September 22, 2025
New Guide for the Layperson on Providing Prolonged Casualty Care from HJF and USU
A Practical Guide to Prolonged Casualty Care has been published jointly by the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (HJF) and the Uniformed Services University (USU). This book is designed for the layperson faced with medical trauma associated with disaster or conflict. The goal of this resource is to provide people with information to aid casualties for hours to days before trained medical providers can arrive.
The book’s chapters address key concerns in prolonged casualty care (PCC). It covers everything from planning and resource management to treating a wide range of injuries such as severe bleeding, shock, and head trauma. It also includes information on medications, patient handover, and managing pain. The appendices offer additional support, including instructions on taking vital signs and applying tourniquets and dressings.
Inspired by her field experience, Dr. Melissa Givens, former Vice Chair of the Department of Military and Emergency Medicine at Uniformed Services University and retired U.S. Army Colonel, assembled a comprehensive team of medical professionals to create this reference, which is derived from the U.S. military’s “Prolonged Casualty Care Guidelines.”
HJF Senior Editor Carol M. Stockton and HJF, Senior Graphic Designer, both whom primarily support the Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP) program, were integral in formatting this important work into text and graphics that could be understood and implemented by any reader, as well as translated into other languages—an important goal in reaching a global audience.