Welcome to the 1st Aid Site!
Everything First Aid Related...

what does it take to learn and be able to suture people up ?

i hope i spelled that right i mean to sew people up that have been cut, i am half way through a wilderness first aid class, and one of the things they instructed us how to do is set bone, like on compound fractures, yes set bones, and apply a in line traction splint, after 80 hours of training that's right, so if i can take a class to teach me to set bones in the wilderness why cant i learn how to sew some one if they get cut ? and i am not talking about a wound that has massive Internal damage, but little cuts that may need stitches, i no what you are thinking what about nerve damage and stuff like that ? but don't you think a compound fraction may cause nerve damage, if i am able to complete this course i am thinking about furthering my education in the medical Field, i like the idea of working as a emt, but working in a clinic, or maybe in a foreign country helping people, like giving shots, vaccinations, dressing wounds, stuff like that, any suggestions ?

Public Comments

1. Do some research on "Doctors without Borders". They have many people in their organization that are not full out doctors, and would be able to tell you the required training you need to work with them.

2. Even with minor skin sutures, you really need to watch and learn; reading about it simply isn't a surrogate to practicing with some product to simulate human tissues. My advice is that you volunteer in a local clinic or hospital and watch what the Emergency physician does. I don't guarantee you that a busy physician will want the company of someone who wishes to learn the art of suturing minor wounds, but it's worth a shot. When I was in school we learned to suture minor lacs using pigs feet.

3. Applying a traction splint to a compound fracture (often contraindicated) is not setting the fracture...it is splinting and immobilizing with use of traction to limit muscle spasms until medical attention is accessed. It is done in extreme emergencies when your training is all that is available. The risk of nerve damage in a fracture is reduced by splinting for immobility, so that is part of why it is done.
What would be the justification for allowing someone with minimal training to make decisions regarding whether or not to suture a wound that can wait until a medical professional can assess the wound to determine whether suturing is even indicated?
I'm glad you want to continue your education and someday, when it is appropriate, you will learn more about wounds and suturing.

4. Suturing is not first aid. Applying a clean dressing is more appropriate. If you become an advanced practice nurse, physician assistant or physician, you'll learn to suture. EMT's don't even suture.

Different wounds require different treatments, and some wounds shouldn't be sutured. It also requires aseptic technique, something you're not likely to be able to do effectively in the woods.

If you become a medic in the military, I'll bet you'd learn it there. That's my suggestion - become an Army Medic or Navy Hospital Corpsman. They get to put their skills to good use.

5. Probably your best bet is to join up with the Medical corps of the Army or Navy of your respective nation, or, go into Nursing at degree level.
A previous poster mentioned Doctors without borders, or in Europe Medecins sans frontieres, but they only accept qualified personnel with prior medical experience.