# I was bored... so I sutured a cardboard box



## Vicious (Apr 27, 2009)

Even though I haven't begun learning anything about BLS in class yet, I scoured all over youtube and learned a few suture techniques. I don't know why but I used a cardboard box as a proxy for the wounds. I've heard of people using oranges but I didn't have any in stock today and cardboard seems to work just fine. As for the needle and thread, I used a simple thread and needle used for clothes. Hehe my first attempt to physically curve the needle ended up with the needle breaking in my face. After that, I stuck the needle over a candle and it curved very easily. The suturing was very time consuming, but I didn't mind at all. I can't wait to use a more human proxy, or better yet a real human 







Note: I have absolutely no experience in the healthcare yet so yeah the suturing does suck B) oh well. I hope everyone finds this as humorous as I did when I was done.


----------



## Sapphyre (Apr 27, 2009)

Hmmmm, WHY were you practicing suturing?  EMT's don't suture, as far as I know, neither do medics....


----------



## Meursault (Apr 27, 2009)

Uh... what?

10 points for eagerness, -10 for trying to teach yourself a skill, -5 for trying to learn a skill outside your scope of practice. 

One thing at a time.


----------



## Scott33 (Apr 27, 2009)

As above...

You will never need to suture in EMS, no matter what level of training you reach.

Time might be better spent learning some basic A&P.


----------



## LucidResq (Apr 27, 2009)

Why is Beevis lurking around?


----------



## Sasha (Apr 27, 2009)

You need a hobby, dude.


----------



## trevor1189 (Apr 27, 2009)

Well that's interesting. I guess it could come in handy if you are ever stuck alone in the wilderness and have a big lac, but that is the only time you would ever use this skill.

I definitely suggest you check out the scope of practice for prehospital practitioners in your state. Suturing isn't there...


----------



## Vicious (Apr 27, 2009)

Aha! see I didn't know that I would never use suturing as an EMS. Although, my later goal is to become a RN and I think they do a wider range of things including suturing. But then again I could be wrong about that too :excl:



> Sasha-  	 You need a hobby, dude.


I agree 



> LucidResq-  	 Why is Beevis lurking around?


Hehe he is Cornholio


----------



## VentMedic (Apr 27, 2009)

Vicious said:


> Aha! see I didn't know that I would never use suturing as an EMS. Although, my later goal is to become a RN and I think they do a wider range of things including suturing. But then again I could be wrong about that too


 
If you join a specialty team such as Neonatal or become a nurse practitioner, you may be able to suture as an RN. There are also a few other RN specialties that may allow for it.

When I was learning to suture, it was for securing chest tubes and UAC?UVCs on babies. For UAC/UVCs, when I didn't have an umbilical cord to practice with, I would stick a cocktail straw into a small sausage link. To practic for a chest tube, I would stick the straw into a pick of raw chicken.


----------



## LucidResq (Apr 27, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> When I was learning to suture, it was for securing chest tubes and UAC?UVCs on babies. For UAC/UVCs, when I didn't have an umbilical cord to practice with, I would stick a cocktail straw into a small sausage link. To practic for a chest tube, I would stick the straw into a pick of raw chicken.



OB-GYNs often practice D&Es on papayas.


----------



## Hockey (Apr 27, 2009)

Oh...k


Bored and thats the results?


----------



## Meursault (Apr 27, 2009)

I really shouldn't be judging you.

I was bored, and here's the result: http://www.emtlife.com/showthread.php?t=12220


----------



## daedalus (Apr 27, 2009)

LucidResq said:


> OB-GYNs often practice D&Es on papayas.



Oh my golly.... :wacko:


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 27, 2009)

What?  No one else here practiced open heart surgery on a stuffed teddy bear in anticipation of getting your First Aid Cert?  The how did you prepare yourself for the time you would get to do that on an Ambulance as an EMT?  :wacko:


----------



## Sasha (Apr 27, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> What?  No one else here practiced open heart surgery on a stuffed teddy bear in anticipation of getting your First Aid Cert?  The how did you prepare yourself for the time you would get to do that on an Ambulance as an EMT?  :wacko:


He's eager and excited about becoming an EMT and is uneducated as to what it includes, why do you feel the need to mock him like that?


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 27, 2009)

Sasha said:


> He's eager and excited about becoming an EMT and is uneducated as to what it includes, why do you feel the need to mock him like that?



Maybe becasue this was posted under EMS HUMOR... so I made a funny not believeing that everyone is as touchy or hostile as you tend to be in your thresds.    On the other hand, if you come to an EMS forum with absolutely no knowledge of what EMS is about and you post something like that (funny as it may be) you should expect a little harmless jabbing... Do you think it was posted by someone looking for some praise of by someone that was also laughing at himself?


----------



## VentMedic (Apr 27, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> What? No one else here practiced open heart surgery on a stuffed teddy bear in anticipation of getting your First Aid Cert? The how did you prepare yourself for the time you would get to do that on an Ambulance as an EMT? :wacko:


 
He can also take up knitting and crocheting like many other great surgeons.


