Current aspects of the organization of first aid to military personnel of the NATO bloc (using the example of the Bundeswehr army)

Abstract

The study examines the most pressing issues of the organization of first aid to military personnel in the countries of the NATO bloc (using the example of the Bundeswehr army). It has been established that the system of first aid to the wounded and injured is based on the principles of “tactical medicine”, including the possession by military personnel of algorithms for providing assistance in the “red” and “yellow” combat zones, as well as methods of evacuation to the stage of medical care. It is emphasized that in order to quickly and effectively carry out self- and mutual assistance activities on the battlefield, NATO military personnel have appropriate training in the use of a standard individual first aid kit. It is shown that the Bundeswehr army has successfully implemented a training program consisting of two consecutive and logically related medical training courses: an initial training cycle (course “A”) and a special medical training course (course “B”). Only military personnel who have successfully completed both training courses are allowed to provide first aid in combat and emergency situations. It was revealed that within the framework of initial military training, students master a set of measures for phased first aid to the wounded and injured in accordance with the “C–A–B–C–D–E” scheme. The subsequent course of special medical training is aimed at training military personnel in emergency resuscitation measures in conditions as close as possible to combat. The purpose of the study was to analyze the literature data devoted to the study of the peculiarities of the existing system of first aid to the wounded and injured in the armies of NATO countries, including in the aspect of the organization of the training process for servicemen. The research methodology included the analysis of scientific publications selected from domestic and foreign databases, such as e-Library and PubMed. The methods of content analysis, synthesis, method of historical comparison, and bibliographic research method were used.