Do you wear your seatbelt

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After all these years in the ER, I have worked with so many ER docs, Nurses, Techs, etc. And I have seen so amny not wear their seat belts, and helmets. Do we as ER nurses think we are immune to all of this. Do we become complacent. Do we become jaded or what. Seriously though. So many really do not use their seat belts.

For the record I wear mine. I also wear a helmet on my motorcycle.

Specializes in Med surg, Critical Care, LTC.

There are many laws that we have in place that, in theory, could have been "person choice" laws - but those in power made the decision for us, because they knew that a good many of us are our own worst enemy.

Anyone who rides a motorcycle is just nuts in my book. Anyone who rides a motorcycle without protective gear, is just ASKING to be an organ donor.

I believe a person can choose to ride or not, but the choice of a helmet should NOT be optional.

I worked in a ER too many years, and I've seen the consequences of motorcyclists with / without helmets. Most of the time they are ***** either way.

Blessings

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Specializes in ER,ICU and Progressive Care Unit,Peds.

Wear my seat belt but not my helmet when I ride my beach cruiser.

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Specializes in Med surg, Critical Care, LTC.

I took care of a 16 year old with a intercranial bleed and a broken neck - he was four wheeling without a helmet. According to his friends, he wasn't going fast, but the terrain was uneven, and the four wheeler tipped. Sad, I don't believe he made it.

I also had an 8 y/o child fall off his bike ( the bike was not moving, it just tipped over sideways), he wasn't wearing a helmet, his unprotected head hit the corner of the curb and he was DOA. Massive bleed. Who would have thought!! According to the autopsy, it wasn't a congenital defect, it was caused my blunt force trauma, from his head hitting the curb while at a dead stop.

Really, wear a helmet.

Blessings

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My boss' nephew passed away last week after a head on collision at 100ish mph.

There is a limit to how well a seat belt protects you. Even at 40-50 mph in a head on or roll over the protection afforded by seat belts is negligible.

I am definitely for helmets though. Even without damage, hitting your head is REALLY painful. :(

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

I am a true believer in seat belts and helmets. I use both. As a matter of fact I always grab for my

seat belt when I get on my Harley only to remember I don't have one (seatbelt).

I have seen many bike accidents come into ER with only head injuries and if they had been wearing

a helmet they would have been completely ok.

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Specializes in critical care, + a mixed bag of tricks.

I only wore my seatbelt occasionally before I started to work in our Trauma ICU. After about a month, it was so obvious what a difference a seatbelt can make. As one poster said, seatbelts don't fix everything, but they sure do help. Now, the car doesn't move until everyone is belted in.

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Specializes in SNF.

Always.

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I took care of a 16 year old with a intercranial bleed and a broken neck - he was four wheeling without a helmet. According to his friends, he wasn't going fast, but the terrain was uneven, and the four wheeler tipped. Sad, I don't believe he made it.

I also had an 8 y/o child fall off his bike ( the bike was not moving, it just tipped over sideways), he wasn't wearing a helmet, his unprotected head hit the corner of the curb and he was DOA. Massive bleed. Who would have thought!! According to the autopsy, it wasn't a congenital defect, it was caused my blunt force trauma, from his head hitting the curb while at a dead stop.

Really, wear a helmet.

Blessings

if i am rideing my bike (no motercycles for me) I always wear a helmet, same if I ride my scooter. I rode my scooter to the hospital once for a couple of appointments I had that day i ran into alot of people(I was scheduled to see 3 and i saw 10 and this included office nurses) who where a part of my care team, who I didnt have appointments with but ran into anyway.

EVERY SINGLE one of them saw the scooter I was carrying (didnt notice the helmet in my hand though) "you'd better have warn a helmet with theat" me "*sigh* yup it is right here i would never ride the scooterwith out it."

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

after the friendly officer gave me a ticket for 25.00 I have worn mine---that was 6 years ago and now it is a true habit.

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I have always worn my seatbelt. My husband hasn't always worn his and I nagged him. It paid off significantly a couple of years ago when we were in a pretty bad accident...through a light pole and into a telephone pole. The car was totaled and the airbags ejected. I was in a lot of pain and had some scrapes and bruises...my favorite one was from the seatbelt across my chest.

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.
i'm not in the er, but i wear my seatbelt everytime i get in my car. i don't have much choice b/c my car has an alarm, but i wear it in other people's cars too. my uncle and cousin lost their lives on thursday in a car accident because they weren't wearing their seatbelts. they save lives.

my sincere condolences on the loss of your uncle and cousin. i'm so sorry. any death is especially difficult at this time of year.

i also wear my seatbelt not only for safety's sake but it's the law in my state.

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Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.

Always since 1984. I would feel naked without it. It has become second nature for me. And no one gets to ride in my car unless they also wear a seatbelt.

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