How do you handle "true emergencies"?

PadawanLearner · Feb 15, 2008

Red lights and sirens are not always a good thing. When I was a volunteer firefighter in Florida, we were told that AT MOST we could away with 9 mph over the posted speed limit. That's not to say that we couldn't get pulled over for doing less than that. For us, having a flashing red light was the equivelent of "asking" someone to pull over for us so we could get by. There was no law saying they had to. We had to obey all the rules of the road, just like everyone else...no running traffic lights or stop signs.

The big down side was that if we were involved in an accident while that red light was on, we were automatically at fault (so were ambulance and fire truck drivers).

Remember that the posted speed limit is the limit for a clear day when the roads are dry. If it's raining, snowing, foggy, etc, you can get a ticket for doing the posted speed limit.

I realize that you're dashing to a "life or death" situation, just be sure you're not potentially causing a "life or death" situation trying to get there. ASAP does not mean "10 minutes ago" or that you're suddenly Speed Racer in the Mach 5.

Safety first, right?

core0 · Feb 15, 2008

I just curious to see if anyone has the same problem we do.
You get called in for a "true emegency" and get pulled over for speeding.
This happened to me awhile ago. Got called in for a leaking Triple A, got pulled over, explained situation and received the ticket anyway (jerk). :angryfire
I wanted to ask him "what if it was your family member"? Had to take time off to go to court. My surgeon and my employer gave me letters explaining why it's important in those situations for us to get to the hospital ASAP.
Long and short, it was dismissed.
I went to the police dept. afterwards and spoke with the captain and asked what we could do differently. He told me there was nothing we can do.
Police get lights and sirens, volunteer fire get lights. Why can't surgical personel get something put in place to signify they are on the way to an emergency?
The only time I speed is for Life and Death emergencies.

There are a couple of things that make you different than the police or EMS. One is that they are trained in evasive and high speed driving techniques. The other is that there vehicles are designed for high speed driving.

In reality if the one or two minutes that speeding would gain you make a difference in the case then the hospital has the responsibility to have an in house team ready to do the case.

My response to you if you asked "what if it was your family member?" would be "what if it was my son or daughter that you ran over while speeding?". Its your job to get there within the prescribed time for call in. It is not your job to speed and put more lives in danger.

David Carpenter, PA-C

sharann, BSN, RN · Feb 15, 2008

If you live too far from the hospital (generally 30 minutes response to door time) you have no right to be on call.

What if you drive into a tree or kill yourself speeding. Then there is a AAA and you to care for (if you make it).

Don't use an emergency as an excuse for speeding please. You are not beong responsible and can hurt yourself and others too.

Hope this helps. Its my opinion of course.

Drive Safe!:)

ewattsjt · Feb 16, 2008

At first, I could see both sides of the coin but when I really thought about it I came to the decision that you really shouldn’t speed to that type of emergency. Yes it is an emergency but if you stop and look at it; driving at 60mph vs 50mph is a 10mile in one hour difference (averaged between 45 and 55 mph limits the most common limits around my area). Most facilities only allow a maximum of 30 min driving difference so that can be broken down to 5 miles saved. If you have no traffic lights and can run 60 mph it saves 5 min. In reality the 5 min will be reduced to a minute or two because of traffic and or lights and even less if you live closer to the facility… which brings up the points that have already been made. If it is that kind of an emergency, there should have been in house staff…and it is a greater danger to the public than what is was ever worth for the extra time that was actually saved.

OR male nurse · Feb 16, 2008

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Scrubby · Feb 16, 2008

I don't believe that it's fair to complain about this or call the police offer a jerk. He was doing the right thing by the law and you weren't. What about you putting other drivers on the road at risk?

You will be no help at all to the patient with a leaking AAA if you crash your car.

Just my two cents.

shodobe · Feb 16, 2008

I have known cops to follow doctors to the hospital and write them a ticket while they are dressing for surgery. Also, one time an OB-GYN was stopped while on the way to the hospital for a crash section only to hand him her driver license and suddenly drive off because they couldn't wait for the ticket. He proceeded to drive to the hospital later and wrote her up. Surgeons seem to think they are immune to tickets.

New2ER · Feb 16, 2008

We as nurses are not above the law. As multiple people have pointed out, having an accident or hurting someone else on the way to the "true emergency" will just put other people in danger.

As for lights, I was a volunteer EMT and worked for an EMS company in NJ. Lights do not give anyone the ability to not follow standard rules of the road. Even ambulances could *technically* receive a ticket for blowing a red light with or without lights and sirens.

On that note, I know of at least one case where an EMT went to prison for blowing through a red light with lights and sirens. He accidentally t-boned a car and 'cause the death of at least one passanger. The jury that heard the case found him innocent of manslaughter but guilty of reckless driving, which automatically resulted in his being found guilty for the death of the passanger. I think he served 3 or 5 years in prison and had to give up his license. BTW, he was on his way to a "true emergency" too.

umakemesmile · Feb 18, 2008

You missed my point. I know we are not "above the law" and after 16 years of doing this I have developed a watch ahead and around attitude when driving in for an emergency. The speed limit was 55, I was doing 62. The reason I said "jerk" is because that is how this officer is viewed by his fellow officers that I know.(live in a small town where everyone knows everyone)

Our OB-GYN's do the hand off the license and have the police follow. I'm always weary of the conditions of the road and others. Esp. at "bar time".

My point was, do any others have something in place to help them get to the hospital in a critical sitiuation?

I thought maybe a sticker in our back window or by the plates to signify an emergency response.

Trauma Columnist · Feb 18, 2008

If you are that necessary in an emergency, you probably need to stay at the hospital. Simple and safe. I live in the country and volunteer on my rural rescue squad. I was almost hit by a car a few years ago at an accident scene. When the police officer stopped the guy, he said he was on his way to the hospital for an "emergency." There is no emergency emergent enough to warrant breaking the law.

Scrubby · Feb 19, 2008

[You missed my point. I know we are not "above the law" and after 16 years of doing this I have developed a watch ahead and around attitude when driving in for an emergency. The speed limit was 55, I was doing 62.]

I think your missing your own point here umakemesmile. You just stated that you know your not above the law, then you clearly state that you were speeding! :idea:

You may have every confidence in your own driving abilities in this situation. But if you haven't got the legal right to go above the speed limit and if you crash into someone, you will probably be charged with reckless driving.