Solo Diving

[a64pilot]

What good would the gear do? Computer, assuming there was someone at the ER who knew how to pull a dive profile out of it, OK, but mask, fins, drysuit, tanks, scooter? Sequester this stuff for an investigation, sure, but transport to the ER?
How often is there someone at the ER who would have a clue what to do with a dive computer? How often is there someone there that could do anything with that info if it was provided?
I admit I don't know anything at all about Emergency medicine, but I don't think it's nearly as well organized, staffed or equipped as it is on TV.

[jj1987]

What good would the gear do? Computer, assuming there was someone at the ER who knew how to pull a dive profile out of it, OK, but mask, fins, drysuit, tanks, scooter? Sequester this stuff for an investigation, sure, but transport to the ER?
How often is there someone at the ER who would have a clue what to do with a dive computer? How often is there someone there that could do anything with that info if it was provided?
I admit I don't know anything at all about Emergency medicine, but I don't think it's nearly as well organized, staffed or equipped as it is on TV.

One of the least talked about aspects of DAN-- and why I have a membership with them even when my primary insurance covers DCS is that they give advice via phone the entire time you're being treated at the chamber. I've drove someone to the ER after we did a dive that resulted in DCS and DAN was 100% helpful the entire time. They called ahead, prescribed a treatment, etc. The staff wasn't knowledgeable about diving, but DAN gave them the info they needed.

[PfcAJ]

Load up the ambulance with stages, 104s, and deco bottles?

lel, sure... Then the hospital staff can do what with it, exactly?

[MORGAN]

Load up the ambulance with stages, 104s, and deco bottles?

lel, sure... Then the hospital staff can do what with it, exactly?

Lug them out to my truck and add them to my collection of stages, 104's, and deco bottles, of course!

[darkdiver211]

Which is what pisses me off. Almost every EMS textbook stresses the importance of transporting the diver with their gear. They shouldn't have to have a diver that works with them screaming to take the gear to know that is what they should be doing.

I have been a Paramedic for 31 years and have never seen that in any book, it wasn't even in my SSI stress/rescue book.

[AB8CD]

My necklace tag notes the following:

Full Name/ year of birth
City of residence
Name of contact (Wife) home phone
Name of contact (Wife) cell phone
Secondary Contact with phone
No Known Allergies
No Med History
AB Positive
Quote: "I Yam What I Yam"

[floridakid]

What good would the gear do? Computer, assuming there was someone at the ER who knew how to pull a dive profile out of it, OK, but mask, fins, drysuit, tanks, scooter? Sequester this stuff for an investigation, sure, but transport to the ER?
How often is there someone at the ER who would have a clue what to do with a dive computer? How often is there someone there that could do anything with that info if it was provided?
I admit I don't know anything at all about Emergency medicine, but I don't think it's nearly as well organized, staffed or equipped as it is on TV.

It is easier to say take the gear than to teach to differentiate what gear to take and what to leave. You have to remember most diving is recreational and is not as gear intensive.

The cylinders and computers are what you really need at the hospital. The profile is useful when determining a treatment regimen if the diver requires a few chamber rides. The cylinders also should also be analyzed at the hospital.

[floridakid]

I have been a Paramedic for 31 years and have never seen that in any book, it wasn't even in my SSI stress/rescue book.

I am pretty sure it is in the most recent editions of both "Emergency Treatment and Transport of the Sick and Injured" and Brady's "Paramedic Care," but I'll have to get back to you on that tomorrow because I don't keep those books at my house.

[TONY CHANEY]

The cylinders also should also be analyzed at the hospital.

I never seen or heard of that happening. Is this a fact?

[floridakid]

I never seen or heard of that happening. Is this a fact?

In a perfect world, yes.


Here is a quick run down of a DCS incident would go in a perfect world...

1. Diver surfaces with DCS symptoms and 911 is called.
2. Closest EMS unit is dispatched. Depending on the local medical direction, while the EMS unit is en route, the EMS provider or dispatcher contacts DAN for the status and availability of the closest hyperbaric chamber.
3. The EMS unit arrives on scene and confirms that this is a likely DCS case and transport is initated by ground or air depending on local protocol. Depending on local medical direction and distance the patient may be transported to a local hospital or preferably a nearby hyperbaric facility that is already aware of the patient.
4. The patient arrives at the hyperbaric treatment facility and is evaluated by the chamber team. A treatment table is determined based off of what is known about the dive profile. If the diver is consious information can be gathered from the diver. If the diver is not able to provide that information, hopefuly there computer is available. If the cylinders are availible they can be analyzed to determine what gases were being used.

Think about it, especually if this is an undeserved hit, the gas that was being breathed on the dive very well might not be the gas the diver thinks it is, especially if they just took the shop's word for it.

But ya'll are correct when you say that a local hospital or even a specialty resource center that does not have a chamber is probably not going to know how to get a profile from a computer. They also brobably would not have the ability to analyze the gases used on the dive.