Educating common people on professional subjects, is it helpful or is it an asking for a disaster?

[Christine Joy G 1]

It's a double edged sword. Education on special matter in case of an emergency might be really useful, if ever, no professional was there. And no help is coming for some time. On the other hand, it could be a disaster if a person is using that basic knowledge for unnecessary situation and can able to go to the professionals but insisted on doing it on his own.

[Ari Martinez]

This is a question that I too have in my mind ever since I've been reading this book. I think there are certain procedures that cannot be performed by non-medical professionals. But I think reading this book will create an awareness in the reader's mind about the different useful procedures. That way, a reader, who cannot do certain difficult maneuvers, can at least avoid doing something harmful with the knowledge he/she has gained through this book. This is the approach I've been using to read this book. If I can't do something, at least I know about all the wrong things that I shouldn't be doing.

I completely agree with you because many people do things like trying move an injured person to make them more comfortable but they might end up injuring them much more by doing that. However, with this book, we at least would know not to do that.
Also, even if we know we can't do certain medical procedures, we might at least be able to do some basic things while medical professionals arrive (like checking for blood loss).

[Ari Martinez]

He has tried to make a person able to provide medical care in an emergency situation without any help from the professionals.

Though I agree that having medical knowledge can be useful, this can worsen the scenario by a non-profesional trying to play the hero. What do you think?

I honestly don't see any harm in educating common people in professional medical subjects because most people have common sense to know their capabilities and limitations. They would know what procedures they can or cannot do.

The type of people that would risk someone's life by "trying to play the hero" are very few (and who knows, they might actually do the procedure successfully), but the people who would be saving someone's life by using a quick tip picked up in this book are much higher in number, I imagine.

I don't think gaining knowledge is ever a bad thing.

Also, the way you wrote the sentence "He has tried to make a person able to provide medical care in an emergency situation without any help from the professionals" makes it sound like the author is actively encouraging people to do difficult medical procedures without even trying to ask for help or call 911, and that is not the case at all. This book is for those who are in an emergency situation where getting medical help is absolutely impossible, which means they HAVE to do something or the other person is going to die either way.

[Asma Aisha Ansari]

I think it is necessary at times. For example, there may not be a medically trained person available.

Unfortunately, many people are losing trust in medical professionals. They don't always give correct advice.

For this reason some of us research information before we go to a doctor to get it confirmed.

In fact, sometimes this has saved people. My friends son had meningitis once, but the doctor failed to recognise it. She went several times, and said he had a purple rash that did not fade when you put a glass over it. The doctor told her it was only a urine infection and to come back after 2 weeks.

He had a high temperature and began to hallucinate and did not recognise his own brother so she took him to the hospital, where they took him in straight away saying that it was meningitis. He was now in the last stage, but she had managed to bring his temperature down by giving him a cold bath before going to the hospital. Apparantly he might not have survived otherwise.

Therefore, I believe it is good for people to be able yo recognise conditions and know basically what to do and even get second opinions and debate doctors when they mis diagnose

It's unfortunate that this is the state of this noble professional now. It makes it even more crucial now to learn some of the basics of emergency medical procedures.

[Chinaza Nnabuenyi]

Educating common people has never been a mistake or a potential disaster. The truth be told, most professionals have had their efforts thwarted by an ignorant common person who likely disobeyed a common instruction. What Williams did in this book is an awareness that should be common to everyone. I'm a beneficiary of it.

[Sharill Rasowo]

In my opinion, it is quite crucial that people who are not medical professionals have some understanding of medicine. You might find yourself in a situation where waiting for professional medical intervention may result in death. Having someone with some knowledge to hold the fort while medical treatment is sought could be life-saving.

[Chinaza Nnabuenyi]

Though I'm not in the professional field of medicine, but this book is enlightening. I know I need the information in this book for moments of safety. The author took a crucial step by spreading this information to ordinary people without any background in medicine. The principles are really practicable for me.

[Novela book]

Medical knowledge is very important now a days as per the increasing risk of illness and sudden deaths. But the practices mentioned in the book might be knowledgeable but actually performing it without prior medical practice can be risky. So, I agree the book is educational but taking a specialist advice is a must.

[Novela book]

Medical knowledge is very important now a days as per the increasing risk of illness and sudden deaths. But the practices mentioned in the book might be knowledgeable but actually performing it without prior medical practice can be risky. So, I agree the book is educational but taking a specialist advice is a must.

[Novela book]

Medical knowledge is very important now a days as per the increasing risk of illness and sudden deaths. But the practices mentioned in the book might be knowledgeable but actually performing it without prior medical practice can be risky. So, I agree the book is educational but taking a specialist advice is a must.

[Tarie07]

The author was trying to do good with this information, for those with no medical background. But I'm afraid too much information can do more harm than good. If we all try to diagnose ourselves or treat ourselves with no professional assistance, it could be a total disaster.

[Reader-247]

I think it lies in a grey area because having medical knowledge is undisputedly empowering and leading towards self-sufficiency, however, letting that power go to your head and running rogue, treating others with it, is dangerous, if not life-threatening. Whereas, having little to no knowledge is also detrimental in case of emergency.
One more difference is reading stuff of off the internet and reading a book by a proper doctor, there is bound to be more carefully given information in a book. Also, some people get anxiety knowing to much about illness and medical information therefore those people must also avoid reading such texts due to adverse mental effects.
So, to reiterate what I said earlier, it lies in a grey area.

[Hyacinth Bella]

I believe that educating yourself on the basics is a really good thing, and can help people around, but I do hope that no one will act as a hero if they are not a professional in the field because that will make disasters. I also hope that books like this has a simpler way of educating because if a book is filled with jargons common people won't understand, then it will do more harm than good.

[Rachael S 1]

Educating people is never wrong. However, you have to understand when you are fighting a losing battle. People always need to know what is going on, especially when it comes to medical decisions. That being said, sometimes people just want to believe in aliens and magical creatures. You have to recognize when the argument goes too far because someone is just not willing to see the tree through the forest.

[Iqra Rafiq 1]

I agree with the fact that educating common people about medical knowledge is a bit disastrous, a proverb of little knowledge is much dangerous. Me being a doctor myself face the problem that people tend to google everything nowadays, to search on google is to some extent good but people out there think that they have done MBBS and start treating themselves. I have come across many patients who self-diagnosed themselves with medicines with ultimately leave them to hepatotoxicity and resistance to that particular drug. I agree with the fact that everyone should have a basic knowledge of first aid but that first aid should not exceed surgery. Doctors spend their entire lives to gain a skill and by just surfing the internet you can't deal with medical ailments and diagnose yourself. I have seen a lot of patients coming to me and saying they have diagnosed themselves with a heart attack when they have merely suffered from a panic attack. I once again say little knowledge is way too dangerous.