Let's talk books/manuals

[Wilco]

A little about me first. I have a EMT-B and Wilderness EMT under my belt, though am not currently up to date on staying certified, but I am working on that.

Looking into GSW/Combat Trauma based books, I have seen the following:

Combat Medic Field Reference (US Military)
Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook, 2nd Edition
U.S. Army Special Forces Medical Handbook
Ranger Medic Handbook

If you had to rate, first to last, on what I should buy/and how good they are, what would you buy first? Feel free to add other books. If there is more than one book that are must haves, please let me know. Thanks!

As a caveat, I do have my EMT books from my classes, NOLS outdoor books, etc etc, but am specifically looking the above type books.

[joker581]

The Ranger Medic Handbook is neat but it reads more like a trauma protocol book than an instruction manual to me. I've got it on PDF if you want it.

[chuckman]

Trauma? Easy. Emergency War Surgery. It has a NSN and is easy to find.

The rest are good books but cover some broad territory.

[Wilco]

Thanks Joker581, I just happened to stumble on to the pdf just five minutes before I read your post.

Chuckman, I'll check it out, thanks for the heads up.

[chuckman]

If you like the pdf version of books, you can download Emergency War Surgery at Borden Institute. It is trauma-centric and really for advanced practitioners/physicians, but most people that are on this forum would be familiar with the ballistics and GSW info.

[Decon]

Prehospital Trauma Life Support, PHTLS