Soft Tissue Injuries (HB)

Soft tissue injuries are arguably the most common injuries you will come across in the backcountry. These can be anything from small nicks and cuts to burns to the lower leg’s amputation by chainsaw.

Soft tissue injuries all have the same concern—the potential for contamination and risk of infection. Most are also very manageable in the field, and you have likely managed many types on your own long before taking this course. The important part is categorizing the wound and determining if the potential for infection is beyond our ability to control.

At the end of this lesson, you will have the skills and knowledge to handle soft tissue injuries in your patients.

You will be able to identify the different classifications of wounds and burns. You will be able to identify the types of impaled objects that are safe to remove, and you will understand the process of correctly cleaning a wound. You will be able to differentiate between local and systemic infections.

You will be able to demonstrate dressing and bandaging a wound or burn. You will be able to treat a blister. You will be able to clean a wound.