I may be totally off base with the discussion raydarkhourse is attempting to encourage, my interpretation of his post is, perhaps illustrated as follows.

In the EMS field, it is often the case with newer providers to fixate on gear/equipment instead of the patient. Present in EMS, one can see the new EMT/Paramedic with a belt full of gear, which after a number of calls is pared down to what becomes truly essential. Why is this so, because as one becomes comfortable/experienced, one learns to rely more upon the basics and less so on the equipment. All ALS providers have been taught to read and interpret EKG/ECGs, which is critical. However, in all skill reviews/refreshers I have attended, it has been drilled into us that you treat the patient, not the rhythm – the basics.

This is even more apparent in technical rescue (at least to me), where there is great emphasis on gear dependency or the latest and greatest piece of gear. We have newer members with the newest, greatest piece of gear on the planet, but become flustered under the pressure of a working rescue and have trouble tying a simple knot or selecting appropriate anchor points. They are so turned on by the gear, they forget the basics or are unable to improvise if they lack a particular piece of gear. On a positive note, as with most things, training and experience overcome the overt dependency on things (gear) and knowledge (basics) becomes the driving force behind why things are done in a particular fashion.

On the other hand, as it has been pointed out, it is difficult at best to teach someone a technique/skill in a format such as our forums. In my humble opinion, that is why it is so important to at least try some of these skills for yourself. With that said, I like many, do not often have the time or opportunity to practice these skills. Therefore, I do rely in large part upon the many experiments/trials/experiences that various members perform. For that I thank every member who has posted their successes as well as their “failures”, for in reality they are not failures, but the time proven result of experimentation.

Just my 2 cents-
Pete