Introduction

This Role 1, prolonged field care (PFC) Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) is intended to be used after Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) guidelines when evacuation to higher level of care is not immediately possible. A provider of PFC must first and foremost be an expert in TCCC. This CPG is meant to provide medical professionals who treat severely injured or sick patients in austere environments with recommendations for documentation that will allow them and subsequent providers along the evacuation chain to optimally manage complex, often unstable casualties. Recommendations follow a “minimum,” “better,” “best” format that provides alternate methods when optimal hospital options are unavailable.