Prehospital Medical Care and the National Ski Patrol: How Does Outdoor Emergency Care Compare to Traditional EMS Training?

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study was to identify the differences between the educational curricula, skill sets, and funds of knowledge required for certification as an Outdoor Emergency Care Technician (OEC-T), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), and Emergency Medical Responder (EMR). Methods We directly and in detail compared topics and skills presented in the OEC-T curriculum with those presented in the EMT and EMR education and training curricula. Results The information and skills taught in the OEC-T curriculum are in general more extensive than those taught in EMR training but are not equivalent to EMT. The OEC-T program has more depth in environmental medical issues, such as altitude illness, hyperthermia and hypothermia. Completion of the EMR program is 112 hours shorter and constitutes 30% of the duration of the EMT program. Completion of the OEC-T program (for certification only and not including additional “on-hill” patroller training) is 80 hours shorter and is half the duration of the EMT program. Conclusions The OEC-T curriculum includes a skill set and fund of knowledge that exceeds those of the EMR program, but does not include all the knowledge needed for an EMT program. The OEC-T program prepares out-of-hospital providers to care for patients in the wilderness, with special emphasis on snowsports pathology. The EMT program places a greater emphasis on medical disease and emergency medication administration. These differences should be considered when determining staffing requirements for agencies caring for patients with snowsports pathology.

Utah Ski Patrol: Assessing Training Types and Resources

“…Prior studies have looked at the OEC protocol in comparison to traditional EMS training. 14 Constance et al 14 compared the curriculums of OEC and EMT.…”

“…Additionally, OEC "prepares out of hospital providers to care for patients in the wilderness, with special emphasis on snow sports pathology." 14 We sought to look at the available resources and equipment available to patrols in light of the incidents and illnesses seen. Although we did not directly study the adequacy of OEC training, we did ask the opinion of the patrol directors about OEC training.…”

Search and Rescue in the Intermountain West States

“…Although these skills are taught in a variety of wilderness medical course types, legally they require physician oversight to be practiced in the field. 4,5 Alteration of the traditional provider skill set requires both a comprehensive training program and legal documentation by a physician medical director.…”

An Introduction to Wilderness Emergency Medical Services Medical Director Course

“…The National Ski Patrol's Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) curriculum lacks a few classroom hours in some topics to meet national requirements for EMT, so it is classified as more than equivalent to EMR, although OEC training goes beyond EMT in other areas. 2 Some ski patrols (such as the Wachusett Mountain Patrol in Massachusetts) have physicians as members who volunteer to act as medical directors. But most SAR teams and National Ski Patrol responders are volunteers, so it is very unlikely that they could afford to pay physicians to act as medical directors.…”