Training From America's Army Game Saved a Life 379
russoc4 writes "Most people who play the United States Army's freeware FPS sit through training simulations so that they may be able to get into the action and rack up some kills. The medic skills learned in the training allow you to heal teammates in the game, but it seems that they also apply in real life situations. According to Wired and the America's Army forums, 'a North Carolina man who saw an SUV flip and roll on a highway last November was able to provide medical aid to the victims with skills he learned from the America's Army.'" See? We learn things from videogames! Feign Death works sometimes, too.
And people say you can't learn anything from games (Score:4, Insightful)
Don't try this at home (Score:5, Insightful)
Good Samaritan laws (Score:3, Insightful)
Basic First Aid (Score:5, Insightful)
At least learn how to control bleeding and perform CPR.
Re:Don't try this at home (Score:2, Insightful)
LOOK! (Score:5, Insightful)
Now, "this is your rifle..."
Not surprising, not as good as a first aid course (Score:4, Insightful)
For example it's easy to learn the wrong thing from a TV show. Try and play MacGyver for instance and things might go pear shaped. More subtley here in Australia the number for emergency services is 000, but we have had critically ill people receive delayed medical care because people have dialed 911 after watching American TV.
Why should games be any different? They're interactive so if the simulation is accurate they should be better at teaching us how to react to a situation.
However like television, usually the primary reason people play games is for entertainment not education. I'm not a betting man but I'd be surprised if you couldn't pick up many many more skills by doing a weekend firstaid course than by playing Americas Army.
Re:Good Samaritan laws (Score:2, Insightful)
So... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:YES!!! (Score:5, Insightful)
No. Now they have a valid excuse to ban violent games. I can hear it now: "We've been trying to tell you for years that doing something in a game can teach you how to do it real life. Today it was someone who learned how to save a life. Tomorrow it will be someone who learned how to take it."
The worst part is they kind of have a point. Every time violence in games comes up, our first counter-argument has always been that games and reality are different and the skills don't translate across. So, what do we say now? It seems like we have a choice between claiming that this guy did not learn first aid from a video game, or that people only learn good skills from games. Both of those ring pretty hollow.
Sadly, so am I.
Re:YES!!! (Score:5, Insightful)
The worst part is they kind of have a point. Every time violence in games comes up, our first counter-argument has always been that games and reality are different and the skills don't translate across. So, what do we say now? It seems like we have a choice between claiming that this guy did not learn first aid from a video game, or that people only learn good skills from games. Both of those ring pretty hollow.
I would disagree with one little bit: skills do translate across. Behaviour needn't.
Any skill you learn in any kind of context will translate across. Behaviour depends on a greater number of factors.
Re:Not surprising, not as good as a first aid cour (Score:3, Insightful)
There should be a single International standard. However take responsibility for your own actions. Traveling internationally and assuming that things work the same way overseas as they do in your country is dangerously stupid. Many countries distribute literature at the airports (welcome to such and such country) that outlines what the emergency numbers are, often outline unusual laws etc. For example if you came to Australia and tried to drive on the right hand side of the street, you'd probably be arrested and "sorry Id didn't know" would be a very bad answer.
Re:YES!!! (Score:5, Insightful)
Or, we could claim that you only learn stuff applicable in real-life from games that are as anal about realism as America's Army is. Dunno how it is nowadays, but back when I played it (when they still had a Linux version), to get to play as a medic you had to attend an in-game class (which was quite long), and then take a test about what they'd taught you in it. Pretty f'in far from the likes of GTA, which are the usual targets of anti-videogames propaganda.
It wouldn't surprise me either to hear about some guy being able to fly a small plane without formal training if he had played Flight Simulator for years with a specialized controller, whereas I *would* be surprised if he had managed to do so after just a couple of weeks playing Battlefield 1942 and UT2004.
Like hospitals? (Score:2, Insightful)
If I were a doctor in America I wouldn't go near a dying patient. I'd be bound to get the blame. It's that old adage, you can do a thousand rights, but one wrong and you are disgraced. Sadly, in todays world, I'd probably just walk on by lest there be a lawsuit if I tried to help and failed.
You know a lot of schools, and workplaces aren't even allowed to stock standard first aid plasters - just in case someone is allergic.
Yeah, thanks politics, you've done a great service. To the undertaker business.
Re:Don't try this at home (Score:3, Insightful)
People are close on good samaritan laws, but not exact (at least going by what they've told me every time I've taken a first aid course here in California). There are two legal issues to consider.
Re:YES!!! (Score:3, Insightful)
Makes me wonder what part of the core curriculum should be dropped to accommodate it, or how many new days should be added to the school year for this, or how many minutes should be added to the school day for first-aid training.
What you need to do is get the other parents (I can only assume you have children in the school system, as I can't imagine what else could inspire you to such disgust if you had no direct stake in it) and lobby your local school board. Even better, join the PTA and volunteer your services to teach a first aid class at your child's school. If you aren't a parent, you could volunteer with your local Boy Scout troop as a First-Aid merit badge counselor or something.
Or you could just rant anonymously on the Internet.
Re:YES!!! (Score:5, Insightful)
If they can spend a week in gym discussing STDs (at least my high school did), can't see why they can't take one week to teach some first aid. After all, aren't physical education teachers supposedly taught some themselves to hold the position?
From your friendly neighborhood ER doctor (Score:3, Insightful)
Never apply a tourniquet unless the bleeding is 1) immediately life threatening and 2) cannot be controlled in any other way. The best way to control bleeding is direct pressure - which can stop 99% of significant external bleeding. Tourniquets not only cause nerve damage, but if there is an amputation, they can cause ischemic damage to healthy tissue which may decrease the chance of a successful reattachment or make the ultimate amputation worse.
And don't worry, there is a law in emergency medicine: All bleeding stops eventually.
Re:YES!!! (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:From your friendly neighborhood ER doctor (Score:3, Insightful)
There is a reason that Brady Emergency Care actually states that you should not transport a live venomous snake with you in the ambulance. Anyone with common sense would think.... hmmmm... take an animal that can kill me and put it in a 10'x8' metal box, then jump inside and close the door.... maybe not such a good idea. But you know some hick firefighter/EMT-B did exactly that, hence the reason that its in the book.
So don't assume that an untrained bystander is going to render poor care, or that a trained bystander will provide good care.