Do We "Really" Save Lives....?

[rebelwaclause]

I just read something interesting that stated that MD's, nurses, paramedics, emt's, firefighters, etc...."Saves lives"

Do you feel that you "save lives", or that you are equipped to do everything possible to assist with sustaining a life? Does God ultmately have the say so of who's number will be picked to come and go?

I feel strange with the thought of high-five-n a co-worker saying "We saved their life dude...We rock!".....

"Rebel"... With A Clause

[rebelwaclause, ASN, RN]

Originally posted by fedupnurse

I would say defibrillating someone in V fib and bringing them back is saving a life. I'd also say catching an error that could have resulted in a patients death is also saving a life. If you pushed someone out from in front of a moving car, you have saved their life. If you apply pressure to a bleeding arterial puncture site stopping the patient from exsanguinating, you have saved a life. Don't get me wrong, I do believe in God, but I believe we save lives every day.

Great examples and well said, FedUpNurse. If you defib someone in V-Tach without success, and they die, did you NOT save them? Did you kill them? Is this when we look at other satff members and say "I guess it was their time to go? Do we posses the power of life and death ourselves?

[rebelwaclause, ASN, RN]

Sorry...I'm a great nurse, horrible typist. I meant "V-Fib" as you stated, and "staff", not "satff"

[nell]

Nurses save lives? It is Rudra the Hindu god of healing that intervenes.

Or maybe it's Nodens the Celtic God of Health & Healing.

No wait! It's Salud the Aztec God of Health.

Then there's Allah, who purportedly has a lot of facilitators.

There's a god for everyone who needs an imaginary friend to blame things on.

Personally, yes, I believe when I bag a baby who is not breathing I am saving his/her life.

[alwaysthere]

Noden is a Celtic deity?

[mattsmom81]

Originally posted by fedupnurse

I would say defibrillating someone in V fib and bringing them back is saving a life. I'd also say catching an error that could have resulted in a patients death is also saving a life. If you pushed someone out from in front of a moving car, you have saved their life. If you apply pressure to a bleeding arterial puncture site stopping the patient from exsanguinating, you have saved a life. Don't get me wrong, I do believe in God, but I believe we save lives every day.

I do too...remember the 'Strong Women" show a few months back...where the female doc was asked if she ever wanted to be a NURSE?

The doc answered, "NO, I wanted to SAVE LIVES." ((GAG))

I wrote a letter to the producers about that one and set them straight...that docs don't do it alone.....nurses have a hand in saving lives too....every day...:)

[Mattigan, RN]

I thought Noden was Nordic ??

[nell]

http://www.livinghistory.co.uk/1100-1500/articles/xw_135.html

13th paragraph

[CATHYW]

Yes, I absolutely believe that! Not that we, ourselves have the power, but God gave us the ability to gain the knowledge necessary to implement lifesaving measures. We know that it is He who holds the utmost power, though. How else can you explain using the exact same life-saving techniques/procedures from one patient to the next, and sometimes being successful, and sometimes not? Of course, you have to consider predisposing illness or trauma, but all things being equal, how is that some live, and some do not? It isn't serendipity-it is the Hand of God. Anytime we begin thumping ourselves on the back for what a great job we did pulling that person's "fat out of the fire," so to speak, let us be mindful of the fact that without the knowledge He gave us a capacity for, and without His willingness that the person continue to live, there is not anything in the world we, or anyone else, could have done to change things.

That brings up questions of horrible accidents, sudden illness, painful, extended illnesses, horrible things happening to children. When God chooses to take someone, it is not to be mean, or vengeful, unless the person is a bad person (vengeance is Mine, saith the Lord). It is likely that it is to spare this person, or their family, some greater trauma, later on.

The atrocities perpetrated upon our children (especially of late) are NOT done by God, but of persons whose lives are controlled by evil. Rather than let the child continue to suffer by letting it live in the hands of an abuser, God releases the child from the pain and torment of the evildoer. Yes, I honestly believe these things. We are not in the Mind of God, but in seeking to understand, and as a way of trying to comfort those who have experienced sudden or horrific loss, these are the things that I have come to believe as a surety.

[rebelwaclause, ASN, RN]

Doesn't it trip you out sometimes, that our initial training ground is anothers misery? We all gathered around some poor soul to gawk at his coccyx wound during clinicals.

Doesn't it seem a bit odd that some get adrenaline rushes (myself included when I was an EMT-A [ambulance]) over "handling" more challenging cases, like those out of the everyday run of the mill?

Something...huh...?

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

We support life and the soul.

God (in all his essence and forms) saves it.

We are the instruments in he/r hands.

[LilgirlRN, ADN, RN]

If I can "save" your life, it wasn't your time to die.

[rebelwaclause, ASN, RN]

Oooooo...That's a good one!