An injury that requires no attention is that one which has not been experienced yet; an emergency that does not require any response is that which has not occurred yet and a disease that has not manifested does not require a treatment course. What does this tell you about the provision of first aid? It simply states that the best way to stay safe and healthy is to prevent yourself from coming face to face with the risks present in the first place. This is why it is recommended for individuals to learn how to manage risk in first aid. Nowhere is this more applicable than in the outdoors, especially for individuals who have received training in remote first aid.
To put this in perspective, you would need to understand that we get to encounter risk in virtually every facet of life today. The difference remains in how the risk is handled and how this relates to the provision of first aid. There are risks everywhere you look, when you cross the road, when you engage in sports activities, when you climb the elevator…you get the drift. The key to this is to learn how to manage risk in first aid. This is further intensified in the outdoors where almost every activity brings with it a degree of risk, whether you are looking at dealing with parasites, setting up camps in areas where bears prowl as well as dealing with harsh weather.
The bottom line as far as this is concerned rests solely on weighing the conditions at hand, establishing the potential risks as well as making decisions that ensure the risk factors do not escalate. It is interesting however, that in learning to manage risk in first aid, individuals will often experience what is referred to as perceived risk. To put this in perspective, think about a well managed bungee jumping experience. Individuals may perceive the risk to be way higher than it actually is, causing them to step out of their comfort zones and to experience challenges that work to boost their morale. Granted, this is an effective way of managing manage risk in first aid provision.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjC0lmj_094″]In light of risk management in the outdoors, one of the guiding principles that outdoor enthusiasts have to deal with is an aspect known as shared management of risks. This is where the group takes up a responsibility to make decisions that are effective for the whole group. It is one of the things that is covered during remote first aid training. The interesting thing that you may realize is that often, it is not dependent on the intricate details of the guidelines, but just how willing the team is to take up the challenges ahead in a bid to manage risk in first aid. This calls for a team leader who knows where he is guiding his team to as well as members who are team players. Closely related to risk management is provision of wilderness or remote first aid.