Posted by brianc on June 20, 2001 at 11:06:03:
In Reply to: Re: Renewing/recertifying posted by MHK on June 20, 2001 at 10:38:28:
I hear what you're saying, but it does leave a question open in my mind. How do you weed out the potential problems (dangerous to themselves and others). Last weekend I had a student go into passive panic - bug eyed, all he could say is "I feel like I can't breathe" and "I can't do this" when he could talk at all. We had four students, one instructor and two DM's. The next day he said that he wanted to try again, so we put him one on one with an instructor. He didn't make it 100 yards out on the surface before he lost it. In this case the guy was a referal, so I did not see him in the pool before the ocean. That's something that I think is very wrong with the current system.
Last month, I worked with a guy who did great in the pool. He was in shape, a real redneck macho type. After less than ten minutes in the ocean, he was shaking, sweating and having trouble breathing. He looked like he couldn't figure out whether to cry or bolt. He even admitted to me that he was really nervous, something that seemed difficult for him to admit. I had to keep a real close watch on him.
More dives is a great long-term solution, but in the short-term that's not going to happen. I have to put student safety as the top priority. Challenging these entry level students with more stressors would bring the risk level too high, in my opinion. Do you have suggestions for working with entry level divers?
I hope others don't pick up on this as an opening for fuel to throw on flame wars. I'm just always looking for input on ways to improve what I'm doing.