How Many People Have Advanced Medical Training

[divegirl]

I am a Critical Care RN in our local community hospital. I have been lucky never to have needed my training while diving at least not yet. I probably just jinxed myself. I take the medic first aid as required by PADI and for me it is a joke.

 

[Aquamore]

... I know that "it's a joke" feeling very well and can relate to what you are saying. I served in the British Army for 23 years, and perhaps saw more than my fair share of 'trauma' in that time.

Like a lot of my colleagues who were also trained to, 'Para-medic' equivalent I suppose, we were given a real time baptism of fire in Northern Ireland, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), the Falklands, and the Gulf war to name a few.

I realise that there are Instructors in the Diving world who have been fortunate to quickly rise to the dizzy heights and teach First Aid to other divers and Instructors (and good luck to them), without having been through real life Emergencies or Tragedy's, but when I hear some of the 'straight from the manual', dogmatic 'teachings' from one or two blinkered individuals who believe there is only one way to do something, and that is 'by the book'........

.... well it makes me smile, but as not to hurt anyones feelings I never laugh out loud. I can't help but wonder though how they would react 'by the book' in a real trauma situation?

I much appreciate that it is necessary to teach First Aid and Rescue techniques to all divers but I think it is also essential that the instructor does some prior research on the background of their captive audience before they start preaching to the point of embarrassment.

Aquamore
"Quietly confident"

 

[jbd]

Aquamore,

Very well said. I wish that those teaching these skills would find out just a little more about their students. Also IMHO the dive agencies should be a little more flexible with accepting credentials for these courses.

 

[sunfish]

When I asked about taking the course, the dive shop asked me to please NOT come take the course. (A guy who was a year behind me in school was asked to do the same.)

 

[SM Diver]

Went through EMT school in 1982, and then on to Paramedic and Firefighter. Worked in the fire service for 8 years, and then went into a different career when it occured to me that running 20 calls a shift here in busy Fla might not be as fun as I aged.

Look back on those rescue calls as the best time in my life. I still lecture annually for the local paramedic program on medical/legal issues, and consider my days in the fire service as the most rewarding I have had. I am still married to the same beautiful girl who would let me start IVs on her for practice when I started.

 

[The Iceni]

Drew Sailbum once bubbled...
I did get a good blood-and-guts medical training from the good ol' U.S. Army. Now I know how to treat sucking chest wounds and do a needle thoracotomy(sp?). :shootemup:

Banging the drum again! There are two time-critical conditions that can affect divers. DCI and pulmonary barotrauma.

Not many doctors would attempt a needle thoracostomy for lack of knowledge and or equipment but it could be lifesaving. A technique that, in my considered opinion, should be taught to every diver.

As for current diver medic courses . . . words fail me! I think aquamore pus it fairly well.

 

[Ranz]

Me and Marian are Operating room RN's

 

[Asta1227]

I'm an RN in ICU/CCU/PACU

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

I been a paramedic supervisor for last ten years , before that was a special forces medic well to be honest most divers need some more training in the medical aspect of it .

 

[SKL865]

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