According to a study published in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, there are no industry standards when it comes to first aid training and certification of wilderness activity leaders.

Although a number of wilderness education courses are taught by numerous organizations around the country, the scope of their content is vast. Because there are no standards, people do not know what courses would best serve their efforts to provide safe, efficient services.

Researchers conducted a survey of state regulatory authorities, national organizations, school and college programs, and other organizations and concluded that the best course of action would be for the wilderness medical community to review the courses being taught nationwide and develop standards. Considering the ethical, risk management, and liability prevention issues involved in participating in wilderness activities, it is especially important to address this need.

This study provides a much-needed foundation upon which the wilderness medical community can build. It is interesting, for example, that vehicle accidents are more common than physical injuries, and yet most programs do not have a vehicle safety component. Furthermore, many programs tend to focus on teaching people how to manage chest trauma, diabetic episodes, and other situations that are highly unlikely to occur. In light of evidence showing that people have difficulty retaining information and skills, the case can be made for keeping first aid training focused on skills that are most likely to be used, that is, care of soft-tissue musculoskeletal injuries and lacerations.

There is a surprising amount of interest in the first aid background, qualifications, and certification status of wilderness activity leaders. Although many courses are offered on wilderness education, it is not evident that they are the ones that best address the needs of the public. Thus, it is crucial that the wilderness medical community develop industry standards.

Wilderness & Environmental Medicine is a quarterly publication of the Wilderness Medicine Society, a nonprofit professional organization that promotes the advancement of health care, research, and education related to wilderness medicine. For more information, visit http://www.wemjournal.org/.