----------



## lightsandsirens5 (Apr 27, 2009)

Sasha said:


> You need a hobby, dude.







Sasha said:


> He's eager and excited about becoming an EMT and is uneducated as to what it includes, why do you feel the need to mock him like that?



Well said.

Easy for those of us who have been doing this for a while to jab at folks who are just as excited as we were when we started. (Not that everyone sutures a box.............but, you get the point.) I was interested in just about everything medical when I started. Heck, we probably all were! It is mearly a stage that most EMS people go thru. The rest of you went thru it too. So don't beat people's heads in. Praise them for their enthusiasm and gently steer that enthusiasm in the right direction. Don't rub their face in the protocols book or feed it to them dry untill it comes out their ears, show it to them and guide them thru it.

(Personally, I think it is pretty harmless to suture a box! It's not like he is going to hurt it.)


----------



## Mountain Res-Q (Apr 27, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> He can also take up knitting and crocheting like many other great surgeons.



Woe, Vent, was that a joke?  Watch out, the joke squad is patroling the area... :unsure:


----------



## VentMedic (Apr 27, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> Woe, Vent, was that a joke? Watch out, the joke squad is patroling the area... :unsure:


 
Joke? Me? No...


----------



## DV_EMT (Apr 27, 2009)

I thought it was amusing. I've done suturing randomly on stuff before. but its similar to knitting. might as well knit a scarf or sew somthing, otherwise it's kinda pointless...


----------



## Sapphyre (Apr 27, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> He can also take up knitting and crocheting like many other great surgeons.



And great EMTs


----------



## Sasha (Apr 27, 2009)

Mountain Res-Q said:


> Maybe becasue this was posted under EMS HUMOR... so I made a funny not believeing that everyone is as touchy or hostile as you tend to be in your thresds.    On the other hand, if you come to an EMS forum with absolutely no knowledge of what EMS is about and you post something like that (funny as it may be) you should expect a little harmless jabbing... Do you think it was posted by someone looking for some praise of by someone that was also laughing at himself?



What you said was past good natured ribbing and down right mocking and mean.

He's a newcomer. I don't think he posted this expecting to get made fun. He doesn't know the scope of an EMT or paramedic. Can you blame him for not knowing? Look at the TV shows on TV. Paramedics are heros! They do EVERYTHING! Did you know the entire scope of a paramedic and EMT when you started? Probably not. I know only the scope of a paramedic in my state and that's AFTER taking paramedic class and doing some research on the subject.


----------



## Vicious (Apr 27, 2009)

The whole time I was suturing I was thinking how great it was that I was getting a jump start on my fellow classmates. I'm still not sure exactly what it entails to be an EMT or Paramedic in my area but I know it's what I want to do for a living. I supposed I join this community to better understand "the life", at least as much as possible until I started for myself. Cheers


----------



## curt (Apr 27, 2009)

I heard somewhere that medics in Wyoming are trained to suture and it's in their scope, simply because of the ridiculous transport times and the high possibility of entrapment in the pt's house due to inclement weather conditions.

 If this isn't true, I'd like to know so that I don't misinform anyone.


----------



## cprguys (May 17, 2009)

*Note To readers*

Please if you live in Washington and you know this guy, please please I beg you please don't let him touch me if I ever vome to visit.  On the other hand I do have so patients that would love to chat with him.  COOCOO


----------



## medic417 (May 17, 2009)

I love the blanket statements that were wrong by some that in EMS we never suture.  Welcome to rural, frontier, and wilderness EMS, you may be expected to be able to suture as a Paramedic and possibly as a basic.  

There is no one size fits all in EMS, speak for your service not for EMS or don't speak at all.


----------



## Scout (May 18, 2009)

Sewing? is that not whats its called when we do it not non flesh like things?


----------



## Sasha (May 18, 2009)

cprguys said:


> Please if you live in Washington and you know this guy, please please I beg you please don't let him touch me if I ever vome to visit.  On the other hand I do have so patients that would love to chat with him.  COOCOO



The kid is excited! That doesn't make him crazy, nor does it mean he will be a bad EMT/Paramedic. Though I'm hard pressed to believe anyone with an attitude such as yours is so wonderful.


----------



## Sasha (May 18, 2009)

medic417 said:


> I love the blanket statements that were wrong by some that in EMS we never suture.  Welcome to rural, frontier, and wilderness EMS, you may be expected to be able to suture as a Paramedic and possibly as a basic.
> 
> There is no one size fits all in EMS, speak for your service not for EMS or don't speak at all.



The blanket statements keep me warm at night. ^_^


----------



## firecoins (May 18, 2009)

Sasha said:


> You need a hobby, dude.



he has one, suturing cardboard.


