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WFR Study Guide Questions and Answers | Latest Version | 2025/2026 | Correct & Verified
How should you assess a patient in a remote setting with limited resources?✔✔Follow the ABCDE approach (Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure) while adapting to environmental constraints.
What’s the primary treatment for altitude sickness in the backcountry?✔✔Descend immediately while maintaining hydration and monitoring for worsening symptoms.
How would you stabilize a compound fracture in the wilderness?✔✔Control bleeding, align the limb gently, splint in position found, and pad open wounds with sterile dressings.
What’s the safest way to remove a tick in the field?✔✔Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp close to the skin and pull straight out without twisting.
How do you treat severe hypothermia when evacuation is delayed? 1 / 4
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✔✔Use gradual rewarming with body-to-body contact and insulated wraps—avoid rapid heat sources.
What are the key signs of dehydration in a wilderness patient?✔✔Dark urine, sunken eyes, dry mucous membranes, and decreased skin turgor.
How should you manage a patient with suspected spinal injury in rough terrain?✔✔Stabilize the head manually and improvise a litter for evacuation without unnecessary movement.
What’s the wilderness protocol for a snakebite without antivenom available?✔✔Keep the limb immobilized at heart level, mark swelling progression, and evacuate immediately.
How would you improvise a splint for a fractured femur?✔✔Use trekking poles, padded clothing, or branches secured with bandanas/straps to immobilize the joint above and below.
What’s the critical first step when treating a lightning strike victim? 2 / 4
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✔✔Assess for immediate life threats (cardiac arrest) as they take priority over burns or fractures.
How do you differentiate between heat exhaustion and heat stroke?✔✔Heat stroke includes altered mental status and possible loss of consciousness—a true medical emergency.
What’s the best way to purify water in the wild when filters aren’t available?✔✔Boil vigorously for 1 minute (3 minutes at high altitude) or use chemical treatments like iodine.
How should you position a patient in shock during a multi-day evacuation?✔✔Keep them flat with legs elevated unless head/spine injuries prevent this.
What’s the wilderness approach to a dislocated shoulder without medical help?✔✔Attempt gentle traction-reposition only if evacuation is delayed >12 hours and circulation is compromised.
How would you manage a severe allergic reaction without an epinephrine auto-injector? 3 / 4
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✔✔Administer antihistamines if available, monitor airway, and initiate rapid evacuation.
What are the red flags for a worsening head injury in remote settings?✔✔Worsening headache, repeated vomiting, unequal pupils, or decreasing consciousness.
How do you create an emergency litter for a patient evacuation?✔✔Use two long poles and a tarp/blanket secured with knots, or improvise with sturdy branches and clothing.
What’s the priority treatment for frostbite during a winter expedition?✔✔Rapidly rewarm in warm water (37–39°C) only if refreezing can be prevented.
How should you assess and clean a wilderness wound to prevent infection?✔✔Irrigate copiously with clean water, remove debris, and cover with a sterile dressing.
What’s the safest way to cross a swollen river with an injured patient?✔✔Use a human chain or rope system with the strongest member upstream as a brace.
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