WFR Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the WFR exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 WFR Exam Format at a Glance
📚 WFR Topics to Study (15)
✍️ Sample WFR Questions & Answers
1. What is the first priority when assessing a trauma patient in the wilderness?
When assessing any trauma patient, especially in the wilderness, the absolute first priority is to assess and manage the ABCs: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. Ensuring a patent airway, adequate breathing, and effective circulation addresses the most immediate life threats. Without these basic functions, other interventions will be ineffective, making them the foundation of all trauma care.
2. The standard adult epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen) delivers which dose intramuscularly?
The standard adult EpiPen delivers 0.3 mg of epinephrine IM into the lateral thigh, the established dose for treating anaphylaxis.
3. When should you initiate an emergency evacuation for a patient?
Emergency evacuation is a serious decision reserved for situations where a patient's life is in immediate danger or their injuries/illness exceed the capabilities of wilderness first aid. Attempting to manage critical conditions in the field when advanced medical care is needed can lead to worse outcomes. Therefore, evacuation is initiated when the patient's condition is life-threatening or beyond the scope of field treatment.
4. When packaging a patient with a suspected spinal injury in a litter for a long evacuation, what is the primary purpose of creating an "X" pattern with webbing straps over the patient's torso?
The diagonal or "X" strapping pattern is crucial for securing the patient's torso to the litter and preventing longitudinal (up and down) movement. This is especially important for a patient with a potential spinal injury when the litter is tilted during an evacuation over steep terrain.
5. Which of the following statements best describes a primary difference in the approach to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in a wilderness versus an urban setting?
Due to prolonged transport times and limited resources, wilderness medicine protocols include specific criteria for terminating resuscitation efforts (e.g., after 30 minutes of CPR without a return of spontaneous circulation in certain non-hypothermic situations). In an urban setting, CPR is almost always continued until care is transferred to a higher medical authority. The compression-to-breath ratio and rate remain the same (30:2 at 100-120/min), and rescue breaths are a critical component of CPR.
6. A patient has a suspected closed fracture of their forearm. Which of the following describes the most appropriate improvised splinting technique?
A good improvised splint should be well-padded, rigid, and immobilize the joints above and below the injury. Using a sleeping pad for padding and two rigid trekking poles on either side of the forearm creates a strong 'sandwich' splint. A single branch provides poor immobilization. A sling alone is insufficient for a forearm fracture as it doesn't immobilize the wrist and elbow effectively. A mud cast would be ineffective and potentially harmful.