[swatsurgeon]

SouthernDZ,
Does the doc who you quoted have a rational grip on reality? It makes me worry about what morals and ethics he (she?) teaches. I know Dr. Scalea and doubt he would accept the premise of your other doc's stance on patients and their pain.
Trauma surgeons, like 18D's are not immune from the realities of tragedy, profound injury, suffering and do create barriers to protect our moral obligations to treat those in need, sometimes asking them to endure pain while we try to help. I for one will try to make people laugh in the most stressful of times, but I would never use as a defense mechanism that it is the responsibility of the patient to endure the terror of pain, regardless of the procedure they need....that is too cold and irresponsible of a care provider. In the hopes of providing relief: a needle decompression, a bone realignment, there is relief. In the field, some things are done that hurt, but as in my last post, the symptom is pain , the problem is how to alleviate it. Your example of a chest tube to relieve a tension PTX, why didn't you needle it, it is faster to do. If you had to place a chest tube, the small incision and trocar placement is so fast that the pain is minimized and the relief quick, then give meds ASAP.
Please ask your doc to think about his statement and explain it in a more educational way so that there is no misunderstanding. It really does bother me that he explains it the way he does...no compassion and this goes beyond a defense mechanism, it goes against what we stand for in trauma care.

TS, can you get Doc T to chime in on this one?

Southern DZ.....always question the status quo, never settle for what is obvious, seek greater knowledge and counsel. You have a heart...tell that doc to find his.

ss