First on scene to car wreck

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Driving to work last week I happened to be behind a serious car wreck. The person hit was in an oversized SUV, fine but would be sore the next day, but the person that rear-ended was in bad shape. Hood crumpled, windshield shattered, bruising on chest/abdomen from hitting steering wheel (airbag did not deploy), and said they were getting heir nitro out of shirt pocket when they hit. Foot in a boot, bleeding gash on hand, says they're taking strong anticoagulants and oral diabetic meds. Proud of him that they knew their name, spouse's name and number, and told us the names of all meds! Bleeding diabetic on anticoags possibly having an MI which caused the wreck which totaled the car--what a way to start the morning. Fortunately a good Samaritan was able to reach from the back seat and turn the ignition off--car was smoking). Praying for them!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency, CEN.

It's hard when you are used to a controlled environment where you have everything you need: crash cart, med room, etc. and get thrown into a chaotic one where you have nothing and are expected to somehow pull a rabbit out of your hat.

I saw that you did a quick med history, how else did you and the others respond? Hopefully they are ok.

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I was lucky that a former paramedic pulled over also. Pt was telling us about reaching for the nitro pills when they hit, and paramedic asked what other meds pt was taking. Older pt, so I was very happy they knew all their meds because that age group usually has so many they can't keep them straight. I did make sure to tell EMS about the elephant chest pains, neck pain, and SOB. I hope pt isn't cited because it was a medical emergency and I think pt may have even blacked out right before impact. Pt had boot on foot and said they were on the way to doc to get the foot examined (diabetic pt, of course) and the lac on the hand was bad as pt mentioned the anticoag therapy. I might start traveling with a box of gloves in my car. It was only the 2nd wreck I've been first on scene to, and the other one I witnessed as I was right behind it.

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Specializes in Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care.

I keep a basic med kit in my car that includes a box of gloves, a seat belt cutter, and several towels. I was on vacation recently and had just checked in to the hotel when a medical transport van was t-boned right in front of the hotel, flipping it on it's side. There was a patient on a stretcher in the back who was hanging sideways and I had to cut him down. He was basically unharmed but the two attendants were cut up pretty bad, one with a shattered elbow. You do what you can to stabilize, control any bleeding, check ABC's, and wait for EMS.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency, CEN.

Holy crap why was that pt driving?!

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Pt was in a smaller 90's-model Oldsmobile (Alero or something along those lines--not the big monsters they made in the 80's). In my state, the Good Samaritan law does not apply to healthcare providers so I wasn't sure how much I could do in this situation. Paramedics administered his nitro when they got there. The oversizedd SUV had no visible damage and I could only tell it was involved based on where it stopped in the flow of traffic.

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.
Pt was in a smaller 90's-model Oldsmobile (Alero or something along those lines--not the big monsters they made in the 80's). In my state, the Good Samaritan law does not apply to healthcare providers so I wasn't sure how much I could do in this situation. Paramedics administered his nitro when they got there. The oversizedd SUV had no visible damage and I could only tell it was involved based on where it stopped in the flow of traffic.

Just to make you feel better this is an urban myth. The Georgia Good Samaritan Law does cover you.

College Park Personal Injury Lawyer / Atlanta Car Accident Attorney Personal Injury Attorneys for Car, Truck, Motorcycle and DUI Accident Cases

GA Good Samaritan Laws | Medical Malpractice

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Specializes in critical care.
Holy crap why was that pt driving?!

I had a symptomatic bradycardic and hypotensive patient (HR in 20s-30s and SBP in 70s-80s) who had taken her mom to an appointment with her mom's doctor. While waiting, a nurse or MA spotted her, recognized something was terribly wrong, and got an EKG on her. The doctor handed her the EKG (HR clocked at 34 on it), said, "take your mom home and go to the emergency room." She did. :|

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

If anybody is interested the American Red Cross offers a first aid course that might be helpful and/or interesting. It certainly covers many things we were never taught in nursing school.

CPR, First Aid and AED Certification | Red Cross

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I had a symptomatic bradycardic and hypotensive patient (HR in 20s-30s and SBP in 70s-80s) who had taken her mom to an appointment with her mom's doctor. While waiting, a nurse or MA spotted her, recognized something was terribly wrong, and got an EKG on her. The doctor handed her the EKG (HR clocked at 34 on it), said, "take your mom home and go to the emergency room." She did. :|

WHAT?! The doc told her to take her mom home BEFORE getting to the ER??

Maybe she was the driver in the OP's story . ...except that was a guy.

Crazy.:rolleyes:

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Specializes in ICU.
Holy crap why was that pt driving?!

People still have to get places, even when they have major medical conditions. Life doesn't stop with a diagnosis. It sucks that these people are on the road, but in many places, public transportation isn't good enough to take the place of driving a car, and few people are rich enough to have a private chauffeur.

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.
WHAT?! The doc told her to take her mom home BEFORE getting to the ER??

Maybe she was the driver in the OP's story . ...except that was a guy.

Crazy.:rolleyes:

I thought the same thing.

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