disaster Mental Health
- Staff Health: Working on Disaster Relief Operations
Preparedness and Health and Safety Services
- First Aid and CPR/AED
- Lifeguarding and Water Safety Instructor
- Safety Training for Swim Coaches
International Services
- Humanity in the Midst of War: Introduction to International Humanitarian Law
- Restoring Family Links
These classes are offered at local chapters of the American Red Cross. Once training has been completed, continuing education units may be obtained online at www.redcross.org/store. Class participants should verify with their appropriate accrediting organization that CEUs received from taking Red Cross courses will be accepted.
AEDs to be Registered by US DoH
We figured that it would only be a matter of time before the US Department of Health would require all AEDs to be registered. For the past few years, there has been much talk of this, and has been recommended up to this point, but never actually enforced. The DoH has however started to require a physician’s prescription as of 2010.
This new effort will be great to finally get more accurate statistics on AED usage, numbers, etc.
For more information and to register your AED, please visit the official Department of Health AED Registration page, located here.
