Question about Going Professional

[scubabamatxn]

PADI will give you credit for current skills acquired through other agencies. I recommend that you present these skills to the instructor, and have him/her give you the appropriate credit. Also, regarding the Rescue Diver qualifications, PADI lists these other certifications for qualifying credit. I believe this is a sample list, and is not exhaustive: ACUC Master Diver or Sauvetage Scuba
ANMP - CEDIP Niveau 3 Autonome
ANIS Salvataggio Sub
AUSI Rescue
BSAC Dive Leader, Advanced Diver
CMAS Two Star Diver
FFESSM Niveau III or Niveau IV
FIAS Salvamento Sub + Certificate of CPR
IDEA Rescue Diver
IDD Rescue Diver or Divemaster
IDF Three Star Diver
NASDS Emergency Management
NAUI Diving Rescue Techniques or Scuba Rescue Diver
PDIC Rescue Diver
SAA Dive Leader (with Diver Rescue) or Dive Supervisor (with Diver Rescue)
SSI Stress Rescue Techniques or Master Diver
SNMP Niveau 2-Equipier or Niveau 3
SSAC 3rd Class Diver (with separate diver rescue certification) or 2nd Class Diver
YMCA SLAM or YMCA Divemaster

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Another question: Since I am a medical professional (EMT-Intermediate and respiratory therapist with all the bells and whistles certifications that go along with those: CPR, ACLS, BTLS, PALS, NRP, etc.) is there any way for me to test out of part or all of the Emergency First Response course?

No problem. Show your Rescue Diver instructor your EMT credentials and that should suffice. Might be nice to make a couple photocopies of your credentials for the instructor's files.

Another question I have....how come every dive book I have seen, when it discusses O2 administration has it being given through a demand valve (aka Elder valve) type system? See page 154 of the PADI open water dive text for an example of what I mean. These are dangerous devices (if you aren't d--n careful with them (and really experienced with them- more than you're gonna get from a simple class (I don't trust EMT's with them let alone a first aider)) you can easily added a ruptured and collapsed lung to the patient's list of problems. That is not to mention that these setups waste lots of O2; you will get further with a non-rebreather mask, or if the patient isn't breathing an AMBU bag. Just my professional medical opinion.

This sounds a little confusing. Is your objection to a demand valve mask, or to a non-demand valve mask (continuous flow)?

The non-demand valve mask will waste lots of oxygen, but is generally used if the patient has lost conciousness. If the patient is concious and they can tolerate and effective breath from a demand valve mask, then that is preferred. Expected response time of EMS is a consideration, as is the amount of oxygen available for first response.

 

[medic_diver45]

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?threadid=69626&s=

I moved the discussion there to get this discussion back on topic;

QUOTE:
The non-demand valve mask will waste lots of oxygen, but is generally used if the patient has lost conciousness. If the patient is concious and they can tolerate and effective breath from a demand valve mask, then that is preferred.

OK.....wait a minute....why are you ventilating a conscious patient? Why bother using a heavy, expensive potential dangerous piece of equipment for something that can be done effectively with a non-rebreather mask (which would be considered the standard of care if the patient were being attended by medical professionals- NRB use is taught in the Oxygen course from what I have been told, so then why use the demand valve? The NRB works for both conscious and unconscious (but breathing) patients. I guess I just don't see the logic (if any) that is behind this....Actually I think it has something to do with DAN selling the O2 kits for 400+ dollars; It's nice to see that patient outcomes and being up to date are more important than turning a quick profit....(pardon the sarcasm).

 

[Gary D.]

I have a little advise to offer here about getting your DM. DON’T.

If you are still planning on being a PSD pick one or the other but DO NOT try and mix the two.

They have different styles of diving and a different set of rules. To be a good PSD you would do an injustice to anyone you were being a DM for. And to be a good PSD you need to forget most of what a DM stands for in the public’s eye making you only a so-so PSD at best.

You can’t expect to dive one way for one group then dive another for another group of people. To be an effective PSD you need to dive the same or close to it almost all of the time.

Pick one or the other and be good at it. Don’t try both and be a problem child.

Gary D.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

You're not "ventilating" a concious patient. You are providing 100% oxygen on demand. This would work the same as if you blocked the patient's nose (put the patient's mask back on) and provided 100% O2 through a scuba regulator.

