Since the ST (shakedown trek), we have switched the pace of our visit to India so far. First, we were tested physically with hikes and excursions while dealing with tiredness and adjusting to a new environment. Now, we have changed gears and are getting a 5-day training period in WAFA (Wilderness Advanced First Aid), with a side of playing some basketball/badminton in our down time. We covered many topics and different scenarios that we might encounter while venturing into the wilderness, which is technically anywhere over an hour away from professional help. I have been excited about this course because I hope to go on adventures in the wilderness in the future, and it gives me knowledge that can be used in everyday life if I am in a dangerous situation. In a more short-term sense, this knowledge will help us during our quickly approaching 10-day trek. While we hope we will not have to use any of our newly gained skills, it is comforting to know we are with people who are familiar with situations we might encounter. It gives us a positive sense of anxiety so we can be cautious about our health.
This WAFA course has been structured as an experiential learning course. There are so many topics to cover and so many steps to remember when saving a life, but there are certain legalities and potentially harmful actions that a leader needs to keep in mind when becoming first aid certified. Yet while learning all of these hard skills, there are many lessons taught here that can be transferred to holding a structured or unstructured leadership position.
The biggest takeaway I noticed from this course is stress management. We ran through many different scenarios where we had to take care of a patient in various scenarios, which could be an MOI (mechanism of injury) or NOI (nature of illness). These were stress-inducing, with patients covered in fake blood, unresponsive, screaming for help, or being non-compliant. We had to make sure to do an SS (scene survey), go through the ABCDEs (primary survey), a SAMPLE report, and complete a SOAP report while addressing someone in pain and performing the correct medical aid. To do this, I recognized I needed to be intentional, thoughtful, and confident in every one of my actions to perform. As a leader, I need to act the same way when making important decisions for my team.
I also learned how significant context is when dealing with a situation. We were taught baseline responses to certain situations, but many signs and symptoms overlap with different diagnoses. So I recognized the importance of looking at context clues to best assess how to help a patient. In leadership, scenarios can present themselves in different ways that will call for a diverse array of solutions, and I need to be able to use my context clues and situational analysis to make the best-fit decision.
Again, the theme of communication arises. When addressing a medical issue, I needed to define and communicate roles with my team to ensure we were not talking over each other, repeating ourselves, or being inefficient. This helped us deal with the patient efficiently and ensured we completed every step. When leading a team, I need to be able to effectively communicate roles and responsibilities to ensure a complete and thorough job is done.
I’m less than 24 hours away from being WAFA certified and hopefully, I never need to use any of this knowledge, but it’s comforting to know I have these useful skills now. Anyways if anyone needs their life saved, LMK (let me know).
