Policies and Procedures

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WILDERNESS MEDICAL ASSOCIATES®

Policies and Procedures These policies and procedures are to provide the Wilderness Medical Associates (WMA) Instructor with some guidelines for handling student incidents outside the normal activities of a course. These student incidents include but are not limited to: Sexual harassment Physical confrontations and harassment Medical problems Injury or death of a student or instructor Lost student Failing or downgrading a student certification Simulation / scenario scene safety Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Release and Indemnity Agreement Sexual Harassment can be defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or learning environment. In the event of a reported incident: 1. Talk to both parties, in private initially. 2. Interview others involved. Use the Witness Statement forms included in the course paperwork. 3. It is best to have yourself and one other person present to verify information learned at interviews and to evaluate the situation. That other person can be another instructor, the course sponsor, or other party that can be easily contacted at a later date. 4. Document your investigation with the Accident/Incident Report form included in the course paperwork. 5. Take the appropriate action depending on the facts. Notify the WMA office as soon as possible. 6. Maintain confidentiality. Only involve those who need to know. WMA does not tolerate sexual harassment on its courses. Physical confrontations and harassment can be described as conduct that has a direct or implied threat to an instructor or fellow student. Do your best to keep control of the situation without endangering yourself or the offending party. In the event of a reported incident take the same steps as above. Injury of a student or instructor - If someone becomes injured during a course the instructor should procure the appropriate medical care for the injured person(s) as soon as the need becomes apparent. Prior to the arrival of qualified assistance, The WMA instructor should provide such first

©2009, Wilderness Medical Associates

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“Leading the World in Wilderness and Rescue Medicine.”™

Policies and Procedures

aid as he or she is reasonably capable of giving. Document your actions using the Accident/Incident Report and Witness Statement forms if necessary. Medical problems may arise on a course and should be handled the same as an injury. Acknowledge any medical problems in the beginning of the course. If needed, have a private interview with the student if questions of medications, physical contact, strenuous activity, etc. are a concern. If you are not comfortable with a situation, contact the WMA office for support. If there should be a death on course and it happens during course hours, secure the scene first. Have another instructor or the sponsor take the class to a separate location where they can be evaluated for stress debriefing and witness statements can be taken individually. Notify the appropriate authorities including EMS and law enforcement. Notify the WMA office as soon as possible. Document the incident using the Accident/Incident Report and Witness Statement forms in the course paperwork. If the death occurs during off hours/day, debrief the class and adjust scenarios as you see fit. Contact the WMA office and document the incident. Lost student – Because of some of the locations that courses are taught and night simulations there is a possibility of a student or instructor becoming lost. Should this happen, organize and initiate a search plan. If you feel there is a high probability of finding the student, because of topography, time of day, location, etc., initiate an immediate search. Make sure you are comfortable with the situation if you decide to use students, sponsor staff, etc., they are your responsibility. If you are not comfortable with the situation and personnel available to you, contact the appropriate authorities and the WMA office. Document the event using the Accident/Incident Report and Witness Statement forms in the course paperwork. Failing or downgrading a student is an option in the event that a student misses significant class time, fails quizzes, shows inadequate skill performance, etc. It is the decision of the lead instructor to fail the student according to the Course Participation Standards. If the student fails to adequately show practical skills, but does well on written exams, or visa versa, or has some other issue that the lead instructor feels does not necessitate a failure, but the student does not meet the Course Participation Standards, the lead instructor may issue a lesser certification. The lead instructor should document their decision using the Accident/Incident Report and Witness Statement forms, in the course paperwork, if needed and include with them any supporting paperwork (quizzes, skill sheets, exams, etc.). Wilderness Medical Associates instructors should not certify a student for any level that the student does not qualify for in terms of knowledge, applied skills, and judgment. Please make sure that you complete the proper paperwork with failures and downgrades. Include quizzes, (skills sheets), the final exam and all documentation of conversations and help that you have provided outside of the normal conduct of the class. Contact the WMA office or Medical Director if you need to discuss the situation. You may be able to save yourself a lot of work if you start the class with a discussion around the Functional Position Statement.

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Simulation and scenario scene safety – It is the lead instructor’s responsibility to set up a safe and effective area to run simulations and patient scenarios, which are an essential tool of a Wilderness Medical Associates course. If possible, the lead instructor should contact the course sponsor and describe the needs of the area; ease of access, outdoor setting, and scene safety should all be taken into consideration. The lead instructor should also try to scout the area, before setting up any simulations, to establish potential danger areas and all areas of concern. Once an area is established as a safe and adequate site, it is desirable to contact any agencies or authorities that may manage the area if it is not under direct control of the sponsor. This will help eliminate any miscommunication or false accident reporting. The lead instructor should feel comfortable and in control of the area and all students during the entire event, making sure that no students are put in any foreseeable danger. Americans with Disabilities Act – Please read or review the contents of the Functional Position Statement on the morning of the first day. Offer to speak in private with student who may have concerns about full participation including testing and class participation. An individual with a disability is a person who has a physical or mental impairment, has record of such an impairment or is regarding as having such an impairment, that substantially limits on or more major life activity, including such activities as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, sitting, standing, lifting, reaching and working. No person shall be denied access to or full participation in a course because of a disability without an individual assessment of whether there are reasonable accommodations to the physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified student that can reasonably be made without compromising the core integrity of the course. No person should be told that such accommodations are not possible without approval of the Medical Director. If you have a student that meets this description please contact the WMA office and the sponsor to see if the student’s needs can be met. Student Disclaimer and Indemnity Agreement – No student shall be allowed to participate in a course until the WMA instructor has a duly executed copy of the Release and Indemnity Agreement for that student. Instructors should go over these important documents so that the students know what they are signing and why. Instructors, additionally, are encouraged use this opportunity as a safety lecture.

THESE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE MEANT TO BE GUIDELINES FOR THE INSTRUCTORS TO USE. THEY IN NO WAY ARE MEANT TO TAKE THE PLACE OF DECISION MAKING WHEN AN INCIDENT OCCURS.

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