Emergency nursing and ski patrol: A 30-year partnership to improve patient outcomes

This article explores the mutual relationship between emergency nursing and ski patrol, highlighting their complementary roles in providing prehospital and hospital-based trauma and medical care. Ski patrols, acting as a crucial first line of medical response personnel in remote, dynamic, and environmentally challenging alpine settings, stabilize patients and manage extrications under the protocols of the National Ski Patrol's Outdoor Emergency Care program. Emergency nurses, in turn, leverage advanced clinical skills and a broader scope of practice within a controlled hospital environment to continue patient care started in the mountain and austere environments. This partnership and collaboration are essential in rural areas where access to advanced life support may be delayed due to severe weather or difficult terrain, necessitating robust on-mountain care. Acknowledging that many ski patrollers already possess emergency medical services training, the relationship emphasizes collaboration and shared expertise rather than a strict division of labor. The synthesis of these two disciplines creates a more seamless continuum of care, improving patient outcomes from the moment of injury on the mountain to definitive treatment in the emergency department.