A Nurses Duty to act

inthecosmos, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · May 12, 2018

I would recommend calling, for you know, karma's sake.

saskrn · May 12, 2018

I'm looking for opinions for a situation.
Is it a nurses duty to get immediate medical treatment ( I'm meaning call 911 ) for a person in their home who has a medical emergency?
I'm not asking if he / she should give medical treatment, but I'm saying get EMS to a person with a life or death situation?

I'm assuming this is not regarding a nurse who is providing professional in-home care for a specific patient? In this situation, if it's a life or death situation, ANYONE/EVERYONE has the duty to get immediate medical treatment. There is no finger pointing at any particular person.

If the nurse is working and caring for a specific patient in his home, than it is the nurse's responsibility to call 911 (EMS).

What an odd, uncomfortable question.

CharleeFoxtrot, BSN, RN · May 12, 2018

The nurse has a duty to act if they are on duty caring for that person. That is a major reason why professional nursing care takes place in the home setting.

Of course, but the obvious exception to calling 911 in a home care situation would be Hospice.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · May 12, 2018

If you are not 100% positive the person in question is a DNR, why WOULDN'T you (or anyone) call 911 in an obvious life or death situation? This thread is so strange.

wondern, ASN · May 12, 2018

I would recommend calling, for you know, karma's sake.

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inthecosmos, I love your glasses with the flame reflections, your quote goes so very well. :whistling: :inlove:

caliotter3 · May 12, 2018

Of course, but the obvious exception to calling 911 in a home care situation would be Hospice.

I was not referring to hospice in my post. Nor was I referring to DNR patients who, by the way, can be on extended care service. Had I meant to include both of these exceptions, I would have addressed them in my post.

Everline · May 12, 2018

I need more specific information on the situation to comment. I understand why you might not give them, however.

I mean who is going to say no about a nurse calling 911 in a medical emergency? There must be a lot more to this "situation".

AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P · May 12, 2018

hi,

1) You are not being specific enough. Was the nurse working on behalf of the patient or was the nurse off duty and it was just a social visit?

2) Was the person alert and oriented x 4 , if so did they request 911 be called and the nurse refused?

You need to be more specific about the situation.

Annie

TriciaJ, RN · May 12, 2018

The OP just joined today. Posted a seemingly out-to-lunch question and has disappeared. OP, if you come back and clarify your post you'll receive a lot more non-flippant responses.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · May 12, 2018

This thread kind of reminds me of Yolanda Saldivar's failed attempt to defend herself for killing Selena by saying that the shooting was accidental. The prosecutor pointed out that she was a trained nurse who did not call 911 or in any way to try help Selena after the "accidental" shooting. She's rotting in jail.

OldDude · May 12, 2018

This thread kind of reminds me of Yolanda Saldivar's failed attempt to defend herself for killing Selena by saying that the shooting was accidental. The prosecutor pointed out that she was a trained nurse who did not call 911 or in any way to try help Selena after the "accidental" shooting. She's rotting in jail.

Interesting you bring this up...you and I may be geographically related; historically.

psu_213, BSN, RN · May 12, 2018

Being a nurse has nothing to do with it. It is a HUMAN duty. What a bizarre question.

That's what I was thinking too.

I originally read "their house" as meaning the nurses house. I.e, the person with the emergency was a family member/visitor. Unless the person is on hospice and/or has specifically instructed you not to call 911, I'm not sure why you wouldn't. I'm not a lawyer, but I'm thinking there might be trouble for any person who doesn't activate EMS if someone else was obviously having a medical emergency, and it would not matter if the person who didn't is or is not a nurse.