Have you ever actually seen exactly what comes in one of those DAN O2 kits? I think the system is a bit different than you imagine.

 

[ScubaTaz]

As you look like you are going to be going with PADI from the start here are the requirements for the DM Course

Course Prerequisites:

1. Be cetified as a PADI AOW.
2. Be Certified as a PADI Rescue Diver.
3. Proof of CPR / First Aid training within the past 24 Months.
4. Logged at least 20 Dives.
5. Be at least 18 years old.
6 Submit a medical clearance singed by a physician attesting to fitness to dive, it must be current and issued within the last 12 months.

With regards to doing the EFR, you do not need it specifically for your DM course, you just need CPR / First Aid training. To teach the EFR course when you are a DM though you will need todo an EFR Instructor Course, or if allready qualified as a CPR/First Aid instructor you can do the cross over course

Hope that helps

ScubTaz

 

[Mako Mark]

the free flow mask wastes O2.........

GET A BIGGER TANK

I have on three occasions seen breathing concious patients that did not have the inhalation power to use the demand valve and i had to switch to free flow.

Medic diver, your medical qualifications far exceed the requirements for DM and taking an EFR course would be redundant, but an EFR instructor course might not and DMs can teach the efr course if Qualified.

 

[MikeFerrara]

the free flow mask wastes O2.........

GET A BIGGER TANK

I have on three occasions seen breathing concious patients that did not have the inhalation power to use the demand valve and i had to switch to free flow.

For consious breathing patients that can use a demand valve we would just use a deco bottle.

For the others I have a continuous flow system with a non-rebreather mask.

Of course my O2 provider cert has run out and I'm not taking another class so I might have forgotten how to give it to some one. LOL It a complicated thing you know?

 

[Wildcard]

If you realy are an RT then you would know that demand valves work somewhat like the second stage regulator, flowing O2 "on demand" that is as the pressure gradient changes, it flows O2 as well as by manual delivery. This is done to conserve O2 as boat have a limited supply.
You don't have to do the first aid course if you have a higher level cert but you still have to jump through the hoops for Rescue Diver. My poor Inst was trying to teach me and another guy the rescue class. He is a first aid inst, I went through Paramedic school in 1985 and an currently Pre PA, the second student in 1973 and is now an RN. Still we had to do it. No big deal.
One thing you will learn in life is that bragging about all your classes will just get you smacked. There are a thousand more people in any given place that can "alphabet soup" you to death.
A breathing tube? And you claim RT and EMT/I? LOL, ya right. Of course what does anybody expect from a wanna be that claims medic status?

 

[medic_diver45]

If you realy are an RT then you would know that demand valves work somewhat like the second stage regulator, flowing O2 "on demand" that is as the pressure gradient changes, it flows O2 as well as by manual delivery. This is done to conserve O2 as boat have a limited supply.
You don't have to do the first aid course if you have a higher level cert but you still have to jump through the hoops for Rescue Diver. My poor Inst was trying to teach me and another guy the rescue class. He is a first aid inst, I went through Paramedic school in 1985 and an currently Pre PA, the second student in 1973 and is now an RN. Still we had to do it. No big deal.
One thing you will learn in life is that bragging about all your classes will just get you smacked. There are a thousand more people in any given place that can "alphabet soup" you to death.
A breathing tube? And you claim RT and EMT/I? LOL, ya right. Of course what does anybody expect from a wanna be that claims medic status?

First of all......RT's aren't normally taught demand valves- because they are not used in hospital (they may have been at one time (and they are still in the sense that they are built into the ventilators but those are computer controlled and we don't service them). And the device I am talking about in this question is more like an Elder valve (MTV-100) which is taught in the advanced O2 course from DAN.....it works to ventilate apneic patients by the operator activating it. The demand valves are a seperate animal in and of themselves.


OK, ENDOTRACHEAL TUBE.....I just used "breathing tube" because you say ET tube and most people just blankly stare at you. You know that "Joe Average" out here doesn't know his glottis from his nares and all you do is confused and alieniate most pepole if you talk over their heads.

You have no reason to get nasty or unpleasant with me. All I did was ask a question. You claim professionalism in the same breath you spew venom at someone who is as educated as you are. I am here to learn as much as anyone else. The fact that I have medical training (and wish to apply that knowledge) shouldn't not be grounds for a lynching.