So, I was sitting at the bus stop the other day, waiting for my bus, when I turned mty head to see a girl not much younger then me get hit by a car. She was hit on the side of her leg causing her to start to upend and slam her head into the windshield. I knew she was going to be injured so I put my book down and grabbed my extra tshirt I had and ran over to her.
She started to get up(thank goodness) and I immediatley told her to lay back down. She was bleeding severly from her head when she had impacted with the windshield. I told her my name and that I had EMT training, and I wanted to help her. She said yes, so I proceeded to place the t-shirt on her head while starting to talk to her. I checked for her ABC's asked her where she was, if she knew what happened, what her name was, basically kept her talking.
By this time there were numerous poeple crowding around screaming crying and yelling, including the person calling 911. This was not helping so I told a everyone to calm down and back up. I told the citizen who was on the phone to put the phone to my ear so I could speak to the operator because he was not providing information, just yelling at the person to stop asking so many questions and get out there because she was hurt bad. I spoke with the operator who was clearly frazzled due to the previous person and calmly told her where we were at.
After what seemed like ages, the paramedics arrived and took over cspine and care for her. She was rushed to a local hospital and that was the last I heard or saw of her. I am concerned tho, because I do not know if there was anything else I could have done or should have done to help her. Due to the new HIPPA regulations I cannot and could not find out anything about how she is. I even tried to talk to the responding fire company and they told me something similar, that even they could not find out.
While I recognize that patient privacy is of utmost concern, isn't that a bit extreme?? I have been tossing it around in my head and while attempting to analyze it, I do not know if she made it. Sigh just worries me. Anything I could have done different? I am not a nurse yet just finishing up my prerequisite lower division classes so what do you all think? Is there anyway I could find out if she's ok?
One thing I found odd about the whole situation is I was shockingly calm throughout the time. Which brings me to wonder if maybe ER is in my future? I don't know...just wondering what you all think about it all....
Also posting this from my phone so sorry for the bad grammar and spelling lol.
Unless you live in a small town, where everyone knows everyone else, the chances of finding the outcome of a Pt is low.
As mentioned, you can read the newspaper local sections, and check out local TV news to see if the accident is reported. Sometimes they will make statements about the injuries being considered life-threatening or not. Usually that's about all you'll possibly get.
Of course, if things turned out very badly, the paper would likely carry the obit, but you would have to guess as to which person it was.
In some ways, being in the field is like being a spy.......you often have to live with the certainty that you'll never know what happened after you played your part.
Take away the satisfaction that, at the very least, you brought some calm to a victim who was certainly very scared. And you got EMS there quicker than otherwise would have been the case. Time is golden, so you did an excellent job.
No matter what the Pt outcome, she will remember you for the rest of her life.
Well thank you all for the replys, especially those who let me know not only what to expect now but for the future when I am working as a nurse.
I will have to say that is a bit shocking that even when working in a hospital, you as a nurse do not know what happens once they leave your care. I can deal with that since being a good nurse would involve doing everything I can to make sure each and every patient gets the best possible care out of me.
Hardest part of it all is that I go by that spot everyday. Literally, everyday, and there is a spot on the pavement where her blood stained the ground. They washed it down, the firemen, however its still there weeks later! At least in the hospital they clean up all the blood Bah I will deal with it, thanks again everyone you are all awesome in my book too!
Bah I will deal with it, thanks again everyone you are all awesome in my book too!
rngolfer53
681 Posts
Unless you live in a small town, where everyone knows everyone else, the chances of finding the outcome of a Pt is low.
As mentioned, you can read the newspaper local sections, and check out local TV news to see if the accident is reported. Sometimes they will make statements about the injuries being considered life-threatening or not. Usually that's about all you'll possibly get.
Of course, if things turned out very badly, the paper would likely carry the obit, but you would have to guess as to which person it was.
In some ways, being in the field is like being a spy.......you often have to live with the certainty that you'll never know what happened after you played your part.
Take away the satisfaction that, at the very least, you brought some calm to a victim who was certainly very scared. And you got EMS there quicker than otherwise would have been the case. Time is golden, so you did an excellent job.
No matter what the Pt outcome, she will remember you for the rest of her life.