Table 1.

Overview of skill sets among the various levels of combat casualty care in the Canadian Forces

CFA	TCCC	TACMED
Stop major hemorrhage with pressure, tourniquet and wound packing with hemostatic agent	Stop major hemorrhage with pressure, tourniquet and wound packing with hemostatic agent	Stop major hemorrhage with pressure, tourniquet and wound packing with hemostatic agent
Maintain an airway-recovery position	Maintain an airway-recovery position, jaw thrust and NPA	Maintain an airway-recovery position, jaw thrust, NPA, OPA, supraglottic airways, surgical cricothyrotomy
	Seal open chest wounds with occlusive dressing Identification and decompression of tension pneumothorax under direction of a medic	Seal open chest wounds with occlusive dressings Identification and decompression of tension pneumothorax
	Identify signs of hemorrhagic shock	Intraveous/intraosseous administration of hypertonic saline/dextran with permissive hypotension
	Aid medic in application of pelvic binders and splinting fractures	Management of bowel evisceration, application of pelvic binders and splinting fractures
	Hypothermia prevention	Hypothermia prevention
Assist medic as required, including calling in TACEVAC request	Assist medic as required, including calling in TACEVAC request	Use of narcotics for pain management in trauma
		Antibiotic use postinjury

CFA = combat first aid; NPA = nasopharygeal airway; OPA = oropharyngeal airway; TACEVAC = tactical evacuation care; TACMED = tactical medicine; TCCC = tactical combat casualty care.