Where There Is No Paramedic: The Sachigo Lake Wilderness Emergency Response Education Initiative
The Sachigo Lake community is part of the First Nations of Canada, which refers to designated Aboriginal communities located in remote regions of Canada. Sachigo Lake is in Northwest Ontario with a population of approximately 400 people and is accessible only by air or seasonal ice roads. Healthcare is provided by a basic nursing station and a family physician who is present 3 to 4 times per week. The Sachigo Lake Wilderness Emergency Response Education Initiative (SLWEREI) was developed to study and provide life supporting first-aid (LSFA) training in a remote indigenous community. In this paper, the investigators shared their experience with the SLWEREI and identified barriers to providing LSFA training in remote and underserved communities. The investigators enrolled 20 community participants in a 5-day LSFA training course that focused on common first-aid medical problems in addition to the management and transportation of critical patients. Focus groups provided a forum for individual and community feedback.
The researchers found that conventional teaching methods for LSFA courses need to be tailored to the specific medical and cultural needs of a remote community. For example, course participants identified that injuries may occur when hunting in an isolated area, whereas traditional urban first-aid courses focus on activating paramedical services. Local participants identified that LSFA training is important for public health and promotes individual confidence and community resilience in remote populations. The researchers are hopeful that the SLWEREI will have a significant impact on the management of medical emergencies and are planning a second training course with a more refined curriculum. This pilot study provided important insights for teaching wilderness first-aid courses in a remote indigenous community.
(PloS Med. 2012;9(10):e1001322). A Orkin, D Vanderburgh, K Born, M Webster, S Strickland, J Beardy
Prepared by Matthew Stewart, MD, University of Utah Emergency Medicine Resident, Salt Lake City, UT, USA