Classes should be interesting, useful, available for University of Alaska credit and approval from Nursing, EMS and Physician Assistant organizations:
a. Overview of medical history in Alaska: This class will take about two hours and cover medical history from the pre-western period through present with information on traditional native and Eskimo medicine.
b. State of Alaska Medevac Course: This course will take about 12-15 hours. This course was developed to meet Alaska needs, covering the nuts and bolts of Medevac escort. From patient care and special transport considerations to what to do it the plane crashes.
c. Wilderness Survival Skills: This class will take approx. 8 hours and is NOT: "here's a knife and a piece of string, come back in three days". This course will take the middle ground and cover such topics as recognition of problems, signaling, shelter, fire starting, and travel. Covers both wilderness and urban topics.
d. Wilderness Medical Skills: This class will take approximately 8 hours covering topics such as extended patient care, delayed wound care, wilderness first aid. Wilderness patient care skills will be practiced.
2. Teaching methods and schedule:
Classes will be held in the AM and will last approximately 4 1/2 hours per day. Some class work will be in workbook form. This will allow more flexibility in travel and sightseeing. Classes will be conducted in a large 20 foot dome tent that will serve as dining facility and meeting area. Remember it will be daylight ALL of the time during the summer months!
Students will receive hour-for-hour State of Alaska CME credits for these classes, as well as Ak. Nursing CEUs (in process) and Physician Assistant educational units (in process). University of Alaska college credits (2) will also be available.
a. History of Medicine in Alaska:
1. Pre-Western contact
2. Eskimo (Inuit)
3. Aleiut
4. Athabaskan
5. Post-Western Contact
6. Current medical delivery system
b. Alaska Medevac Escourt:
1. Safety
2. Special Aeromedical considerations
3. The atmosphere
4. Aircraft safety issues
5. Skills and testing
c. Wilderness Survival Skills:
1. Recognition
2. Shelter
3. Fire starting and food issues
4. Travel
5. Getting found
d. Wilderness Medical Skills:
1. Definitions
2. Illness evaluation
3. Wound Care
4. Special splinting and bandaging techniques
5. Wilderness First Aid Kit
6. Skills Lab
e. Stress Reduction/Management
1. Recognition of stress
2. Effects of stress on our lives
3. Stress reduction techniques
4. Skills lab (meditation, stretching, massage, breathing etc.)
