If You Could Go Back in Time

...where - or when - would you go?

I suspect I'd have many stops, but I'd go to the Titanic first. The journey would be amazing. And who wouldn't want to see a ship that was purported to be unsinkable? The hardest pert would be not telling anyone that the damn thing not only can sink but absolutely will - and 1,400 people will be dead before dawn. The ship, although huge, sank very quickly. Now, the only issue I'd have is I'd need to stay and administer any first aid I could. That may sound laughable, but I know more as an EMT than most nurses did in 1912. CPR was mostly unknown until the 1950s. It was formulated by Dr. H. R. Silvester in 1911, but was not trained until 1962.

Shocking someone with an AED was discovered in the 1950s but not implemented in common use until the 1960s, I think. When I began riding there were only monophasic AEDs but in the latter part of that year, the biphasic AEDs came out for us. When I came to my current place, I was appalled to find out that they only had monophasic AEDs and they replaced them all. (It's good to be there, I assure you. No skimping on anything.) We have the latest, greatest setup. Not that they are used. The pads are probably close to being out of date again. Not that I wouldn't still use it - I would. I'd have to note it somewhere.

Anyway, on the Titanic there would be no AEDs and as smart as I am, I can't build one. But I would not waste time on a dead patient. We don't have much choice in the field under normal conditions, but in a mass casualty incident, we tag the dead or dying with black tags, the critical but possibly savable with red and so on. Here, in 1912, I'd be helping only the most easily survivable patients, such as women and children injured but waiting to get on the life boats.

And then I'd have get my ass outta there before that sucker sank all the way.

Where next?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Interesting Aftermath a From Season Five of "MasterChef"

A.W.A.D. - 14-Letter Words, 14-Letter Definitions

An Interesting Wife Swap...