Eeeeek! Bees!

[fm_emt]

Firefighters learn how to handle killer bees

I accidentally cut into a buried yellow jacket nest with a Weed Eater several years ago. Getting stung 50-60 times by angry yellow jackets is not a fun experience.

 

[MMiz]

I have an experienced nurse in the family who works a peds unit. She contends that one should use tweezers to remove a bee's stinger. When I showed her my textbook and quick-flip that suggests [SIZE=-1]scraping it with a knife blade or flat edge, she showed me materials to the contrary. Does it really matter? Is this something that is just done differently in the field?
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[rescuecpt]

I would think that that tweezers would pull out the stinger, whereas the knife blade or credit card approach is more likely to break the stinger or push it in deeper if not done correctly.

 

[emtbuff]

I've always been taught that scrapping the stinger out is better then using a tweezer. And this is the lodgic behind it that I was taught.

When you use a tweezers and other objects to get a hold of the stinger there is the possibility that the stinger still has the venom sac still attached to it and using a tweezer to remove it could and probly would cause pressure to go on the venom sac allowing more of the venom to get into the person that was stung and could cause the reaction to become more severe. But when you use a credit card or other blunt object to scrape the skin you can remove the stinger that way.

 

[FFEMT1764]

All I know is if I get stung I need to call 911 or rush myself to the ER...I dont have an Epi pen because I cant bring myself to inject myself (yes I am afraid of needles when they are going into ME!) but fortunately I keep a box of Benadryl here at home, and well at work lets see...There is 200 mg on the truck so I think I am covered there too...

 

[Guardian]

I've had similar experiences with hornets. Looking back on it, I never knew I was that strong. You should have seen the way my pants came off as I ripped them to shreds......