At the end of December, everything slows down and the world kind of comes to a halt. It’s a good moment not to relax, but to deal with all matters that really need to be done. Like required additional training in first aid for extending the NKBV-license and for expanding the knowledge in this field. […]

Last week, we ran over the evaluation of severy head injury, briefly summarized in the figure below (MARCH). Nonetheless, there’s still some work to be done when the need for a CT-scan, and therefore rapid evacuation, is ruled out. Evaluation of non-severe head injury Several concussion tools are available, like the SCAT5. However, at present, […]

Imagine: With eight climbers you’re three quarters on your way climbing the Dufourspitze (4,634m) in the Swiss Alps. Suddenly, a 47-year-old friend of yours slips on polished granite, flipping him upside-down and into freefall. Three meters down the back of his helmet slams into solid rock. You’re more than half a day hiking away from […]

WEM Live! Discussing each month various journal articles in the field of Wilderness & Environmental Medicine. Everyday Emergency Podcast. A podcast by Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) bringing you true stories from people on the frontline of humanitarian emergencies across the world. Highly recommended! BMJ talk medicine: On the Edge. Interview with Dr Russell […]

The Wilderness First Aid Mountain (WFAM) is a unique course in addition to the Wilderness First Aid (WFA). The WFAM is aimed at the professional and enthusiast who undertakes and/or guides hikes and expeditions to areas above 4000 meters where medical assistance is not immediately available. The 2-day course consists of a day of home study (e-learning) […]

When, 6 months ago, I learned about the Mountain Medicine course, a full week high up in the Austrian Alps combining mountaineering and alpine medical skills, I registered immediately full of self-confidence. Being a young doctor who loves the outdoors, acute medicine and acting outside my comfort zone, this course was meant for me! The […]

Okavango Air Rescue Okavango Air Rescue (OAR) is a privately owned aeromedical rescue organisation bringing service delivery to the government health sector as well as private individuals. It is based in Maun, Northern Botswana Botswana is a large and sparsely populated middle-income country in Southern Africa with high-level care (e.g. ICU/NICU and Neurosurgery) available at […]

This year the 102nd Four Days Marches take place from 17 to 20 July in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.1 With 48.000 people participating, this is the largest multiple-day walking event in the world and participants walk 30, 40 or 50 kilometers each day, depending on age and gender. The start is at 4:00 AM and everyone […]

In 2015, drowning accounted for at least 360.000 deaths worldwide. It is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 7% of all injury-related deaths. Most of the incidents occur in low or middle-income countries. With the summertime being present, people tend to swim more often and submersion or drowning happens more often in […]

This week we asked you whether you should start with chest compressions or rescue breaths when you are performing CPR on a lightning victim. We will explain you why rescue breaths are the best approach.  When struck by lightning the current can cause a simultaneous cardiac and respiratory arrest. Due to cardiac automaticity the heart […]