Diver Medical Technician

Book excerpt: The Diver Medical Technician is responsible for the care and treatment of injured divers from every walk of life. From the recreational diver, to the elite deep saturation commercial divers, to the military special operations divers, and everything in between. Diver Medical Technician-Care of the Injured Diver, addresses the knowledge and skills required for the DMT to care for the vast variety of injuries that can befall anyone working or playing in a subaquatic environment. Beyond the injuries sustained due to operating in a dysbaric environment, the Diver Medical Technician must care for numerous non-diving related injuries, injuries that occur in the diving workplace. This is the off-shore commercial environment, the public safety environment, and the field of military operations. These divers are not only exposed to the physics of the undersea world, but also the injury potential of the industrial workplace. In many cases the Diver Medical Technician is the only healthcare professional available with the skills and knowledge to save the life of the injured diver. This text addresses those skills and the knowledge base required to treat those injured in the diving and off-shore environment.