Rescue diver certification as a medical doctor: EFR needed?

[raftingtigger]

Call EFR what it really is (IIRC), a CPR course that pretends to include first-aid. I would expect a reasonable, non-practicing, retired psychiatrist (MD) to remember more first-aid than was presented in the EFR course I sat through.

Now if I was going to teach EFR (probably not since I had a hard time feeling the old ARC MultiMedia course was worth teaching - and this is even more watered down) I would EXPECT to take the instructors course before being authorized to teach it.

 

[sheeper]

as I am a first responder and train first responders, my training (paramedic) far exceeds that required by my dive agency. so with proof of my training I was able to show equivalency to the standards. of course that was a dollar of mine that the dive agency did not get.

 

[JB]

I am an ER doc, and have to keep ACLS and PALS and ATLS current. None of it was considered to substitute for EFR when we contacted PADI for my Rescue class. I had to take the EFR.

They accepted my ALS (UK version of ACLS) Instructor Certification as good. ACLS/ALS is far more comprehensive than an EFR/CPR course aimed at the layman. I cannot see a problem. However just being an MD or MBBCh or what ever is not a guarantee that you are competent in CPR as it is not necessarily part of the curriculum. You need some independent certification in EFR.....or that's how I see it.

 

[Scotttyd]

I am an ER doc, and have to keep ACLS and PALS and ATLS current. None of it was considered to substitute for EFR when we contacted PADI for my Rescue class. I had to take the EFR.

stupid question - I am an ER pharmacist - (also have ACLS and PALS) - we also require you to have BLS (CPR) to take ACLS - do you know have that?

 

[medic5]

I have a different opinion. I have been a Nationally Registered Paramedic and NYS Paramedic for more than 30 years. I currently teach the EMT and the Paramedic program. I am also an instructor in multiple disciplines including American Heart Association BLS, ACLS and PALS. The ACLS and PALS courses are not first aid courses. A first aid course, while very basic, covers basic trauma care that is not touched on in these other courses. A skilled physician, nurse, pharmacist, etc. should be able to breeze through a first aid course but they should take one. I have responded to countless ambulance calls where a physician is present and they don't know what they are doing (specific to the nature of the call). Obviously an emergency medicine trained physicain has this body of knowledge but a general practitioner does not.

 

[Hawkwood]

All this good information, yet the OP has never come back to SB since posting the question.

At least other folks are learning from it.

 

[TMHeimer]

I have a different opinion. I have been a Nationally Registered Paramedic and NYS Paramedic for more than 30 years. I currently teach the EMT and the Paramedic program. I am also an instructor in multiple disciplines including American Heart Association BLS, ACLS and PALS. The ACLS and PALS courses are not first aid courses. A first aid course, while very basic, covers basic trauma care that is not touched on in these other courses. A skilled physician, nurse, pharmacist, etc. should be able to breeze through a first aid course but they should take one. I have responded to countless ambulance calls where a physician is present and they don't know what they are doing (specific to the nature of the call). Obviously an emergency medicine trained physicain has this body of knowledge but a general practitioner does not.

This makes sense. My wife was commenting that doctors receive such intensive overall training that doing CPR/first aid should be second nature. That makes sense too. I guess it depends on the doctor and how much basic reviewing they do. As I mentioned, if I were in serious trouble I'd probably want a Dr. present rather than a diver that's CPR certified.