Effects Of Cold Experience And Training On Administration Of Emergency Medical Treatment In The Cold

Abstract

Performance of emergency medical treatment in the cold was assessed and three methods for reducing cold-induced decrements in performance investigated. Time to complete a realistic medical treatment task developed for this experiment, as well as a standard test of manual dexterity, was significantly longer in the cold (5 F) than at room temperature. Given the content validity of the medical treatment task, this confirms that aspects of Navy corpsmen's duties in cold weather are seriously impaired by the cold. The substantial correlation between the medical task scores and manual dexterity scores, combined with other evidence, suggests that loss of gross arm and hand dexterity accounts for much of the decrement in cold weather medical treatment. Performance of both tasks significantly improved between the first two training sessions with no further improvement with practice. This one day practice effect occurred whether practice was in the cold or at room temperature. This suggests that personnel should practice the emergency medical treatment procedures they are likely to perform in the cold, and that one training session is as effective as two or three.