----------



## Afflixion (May 18, 2009)

Scout said:


> Sewing? is that not whats its called when we do it not non flesh like things?



negative doing a suture is much different than sewing. Also some EMS services will let you suture as has been mentioned and in the army all medics get to suture. you have to be careful you don't pull the skin to taut otherwise you cause the scar tissue to raise, but to loose and you get nice jagged scars so your pt can say he was in a knife fight! lol it's better to try on oranges as you stated or mangoes. but you can get "skin" online from tattoo supply shops that works pretty well. Nurses can and do suture all the time maybe not floor nurses but in the ED and numerous other departments they do. I always say if your going to do something have fun don't criticize someone for messing around...


----------



## EMERG2011 (May 20, 2009)

Not bad!! Try it on an orange, its more realistic in simulating human tissue.


----------



## EMT-StudxMuffin (May 23, 2009)

Afflixion said:


> negative doing a suture is much different than sewing. Also some EMS services will let you suture as has been mentioned and in the army all medics get to suture. you have to be careful you don't pull the skin to taut otherwise you cause the scar tissue to raise, but to loose and you get nice jagged scars so your pt can say he was in a knife fight! lol it's better to try on oranges as you stated or mangoes. but you can get "skin" online from tattoo supply shops that works pretty well. Nurses can and do suture all the time maybe not floor nurses but in the ED and numerous other departments they do. I always say if your going to do something have fun don't criticize someone for messing around...




I dunno about the other branches but we practiced on pig's feet. [Navy]


----------



## Afflixion (May 23, 2009)

yeah we used pig's not just their feet but pigs we had a live tissue lab that was fun practiced venous cut downs and other fun stuff like that.


----------



## Dr Boom (Jul 19, 2009)

*Rump roast suture*

Heh, what is it with Army medics and pork? j/k

Had a combat medic (USAF) teach me the basics of suturing on some cheap cuts of pork. He stressed the form of suturing above all- speed and confidence comes later, and all that practice will be part of reflex later. 

I never got any pig feet, maybe it's time to get a refresher on this and run down to the meat market!

Dave


----------



## DawnParr (Jul 19, 2009)

Just wondering, but if most EMS personell don't suture... what could a pre EMT-b who is about to start the classes do to get a jump start on learning the field?  I'm completely clueless about what im getting myself into, however am extremly excited that i am doing something with my life,and something  that i will love.


----------



## GR1N53N (Jul 20, 2009)

DawnParr:  Read.  I know it sounds boring, and much less fun than doing something practical, but knowledge is key.  If you have your textbook already, read that.  If not, brush up on your high-school physics (pressures, gases, and fluids) and biology (mammalian physiology - cardiovascular system (heart, lungs, blood vessels), and a quick refresher of the cellular stuff, because ultimately our goal is to keep those little guys alive).  And if you can go to the library and get your hands on a basic anatomy textbook, its helpful to have a _basic_ grasp on anatomy.  You don't need to know about each indiviudal muscle and its innervations, but if you know where everything is, you have a better idea of what organs/systems are affected by different injuries.

Finally, on a more physical note, hit the gym a bit, and make sure you're in decent fitness.  There's a lot of lifting in your newly chosen career, and you're going to want to strengthen your core muscles to prevent injury down the road.


Good luck!!


----------



## guardian528 (Jul 20, 2009)

pig skin makes complete sense to practice on, but i'm holding an orange and don't see it. are we talking about the skin or the actually orange? i mean, i'm sure it works well to practice on b/c so many people have said to use it, could someone just explain to me which part?


----------



## Sail195 (Jul 20, 2009)

DawnParr said:


> Just wondering, but if most EMS personell don't suture... what could a pre EMT-b who is about to start the classes do to get a jump start on learning the field?  I'm completely clueless about what im getting myself into, however am extremly excited that i am doing something with my life,and something  that i will love.




http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_limmer_emergencycare_10/19/5005/1281452.cw/index.html

there is tons of info on this site along with quizzes, vocab and diagrams... it should be a good start to build a lil bit of knowledge before you start class


----------



## DawnParr (Jul 20, 2009)

GR1N53N said:


> DawnParr:  Read.  I know it sounds boring, and much less fun than doing something practical, but knowledge is key.  If you have your textbook already, read that.  If not, brush up on your high-school physics (pressures, gases, and fluids) and biology (mammalian physiology - cardiovascular system (heart, lungs, blood vessels), and a quick refresher of the cellular stuff, because ultimately our goal is to keep those little guys alive).  And if you can go to the library and get your hands on a basic anatomy textbook, its helpful to have a _basic_ grasp on anatomy.  You don't need to know about each indiviudal muscle and its innervations, but if you know where everything is, you have a better idea of what organs/systems are affected by different injuries.
> 
> Finally, on a more physical note, hit the gym a bit, and make sure you're in decent fitness.  There's a lot of lifting in your newly chosen career, and you're going to want to strengthen your core muscles to prevent injury down the road.
> 
> ...



I love to read, and i took anatomy in high school, yea it's been oh 5 years but i had alot of fun. im starting to think i should have paid a little more attention to my college biology. lol thanks for the advice


----------

