DMT Training in South Africa

DAN Southern Africa frequently gets requests to offer “DMT”training. The term, DMT stands for Diving Medical Technologist (DMT). Unfortunately, this term is a bit ambiguous and the purpose of this information bulletin is to clarify its applications:
 
DMT training, in general , involves two groups  of individuals: (1) commercial divers, who have been taught some additional emergency medical interventions with which to support health care workers and their diving buddies in the case of a diving injury or accident (when they work in isolated environments) , and (2) Emergency Medical Technologists (EMT's) who are typically pre-hospital emergency health workers serving commercial / professional diving environments or in search, rescue or forensic diving services. In South Africa, EMT's are classified and registered as pre-hospital Emergency Care Providers by the Health Professions Council (HPCSA) as Basic, Intermediate or Advance Life Support Providers. Advanced Life Support Providers are also called paramedics, although there are several distinctions in the certifications and training programmes leading to Advanced registration.

 The key issue is that individuals who form part of group (1) are lay persons, whereas group (2) are registered health care professionals. Lay persons are restricted to First Aid training and apply it within the restrictions imposed by common law principles in South Africa or Good Samaritan Laws in the USA. Health professionals are limited to their respective scopes of practice by the HPCSA, irrespective of whether they have been trained to apply the skills in the diving environment or not. Conversely, no amount of diving medical training can convert a lay person into a health professional. This requires formal training in Emergency Care by registered agencies. First Aid and Advanced First Aid may be taught to lay persons. However, they are still unable to apply their skills for any financial return, and their scope of practice is limited to non-invasive support – something that is not always understood.
 
So, with that long introduction: For reasons that should now be obvious, DAN is not able to train individuals beyond their current scopes of practice - whether lay or professional. Hence, DAN Southern Africa invests in training divers and diving professionals - who serve as lay persons in case of an emergency - to the highest possible level of First Aid training. This is what the DAN First Aid Programs are designed to achieve. DAN also participates in the training of EMT's and doctors to ensure that they are able to apply their registered scope of practice to the benefit of divers.
 
Divers who would like more training in First Aid or Medical Aspects of Diving may consider obtaining the following levels of recognition.
 
Diving Emergency Management Provider (DEMP) Programme. 

The DEMP program prepares you to address multiple problems at once and with confidence. It combines the knowledge and skills from the following four courses into a single approach to managing diving emergencies: Basic Life Support: CPR and First Aid, Neurological Assessment, Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries and First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries.

You will learn the content & skills of the four courses

• CPR & use of AEDs
• Neurological assessments
• Decompression illness and stroke
• Atmospheric gases
• Respiration and circulation
• Oxygen safety
• Oxygen first aid for scuba diving injuries
• Envenomations from marine life
• Traumatic injuries
• Life-threatening complications
• Seafood poisonings
• Avoidance of marine life injuries

Course link

Diving First Aid for Professional Divers

Why take this course?

People who dive as a part of their job or volunteer duties often need first-aid training to manage unique situations that may occur. DAN's Diving First Aid for Professional Divers (DFA Pro) course is designed for commercial, professional, aquarium and scientific divers, providing first-aid knowledge and skills specific to these work environments. It also provides rescue management skills for dive masters and dive instructors.

What will you learn?

DFA Pro is comprised of information from the Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries, Neurological Assessment, First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries and CPR HCP courses. It meets U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines for workplace CPR and first aid.

You will learn about

• Anatomy, physiology, bloodborne pathogens
• Decompression Illness and Oxygen First Aid
• Response, assessment, and medical emergency management

You will develop the following skills

• Scene safety assessment
• Initial and secondary assessments
• One- and two-person CPR for adults, children and infants
• Automated external defibrillator (AED) use
• Obstructed airway management
• Oxygen first aid administration
• F-A-S-T assessment
• Wound management and bandage and splint application
• Control of external bleeding
• Pressure immobilization technique
• Severe allergic reaction management

Course link
 
Commercial Divers who would like to have further training may want to contact organisations who cater specifically for Diver Medic Training for Commercial Divers.

Commercial Dive School References

Diver Medic - https://www.thedivermedic.com
Seadog Commercial Diving School http://www.divingschool.co.za
Jack's Dive Chest https://jacksdivechest.co.za
Professional Diving Centre http://www.professionaldivingcentre.com 
 
If you have any specific questions, feel free to e-mail us on training@dansa.org or contact us on +27 11 266 4900+27 11 266 4900.