Rant about medical forms for scuba instruction

[BradEllis]

Do you give money/downpayment back if that happens?

This is not quite what OP was asking but I remember on my OW course that we returned the medical forms first lesson. One student had ticked something that required clearance (and obviously didn't have that clearance). I was kind of thinking what a stupid way for a shop to let students do it that way. Everyone had paid up, and now someone might not even be allowed to take the course. Why not require all this in advance.

Shops will not care that you will have to go back to your doctor. I have heard several divers say their instructors advised them to tick "no" for everything. I wonder how that would fare if something happened and trail leads to undisclosed condition. Which idiot would be more wrong, the instructor for saying "don't tell" or you trying to say you didn't understand it was not wise?? Just remember you will definitely be the one in risk of losing more if you are not in a position to tell helpers something really important when you need specific kind of aid.

When a student enrolls in a course at our shop, they pay the entire tuition cost for the class up front. If they are unable to START their course b/c their physician deems them unfit to dive, then we will issue a refund for their course and any unused equipment they may have purchased.

If a prospective student thinks they may have a condition which might prevent them from diving, we encourage them to take a medical form and get a approval from their doctor before they enroll in a class. That way, they know in advance whether they will be approved to dive.

It is very rare instance in our shop where a physician will not approve a student to dive. We are firm believers that scuba training should start the moment that a person shows interest in the sport. We try to get them signed up for a course and get the student materials to them right away so they can start learning. Anything that slows down that process is a potential for that person to walk away from diving and not participate. We think this is a bad thing.

 

[pir8]

Without having read the rest of this thread, your husbands medical is good for one year. But he still needs to fill out a medical for every specialty, just doesn't need to get the dr to sign every one , only the first one. Its a paperwork thing, you also need a safe diving practices and a liability release for each and every specialty.

I completely understand the necessity of having a student will out a medical form prior to scuba instruction. But I don't understand why a person who has been cleared to dive once would have to be cleared again and again any time he or she wants to take a class.

For instance, my husband is on prescription meds. He was cleared for diving when he was first certified. If he wants to take a specialty class he will have to do one of two things with the medical questionare:

1 - Lie and say he is not on prescription meds;

or

2 - Go back to the doctor who cleared him in the first place and ask, "Is it still OK for me to dive while taking the same medication that I was taking the last time you told me it was OK for me to dive?"

ABSOLUTLEY LUDICROUS.

Once you're cleared you should stay cleared unless your status changes.

/rant off

 

[Web Monkey]

Consider this: you sign up for an "advanced" class and get buddied up with a diver who has chosen to lie about his medical condition because he doesn't think it's important and well...it would just create a hassle with more paperwork. You progress through the series of dives and find yourself on the second day at 90 fsw with your "buddy" when he suddenly bolts for you and pulls your regulator out of your mouth.

I would expect no less. If someone is OOA I certainly don't expect the whole pantomime of "I'm out of air and would like to share some of yours".

In the ensuing mahem, you have difficulty finding your "octo" and bolt for the surface. Because you feel starved for air, and your ascent exceeds 100 feet per minute you end up with an over-expansion injury and declared unfit to dive.

In that case you weren't qualified for the dive. Finding your octo or Air-2 should be as easy and reliable as finding your butt using both hands.

Luckily you survive, but your buddy wasn't so lucky. You'd like to explain to his family why this happened, but feeling guilty about your actions, you decide to just "live with it." The autopsy reveals a history of asthma and it turns out that the dry air in the scuba tank caused an asthma attack underwater. Your buddy thought he was out of gas and his "little secret" becomes your problem. Be honest about your fitness to dive and answer truthfully!!

He could have just as easily had a heart-attack. **** happens. he lied about his condition and died from it. I don't see the problem. It was his responsibility to dive or not dive and it's your responsibility to be the best buddy you can without becoming a victim.


Terry

 

[pir8]

Instead of ripping the reg out of my mouth go for the octo?!?!?

I would expect no less. If someone is OOA I certainly don't expect the whole pantomime of "I'm out of air and would like to share some of yours".


In that case you weren't qualified for the dive. Finding your octo or Air-2 should be as easy and reliable as finding your butt using both hands.


He could have just as easily had a heart-attack. **** happens. he lied about his condition and died from it. I don't see the problem. It was his responsibility to dive or not dive and it's your responsibility to be the best buddy you can without becoming a victim.


Terry

 

[PhilEllis]

<clip> My experience with several instructors is that the requirement of a doctors sign-off is at their discretion. <clip>

Any instructor that would give advice to a student about how to handle the medical waiver is playing russion roulette. While instructors are trained as to which conditions might or might not be a counterindication for diving, they are not qualified to counsel any particular person with regard to their individual medical condition. The RSTC has designed that form to clearly place the responsibility for determining medical fitness to participate on the student and their medical care specialists. Instructor discretion in determining who should and who should not get a doctors sign-off is simply silly.

We don't even offer to explain what any particular question on the medical waiver means. We simply advise them to read it and apply their knowledge as to what the waiver question is asking. If they don't understand and can't have it explained to them by someone whom they trust for counsel, we tell them to answer YES to the question. Of course, this drives them directly to a medical professional for a signature.

As to the issue of the Medical Statement lasting for one year.....I am aware that PADI advises that the form is valid for one year. However, a careful reading of the Medical Statement doe not indicate that anywhere. I personally think it would be foolish to accept a medical statement signed 8 months ago for a class to be taught tomorrow. Remember, if there is litigation as a result of an accident that could have been prevented had a medical issue been known, it might become difficult to weather cross-examination with a Medical Statement that is 8 months old and originally signed for a completely different class. Remember, DON'T depend on agency standards to protect you. Protect yourself.

Phil Ellis

 

[Web Monkey]

Instead of ripping the reg out of my mouth go for the octo?!?!?

If someone is OOA I don't really care which they grab. I have two (at least) second stages and they only have one mouth. I'm perfectly happy with whatever is left.

Terry

 

[carolrose]

I have a 'yes' on my medical form, so when I went in for my annual visit, I just had my ENT sign a medical release and made a bunch of copies. Anytime I take a new class, I just put a copy with my new paperwork and have had no issues. Yeah it's somewhat of a pain, but I'd rather not lie, and I can understand that the instructor needs to be covered too. If you are taking any kind of prescription meds, the doc usually won't give you a prescription for more then a year without a followup visit anyway, so it really only takes a couple of extra minutes while you're there to get it done and keep everyone happy.

 

[scratchmyback]

Between completing my OW last year, and taking Rescue this year, I passed the ripe old age of 45. Some of the questions on the form related to my age + family history. Having never had any symptoms myself, but having a family history that does, I had to get the form signed by my doctor, after having my annual physical. It was not a big deal for me, other than the few bucks I was out of pocket to get the doctor to sign the form.

In the end, I felt the exercise was useful since my doctor incorporated tests in my physical he may not normally have done (EKG for example). It kind of set a benchmark for the future. But I realize not everyone feels the same way.

 

[Goose75]

If a student answers the medical questionaire truthfully and has a condition that requires medical evaluation, then the opportunity exists for him (the student) to follow the recommendations of his physician and minimize risk. Sometimes, the student may not even realize the potential problems that may arise when his medical condition is combine with pressure. Ignorance is NOT bliss.

I don't see how this has anything to do with the 'buddy of a diver with a condition' scenario that was suggested but I think everyone agrees with you that talking with a doctor is the best way to minimialize risk associated with any condition.