Has anyone ever assisted in a roadside emergency?

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wow. that is kinda cool!!

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Specializes in Emergency.

Yeah, I stop & help at MVAs all the time. I carry a jumpkit, O2 & adjuncts but not a defib in my POV. She was mighty lucky, this story is a good reminder of why EVERYONE needs to know CPR. EDITED TO ADD: that is, CPR when it's appropriate.

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Recently I was coming home from clinical (in my scrubs) and two women on foot got hit by a car going about 35. I saw the whole thing. I stopped to do what I could, but one was bleeding pretty badly and I didn't have gloves so I couldn't do much - now I carry gloves and a couple other things in my car.

There were about 40 people standing around watching, half of them were screaming at me to do CPR. UM, people, she's breathing and she has a pulse, I'm not going to perform CPR. I wish I knew how things turned out for her.

Amanda

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Hey Y'all!!!

I mostly stop if there doesn't seem like first responders are already on the scene. And like Mandana, I've found that non-medical bystanders are too anxious to do CPR. Had a fella standing next to me on the sidewalk simply fall down (with that THUNK of a head hitting the concrete that some of us know from Pt's falling out of bed) and had a big seizure. Naturally, he had pulse & resps. But I had to keep several people from pouncing on his chest.

Incidentally, I've heard several times from EMS folks that they really appreciate Nurses' who are on the scene caring for victims. They think we do reasonable, effective first aid and give good reports.

Papaw John

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OMG, I couldn't see the video becaue of blockers, but just had to comment. It is so funny how the lay public things CPR is the cure all. I've responded to a few seizures and of course did nothing, but be supportive and monitor the area for safety, but had to bite my tongue when a few folks were yelling "Help him, do CP":rotfl:

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Specializes in Emergency.

Like they were saying in the piece, what are the odds that someone is going to have an AED in their car. Pretty low unless its a trooper or other law enforcement officer.

GOD definately has other plans.

RJ

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Specializes in Hospice, Med/Surg, ICU, ER.

D/T my NOC work schedule, I am on the interstate and rural highways between 4:00 - 5:00 am usually. I always stop at accident scenes if no medical professionals are in evidence. I am the first responder on average twice per month, and usually beat EMS there by 10-20 minutes.

I have learned to keep gloves, gauze, an abdo pad and basic equipment and supplies in my truck.

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Watched a Motorcylce roll onto the hood of a car and get pinned on the windshield in front of me once- happened to be THREE nurses at the intersection at the time. Guy rolled over and was fine except for a few scrathes...amazing.

I always keep gloves, gauze, ABDs and a pocket mask on hand. You just never know.

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"I am the first responder on average twice per month, and usually beat EMS there by 10-20 minutes."

Just exactly what roads do you travel to see so many accidents so I can STAY OFF THOSE ROADS between 4-5am. :)

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OMG, I couldn't see the video becaue of blockers, but just had to comment. It is so funny how the lay public things CPR is the cure all. I've responded to a few seizures and of course did nothing, but be supportive and monitor the area for safety, but had to bite my tongue when a few folks were yelling "Help him, do CP":rotfl:

I had a CPR instructor tell us that about the only thing CPR was really good for was buying time for the people who were waiting on help to come for the victim to keep them busy.

He said the only real chance a person would have is if there was an AEB.

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I came upon one car that had just moments before ceased flipping in the oncoming lane of I75, right below Atlanta. I used to work EMS in addition to the ICU and ER, so I stop. One young (20s) female got ejected onto the soft median (it had just rained) and her teenage brother got ejected and landed on pavement. She has someone with flight fatigues keeping her quiet and still. I take one look at the brother. He's about 6 foot 2, 210 lbs (most of which is muscle) and is an obvious traumatic head injury. He's fighting about 4 other males and is winning the fight for the most part. Blood is everywhere on this guy.

Quick assessment: I'm not going over to the male. Not much can be done for him except a craniotomy.

I choose to focus on the female. I got my bag from the truck and check her out. Gotta love trauma shears. No injuries that I can detect. No extremity involvement. I cut her jeans to about the knee region. Nothing. Pelivc rock is normal, no pain or instability. Lungs clear. Pupils normal. Radials good bilat. About as normal as mental status as you could hope for. Glascow Coma Scale 15. Guy in flight fatigues that I assumed was a flight medic or flight RN turns out to be a pilot. I take over the head and keep it between my knees. EMS jacket goes over her as this is fall weather.

Meanwhile her brother is whooping half the interstate by this time.

EMS shows up, medics and EMTs jump out. I keep pointing towards the other lane that has the brother. I guess some dude sitting there with a jump bag opened, EMS jacket, Littman stethescope and shears out counts for something. Some big wig in EMS comes up and tells me "KEEP HER HEAD STABLE. I"LL BE BACK IN A MINUTE." Sure thing chief.

They ended up flying her brother to the trauma center. I can't imagine how they handled him as I only can think his ICP must have been skyrocketing fighting against all the people only trying to help.

That's about my only story.

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