Would you accept O2 without qualification?

[miketsp]

There is another thread running discussing whether or not you would dive on a boat that did not have O2 available.

It was then commented that you should not administer O2 without being qualified.

Please DO NOT administer O2 without being properly certified. Some, but not all, states classify medical grade oxygen as a prescriptive drug under pharmaceutical or other statutes or regulations comparable to those of the FDA.

I have seen a lot of different manuals covering O2 application and didn't see any situation where the risks of applying the O2 would be greater than the risks of not applying it in an apparent DCS situation.

So the question is:
If you had just come out of the water and taken a hit, would you accept O2 from a non-qualified person if there was an O2 cylinder available?

I would.

 

[String]

Yes without a doubt. If im in a situation where i needed O2 and wasnt in a fit state to assemble it myself id take it off anyone.

If its precautionary and nobody is O2 trained onboard i may set it up myself but if its worse than that i wouldnt complain if it was bin laden administering it - it take it off anyone.

I class my life as more important than legal issues and would much rather someone try than do nothing and hide behind "legal reasons".

 

[bwerb]

America, America...land of the lawsuit...from sea to shining sea...

02 first, if I survive, I promise not to sue you for saving my life. If I die...my relatives promise not to sue you for trying to save me using whatever equipment you had available.

Sometimes I seriously wonder what is wrong with our society...this is just one tiny example.

(Oh...I'm American...so I can make these comments...)

 

[diverbob]

just for the record, if I am on a boat with any of you, and I need it, please feel free to administer the O2 to me.

 

[miketsp]

I should add a rider to my first post above.
For the purposes of this poll, I assume we are talking about divers that have been medically cleared to dive.
As far as I know, oxygen has only been found to worsen certain medical conditions such as strokes and other cardiac related problems. These people shouldn't be diving.

 

[lamont]

As far as I know, oxygen has only been found to worsen certain medical conditions such as strokes and other cardiac related problems. These people shouldn't be diving.

I'm curious about that. I'm actually DAN O2 certified, but haven't ever heard of contraindications to giving O2. If a MI/CVA that you might encounter could be worsened by O2 that would seem to be something to point out to people...

And I thought that oxygenating tissues actually helped in those cases since it reduced tissue damage and all that...

 

[miketsp]

I'm curious about that. I'm actually DAN O2 certified, but haven't ever heard of contraindications to giving O2. If a MI/CVA that you might encounter could be worsened by O2 that would seem to be something to point out to people...

And I thought that oxygenating tissues actually helped in those cases since it reduced tissue damage and all that...

Lets see if this link works. It's a bit long:
http://fe.pennnet.com/Articles/Arti...ON_ID=25&ARTICLE_ID=156111&VERSION_NUM=7&p=71

 

[gorock]

Im actually a dan instructor (as well as american red cross oxygen for professional rescuer) and havent read anything about that either until this article. Until my certifying agency tells me to change how i teach, thats how i teach

 

[bwerb]

Well...if the person is currently on fire...it might be a bad idea to give them O2...

Sorry...it's been a strange day...

 

[String]

There are some reports saying O2 will initially make the symptoms seem slightly worse, various reasons including the starved cells beginning to send pain impulses again but this passes over in a minute or so. Ive not seen any indications of problems regarding 100% O2 to a medially fit diver.

The one thing that needs to be watched is over here ambulance crews by standard give Entonox to a casualty in pain - this is seriously bad for a diver due to the oxygen content so if a dive needs an ambulance whether its DCS or some unrelated injury do NOT let them administer entonox.