Would you accept O2 without qualification?

[lamont]

There are few contraindications to administering 100% oxygen. Generally, the conditions which might be worsened by oxygen are also contraindications to scuba diving.

So we're not talking about cases where someone who is as healthy as your average american may have a stroke or heart attack in the water? We're talking about someone who already has bad enough heart disease or has had strokes and therefore will not be diving?

 

[H2Andy]

would i accept 100% O2, in a diveboat, if i think i need it,
from someone who is not qualified to administer it?

it ain't rocket science to turn the thing on and put the mask
to my face, which is about all the person is required to do.

 

[freediver]

would i accept 100% O2, in a diveboat, if i think i need it,
from someone who is not qualified to administer it?

it ain't rocket science to turn the thing on and put the mask
to my face, which is about all the person is required to do.

I agree it is simple to administer (assist in holding the mask in place) The difficulty would be in setting it up and selecting a delivery device and flow rate. i would accept without hesitation. Just to take the question a bit further, would you want to be defibrillated by non qualified person or CPR performed by non qualified person if no one else was available?

 

[H2Andy]

heck yes... haven't you heard the news?

Bystanders performing CPR and using automated external defibrillators (AEDs) save as many cardiac arrest victims as highly trained paramedics - and send more of them home with normal brain function, according to new research out Thursday.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...2/ts_usatoday/cprdefibrillatorsasgoodasmedics

time is the critical factor, and it's not like you are going to make
the patient worse. any help is better than nothing at this stage.

 

[Seabear70]

As for defib or CPR, yes, but they better be damn sure I'm unconsious before the ytry it.

Of course the downside there is if you try either on a person who has a functioning heart you can kill them, especially if you do it wrong.

 

[H2Andy]

Of course the downside there is if you try either on a person who has a functioning heart you can kill them, especially if you do it wrong.

the defibs i am familar with detect irregular heartbeat and tell
you to go ahead if needed or not to go ahead if not needed.
nifty things. anyone could use them.

 

[Gary D.]

If you know how to open the valve and plug in the hose bring it on!!!!!

Gary D.

 

[Seabear70]

the defibs i am familar with detect irregular heartbeat and tell
you to go ahead if needed or not to go ahead if not needed.
nifty things. anyone could use them.

Well, as far as CPR, it's like this...

Snap! Crackle! Pop! it's not just for breakfast anymore.

I haven't trained on a defib in a long time. I'm not sure how the new ones detect an irregular heart beat.

 

[freediver]

Yes i would also allow non trained to work on me. When I took the old medic first aid course I remember a video I believe was called the psychology of resuscitation and how they mentioned that a patient in cardiopulmonary arrest could not possibly be made any worse off. Interesting video. And yes the ease of the aed's make it essentially foolproof. I teach lifeguards and if a 15 year old cheerleader can learn it, anyone can! (just kidding cheerleader parents!)

 

[lamont]

So we're not talking about cases where someone who is as healthy as your average american may have a stroke or heart attack in the water? We're talking about someone who already has bad enough heart disease or has had strokes and therefore will not be diving?

Googling around, I think I may have answered my own question:

"In patients with chronic carbon dioxide retention whose stimulus to breathe is decreased partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2), oxygen administration may depress respiratory drive, careful monitoring of these patients for hypoventilation is required during oxygen therapy."

You aren't likely to run into anyone with that condition on a dive boat.

And it sounds like the risks of hyperoxemia from giving O2 to a scuba diver aren't great and much worse than the risks of not treating hypoxemia...

e.g.:

http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccmd/pdf_doc/Medicinal Gas Therapy/01-Oxygen Therapy.pdf

So, for injured divers, just give them O2 until you can get them to someone with a pulse oximeter who is trained to use it...