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Tod Schimelpfenig from the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS has shared the latest version of the Wilderness First Aid Scope of Practice document. This collaboration between a group of wilderness medicine training providers and first aid training experts is designed to help build an industry consensus about the curriculum for Wilderness First Aid (WFA) courses.

"People who live, work, travel and recreate in the outdoors have specialized medical training needs not adequately met by traditional first aid programs. They need to care for patients in remote locations, in challenging weather, with questionable communication and support, limited equipment and the need to make independent decisions on care and transport. As a result, medical and outdoor specialists developed wilderness medicine courses in an attempt to meet these needs. Initially they were written independently and were opinion-based. Subsequently, they have evolved based on shared evidence and experience. This process has led to a de facto consensus about content and scope amongst the leading training organization. In an attempt to clarify what this means, a number of the organizations have engaged in a more formal conversation that has resulted in what we hope will be the first of several Scope of Practice (SOP) documents for different training and practice levels.

Our intention is to assist the lay public, outdoor program administrators, individuals and any other major consumers of wilderness medicine courses in their choice of an appropriate course and credential level for their programs. Each SOP will describe the intended audience, what graduates at each level of credential should know, what decisions they should make and what skills they should, and should not be able to perform. Because student and/or organizational needs can vary by location, population and experience, some SOP documents may provide for a minimum or core requirement and acceptable electives topics and skills. Ultimately it is the responsibility of each organization choosing medical training to understand its own individual institutional needs." Read the Article...

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