NOLS Wilderness Medicine

Description

This revised edition of NOLS Wilderness First Aid reflects the changing field of wilderness medicine. Designed as a field textbook for the NOLS wilderness first aid curriculum, its purpose is to train outdoor leaders to prevent, recognize, and treat common medical problems and to stabilize a severely ill or injured patient for evacuation. A vital resource for outdoor enthusiasts, it covers the fundamental topics in first aid–patient assessment, shock, soft tissue injury, burns, fractures and dislocations, and chest, head, and abdominal injury. It explains how to handle environmental problems posed by heat, cold, water, altitude, and poisonous plants and animals. Also discussed are common medical issues such as cardiac and respiratory conditions, and diabetes, allergies, anaphylaxis, and gender-based medical problems. The final section deals with issues related to expedition medicine–water disinfection, hygiene, hydration, flu-like illness, dental problems–as well as leadership, stress, and legal topics. While risk can be minimized through good judgment, skills, and experience, being prepared for emergencies in the wild is an essential component of good outdoor leadership.