Wilderness First Aid

What Will I Learn?

The WFA covers the Patient Assessment System, providing you with a solid framework to evaluate your patient and situation and make the best decision. In addition to the body's three critical systems—nervous, circulatory, and respiratory—you'll learn about musculoskeletal injuries, environmental considerations, common backcountry medical problems, and how to treat each of these issues. Most importantly, we’ll talk about how to prevent these situations from even occurring.

There are two Wilderness Protocols covered in a WFA. They are:

• Anaphylaxis – How to use epinephrine to treat a severe allergic reaction in a wilderness context.

• High-Risk Wounds – How to manage wounds with a higher risk of infection and remove impaled objects.

How Will I Learn?

Our courses aim to engage all of your learning modalities. We’ll cover the information with a mix of auditory, visual, and kinesthetic exercises. Expect the majority of learning to be achieved through discussion, patient assessment drills, and actual hands-on learning.

Time Commitment

The WFA requires 16 - 18 hours of instructional and practice time. A typical WFA is 2 full days.

Expectations

To successfully complete your WFA and earn your cert, you must be present for 100% of the course. Completion will also be based on demonstrated proficiency with practical skills, satisfactory performance on homework assignments or written quizzes, and a 80% grade on a final 10-question written exam. Learning accommodations are available. Please talk to me if you are concerned about any of this.

Materials

In the WFA, all students will receive the following:

• Wilderness First Aid Guide

• SOAP Notebook

• Wilderness and Rescue First Aid (WARFA) Textbook

Certification

Upon successful completion, WFA graduates will receive a card stating certification in Wilderness First Aid and Adult CPR. If your state requires, we can also provide a certification in epinephrine administration.

The Wilderness First Aid certification lasts for 3 years.

Pre-Requisites

You must be at least 16 years old to participate in this course. If you are under 18, written consent of a parent or guardian is required.