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Sunday, January 28, 2007

Fun with Needles

The Army can be a funny place sometimes. Exhibit A: this week we had mandatory Combat Lifesaver (CLS) re-certification. CLS is a 40 hour class that you can take that is kind of a middle ground between the medical skills you learn in basic training and then the full fledged medic course. To me, re-certification implies that you have the original certification and are just brushing up on your skills. Not so fast my friend. This is the Army where normal rules of common sense don't always apply. Everyone would take the re-cert.

SSG Johnson and I were somewhat perturbed as we were the only soldiers in the S1 that didn't have the original class. It really wouldn't be a big deal, but the capstone of the class involved giving (and getting) an IV. I for one didn't really want to jab a needle into one of buddies unless it was actually necessary. After much arguing and complaining, we resigned ourselves to our fate and went to the class with a heavy heart.

After a few hours of training on various topics like rescue breathing, tourniquets, and CPR, we were on to the IV. We got 5 minutes of training via an example stick and were released to do it on our own. SSG Johnson ordered me to go first. I actually wasn't all that nervous, partly due to the medic that was helping me out.

Prepping the site.

In goes the needle.


Success!!

One thumb up, one thumb down.

All in all, it went pretty well. I got the needle in on the first try without having to dig around. We then switched spots and it was my turn. SSG Johnson did a fine job, it was actually much better then most of the times I've been stuck to donate blood, party because we were probably more careful then a nurse that does it 100 times a day.

The posting on the blog may be a little sporadic here. The post computer nazis blocked our blogs again on the gov't network. This has happened twice before and they have relented in the face of much crying from the joes. However it has been almost a week now and no signs of them turning us back on. I am trying to turn on the post by email feature so that should help some.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sack,

You are already more of a medic than I am. It is probably one of the smartest things the military has done in a while, making every one a comabat life saver that is. I mean really in the the old days you yelled Medic! and hoped that one would be close, now you just turn and the guy next to you can extend that critical hour for you if you are injured. Bravo.

Sang J. Moon said...

I recently brought my one year old to the emergency room, and I lost count of how many times they poked him in search of a vein to no avail. It's heartrending when it is your own child on the receiving end crying his heart out with blood everywhere. He's was fine after they transferred us to another hospital that analyzed and resolved his issue without even having to do an IV. He had a sprained elbow and just needed a soft cast for a week. It's amusing to see a one year old with an arm in a cast. He just won't let it stay in the sling.

Brian said...

Sack,

Hope you can get those computer Nazis squared away. You know you you have too many faithful readers that really enjoy seeing what you are up to.

So are you saying that you will be certified to hook up stead slow drip IV of the Blue & Chrome on a Husker Saturday? Nice!

B

Anonymous said...

I second B's sentiment...Whatever am I to do with all the free time I'll now have not being able to keep up on the blog??? Hmm....I may actually be able to avoid parking tickets now that my meter won't expire while I'm catching up....Shoot...I'd rather have the prime reading material. I know you'll think of something to keep us sucked in.

...Brandee

Anonymous said...

What? 5 minutes of training and you're 1 for 1?
2 1/2 years of nursing school has me at about 3 for 7. And one involved some digging around... in my defense my victims were acutely ill (states of dehydration, rolling veins, IV drug users, etc.)
But hey, maybe you can teach me some skills! And I'm sure Jeff will be teaching me a thing or two as well.

By the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I wasn't sure if you'd be able to celebrate, so I thought it best to take the day off in your honor. I did things I know you'd enjoy, i.e. a trip down the penisula to the jetty, lunch at the Samoa Cookhouse (tell you about that later), and a hike through the dune forest to the ocean with the pups. Who ever said you had to be physically present at your birthday celebration?

love you,
Mindy

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