to intervene or not to intervene

[nursephillyphil, BSN, RN]

Out of curiosity, to my beloved COB's. if you are say for example, visiting a friend, relative, etc at another hospital, snf or whatever and you notice a person in the lobby or public area of the hospital become unresponsive, what is our role and what are we allowed/not allowed to do? assuming you have no info regarding the hospitals P&P.

[flyersfan88]

I work in a hospital and a rapid response/code would be called to the area the person is in. This frequently happens in the winter when its icy and people slip and fall. I would assume if in a LTC/SNF, 911 would be called/BLS would be done. Just because they're not currently a patient doesn't mean you don't help. I don't know why not intervening and just letting an unresponsive person lay there is even an option.

[Asystole RN]

I am not sure what a "COB" is but you do whatever you would normally due if this person was in any other location and you happened to stumble upon them.

You take the necessary prudent and reasonable interventions within your training and education to provide aid to the individual.

[nursephillyphil, BSN, RN]

now that you put it that way this topic was stupid lol. i've just been getting drilled at work about liability issues and what not, so i was trying to think of scenarios.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

You are allowed to direct personnel to call 911.

If you choose to become a first responder... those repercussions will follow.

[AJJKRN]

You are allowed to direct personnel to call 911.

If you choose to become a first responder... those repercussions will follow.

Depending on the state you're in, there should be clarification on the protection of "first responders" outside an EMS team (an off duty nurse, MD, police officer, etc) as long as you don't go outside of the scope of your training/license correct?

I meant Good Samaritan laws...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Samaritan_law

[HopefulRN7]

As long as you follow your scope of practice and not perform anything outside of it, you're good to go- whether the person survives or not. We as nurses are covered under Good Samaritan Laws, like any "ordinary" citizen. It's a part of nurse practice act in all US states.

Wish more nurses understood this instead of being fearful of being sued.

http://www.nationalnursesunited.org/page/-/files/pdf/nursing-practice/advisories/good-samaritan.pdf

[NOADLS]

Yes, there are good samaritan laws; however, I choose to avoid liability (and precious time) by simply telling someone else to deal with it when in public.

[Emergent, RN]

CAB

Call for assistance and an AED.

Quick visual check for breathing, check for a pulse in less than 10 seconds.

If no pulse, begin CPR.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

now that you put it that way this topic was stupid lol. i've just been getting drilled at work about liability issues and what not, so i was trying to think of scenarios.

No, it's not stupid. It's a very valid issue and one that my workplace deals with constantly. When I first began working there 10 years ago, there was a culture where any non-patient visitor who suffered some type of event was rapidly taken into PACU where treatment was given. It was unbelievably frustrating dealing with the aftermath: "Ok, Mr MD, you've started an IV, administered Valium for the seizure, then walked away, leaving us with a non-registered, non-patient." In retrospect, it sounds crazy, I know. But it happened with some regularity.

A new generation of management has been able to tamp down on the cowboy doctors and institute a "Call 911, do not treat other than CPR if required" policy. It works beautifully.

[elkpark]

As long as you're not an employee of the facility and not on duty, what you do is entirely your personal choice. I would bring the situation to the attention of someone who is an employee of the facility and is obligated to respond, and call it a day.

[HopefulRN7]

Yes, there are good samaritan laws; however, I choose to avoid liability (and precious time) by simply telling someone else to deal with it when in public.

I'm not intending to start a nasty thread here, as I've seen many good threads go to the "dark side" but I would hope that if medical personnel that had the knowledge to save one of my family member's or friend's lives that they would not simply delegate the task to "someone else" casually hanging around in a public setting. What is "precious time" to you when someone's life is hanging in the balance?

If you do not wish to get involved, at least call someone who does (i.e.: 911) [emoji106]🏼