Question for the corpsman...
- Thread starter baca327
- Start date
ruditron
Adventurer
check out a book called backcountry medical guide you can find it cheap on amazon.
also go to the education center on base and ask to get enrolled in a local EMT course.
they can usually get you TAD orders to a local college to take the course which is a nice month plus off work:ylsmoke:
on base hospital are always running CPR certs to just go i n and ask when next one is
~Semper
also go to the education center on base and ask to get enrolled in a local EMT course.
they can usually get you TAD orders to a local college to take the course which is a nice month plus off work:ylsmoke:
on base hospital are always running CPR certs to just go i n and ask when next one is
~Semper
D
Deleted member 9101
Guest
The "Ranger medic handbook" published by North American Rescue is always in my aid bag.
As for the civilian EMT class, it's about 90% worthless in a combat environment.
Check out the Wilderness Medicine Institute
Its part of NOLs, and while not focused on combat medicine, offers great training for backcountry medicine. I have the urban EMT designation, and agree the training was mediocre at best.
WMI offers a Wilderness First Responder course which is heavily scenario based and uses a lot of "Macgyver" concepts in dealing with backcountry emergencies.
http://www.nols.edu/wmi/
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Kevin MacAfee
St. Paul
NREMT
WEMT
Its part of NOLs, and while not focused on combat medicine, offers great training for backcountry medicine. I have the urban EMT designation, and agree the training was mediocre at best.
WMI offers a Wilderness First Responder course which is heavily scenario based and uses a lot of "Macgyver" concepts in dealing with backcountry emergencies.
http://www.nols.edu/wmi/
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Kevin MacAfee
St. Paul
NREMT
WEMT
D
Deleted member 9101
Guest
Although those courses are helpful, most of what we in the military deal with is blast trauma and burns. Something like 70% of fatalities in combat are from blast relates hemorrhage.
1leglance
2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
So what would be the best way to learn & prep for blast related injuries...is it just an "on the job learning curve"?
I am not trying to insult, as an ICU RN who works trauma I am very curious about the knowledge and training you field medic folks have.
Do you basically stuff/pressure any bleeders/wounds and get the person to care?
Quick clotting field dressings?
Clamp/hemostats?
In the overland world I think many folks forget just how high our risk of major trauma is. We are taking vehicles and doing things like shelf roads, off chamber rock climbs, and recoveries. Thing that could easily lead to blunt force trauma, burns, and big gapping wounds.
Sure 95% of backcountry med will be tummy aches, sprains, and hand wounds (burns & cuts in a field kitchen) but that other 5% could be pretty bad.
I am not trying to insult, as an ICU RN who works trauma I am very curious about the knowledge and training you field medic folks have.
Do you basically stuff/pressure any bleeders/wounds and get the person to care?
Quick clotting field dressings?
Clamp/hemostats?
In the overland world I think many folks forget just how high our risk of major trauma is. We are taking vehicles and doing things like shelf roads, off chamber rock climbs, and recoveries. Thing that could easily lead to blunt force trauma, burns, and big gapping wounds.
Sure 95% of backcountry med will be tummy aches, sprains, and hand wounds (burns & cuts in a field kitchen) but that other 5% could be pretty bad.
SunTzuNephew
Explorer
The main immediate threat in blast injuries is hemorrhage and pulmonary complications. Tourniquets (modern design), wound packing with hemostatic agents (quik-clot) and 12 ga 3 1/2" angiocaths for needle decompression will save most all that are saveable. Fractures and the like are secondary.
D
Deleted member 9101
Guest
The only real course we get is "BCT-3" before we deploy, then the rest is basically on the job. At my level as a "line medic" in a Infantry unit its really simple, all I have to do is control hemorrhage and establish a reliable airway then evac them to a higher level of care. As complicated as it might seem, in all reality its the simple solutions that work 99.99% of the times.
For instance, I carry a hand full of CAT tourniquets, rolled gauze, combat gauze, and elastic bandages in one pouch. The other has Nasal airways and a crike kit. My aid bad doesn't leave the vehicle I am riding in, I bring the casualties to the aid bag.
Most bleeding can be stopped by a pressure and stuffing. If its bad I use "Combat Gauze" to stuff it, then wrap it and call for an evac. If I have to do my job while the "excrement is hitting the fan" more often than not I'll tourniquet then severe hemorrhage and worry about treating it properly when we are in a secure location or leave it for someone else who is not getting shot at to clean up.
I don't really clamp anything since its always very damaged and I just don't have time. I do the "grab and go" technique of medicine... I grab them..and then we apply diesel fuel wide open until we are out of harms way...lol.
Airways become a challenge due to the nature of our injuries. So you deal with facial trauma and damaged airways. Sadly they are conscious so you can't use a King LT. A surgical Crike is used, but they are never the first choice if you ask the causality.
Can't really think of much else. The best thing I was ever taught is "you can't feel it, so do it and it will save there life".
D
Deleted member 9101
Guest
Combat Gauze is replacing quick clot.. its much more stress induced idiot proof.
SunTzuNephew
Explorer
Combat gauze is made by QC....QC is a brand name, not a product name.
And having tried the original QC granular powder in a windy environment, I'm glad they've replaced it.
Got a bad bleed? Pack with combat gauze (don't even bother unrolling it if the entire roll will fit), improved field dressing, compression wrap, TQ if needed and possible.
D
Deleted member 9101
Guest
Yup...like I said.... in a way its a simple job. The hard part is saved for the guy on the other end that has to figure out how to fix it.
baca327
Adventurer
Thanks for the responses. I'm gonna take some EMT basic classes as soon as I get back from this next one, and maybe I can get a seat in a live tissue class. I knew basic buddy and self aid but the knowledge that I learned this week even though basic was very good to know. For instance how to treat a tension pneumothorax among other things. If you would have asked me last week I would have looked at you like you had a **** growing on your forehead. I'm also gonna pick up some books to read.
TangoBlue
American Adventurist
To focus this at your level of practice Lance, tactical resuscitative and stabilizing care is designed to counter the effects of the "lethal triad." Hypovolemia, Acidosis, and Hypothermia. Concentrate on mitigating those events, despite the nature of the insult or the duration of holding and evacuation, and relocate the casualty to a more robust level of care... manage that and your golden.
jh504
Explorer
Even though EMT-Basic may not be "ideal training" for a combat environment it will really open things up to you with anatomy and the way the human body works with injuries. I would recommend anyone to take an EMT-Basic course. Who knows, you may get hooked.
SunTzuNephew
Explorer
Think about a Wilderness EMT (or Advanced First Aid, or first responder) course.....better for the back country.