Opinions wanted

[dolf]

I thought that I would throw this out there because there are some people here with some strong opinions. You’re hours away from an ambulance or hospital, and somebody gets shot through the chest. You patch up the entry and exit holes, but the lung starts to collapse. Breathing is extremely limited. You’ve had instruction on how to dart a chest. Do you do it and take the chance with the lawyer, or put on a Bolin knowing that it won’t be nearly as effective but you probably won’t be sued? You get the idea. Thanks.

[Gutshot John]

I thought that I would throw this out there because there are some people here with some strong opinions. You’re hours away from an ambulance or hospital, and somebody gets shot through the chest. You patch up the entry and exit holes, but the lung starts to collapse. Breathing is extremely limited. You’ve had instruction on how to dart a chest. Do you do it and take the chance with the lawyer, or put on a Bolin knowing that it won’t be nearly as effective but you probably won’t be sued? You get the idea. Thanks.

Who is the patient? Stranger? Or someone you know? Do you have access to a cell phone or other communications? How much instruction/practice are we actually talking about? Are you a paramedic? Do you have command?

For the lay person, at first blush I'd say no, because if you don't practice it and/or you do something wrong you can actually collapse the lung further or (heaven forbid) the wrong lung.

There is already a hole in the system and you can try to "burp" the pneumo.

First rule of medicine...do NO harm.

[chuckman]

What he said. The holes are already there, so no point in needling. 'Burp' the wounds, and get thee to an ED.

[NinjaMedic]

Concur with Gutshot.

[Hmac]

Me too.

[Pathfinder Ops]

Concur with Gutshot.

I concur with this concurrence.

If that's allowed anyway.

Otherwise I say..... well you get my point. You present a pretty hairy scenario that does not have much win in it.

[dolf]

Thanks for the viewpoints. I was expecting those answers. The scenario that brought on my question was the amount of camping that I used to do with some friends, and the 10’s of thousands of rounds we used to expel. We were safe, but there can always be an accident. I am not a paramedic, but I’m thinking about taking the EMT-B classes now. The local firehouse is always looking for volunteers. I was shown the procedure by a SF medic under the supervision of a trauma doctor, and we practiced on some pig ribs. It was more like a college science lab with them saying “DON’T DO THIS, but this is how we do it.” I found it extremely interesting so that’s why the interest in the EMT-B classes.

[Hmac]

All that Paramedic stuff looks really easy and straightforward on television. In reality the skills and knowledge are quite perishable for those who don't use it on a regular basis. The chance of hurting or killing someone trying to apply some half-remembered concept of advanced emergency care is very real.

You took trigonometry in high school. Can you tell me how to calculate the angle of the hypotenuse if x and y are known? Off the top of your head?

[dolf]

I have great respect for people at all levels of the medical profession. Training must continue throughout the span of the career to stay on top. Not to be a smart ass, but you can’t find the hypotenuse with the information given, but I fully understand your point.

[Hmac]

I have great respect for people at all levels of the medical profession. Training must continue throughout the span of the career to stay on top. Not to be a smart ass, but you can’t find the hypotenuse with the information given, but I fully understand your point.

Lol. Touché. Been a long time since I took trigonometry, or had to use it.