Nurse in a bar... Should you help?

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Okay... Looking for everyone's input! So in class today we are talking about legal and ethical obligations of an RN.

We were discussing how as an RN you are legally obligated to stop and help if you pass an accident in certain states.

A student brought up what if you were in a bar on the weekend having a few drinks. Someone at the bar has a cardiac arrest. And no one else in the bar has a clue about how to perform CPR or help this person.

Even if you've had a few drinks... Would you feel obligated to help? Or could your license be at jeopardy because you performed healthcare on someone after having a few drinks?

Thanks in advance for your input!!

You are not obligated to provide breaths according to the AHA CPR class I attended. CompressionS are more important

I had a CPR class today and they said the same thing.

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Specializes in IMCU, Oncology.

I was told here in TX, that if someone finds out you are a licenced nurse and refuse to help, then you could be sued or your licence may be in jeopardy.

That being said, I feel I have a moral obligation to help if I can safely do so. I don't know how a nurse could just stand by and watch someone die if it safe to help.

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I think we should and being legally obligated would be fine with me. It just comes natural to me, an emergency you respond you're a nurse, why not? I could not ignore or let someone suffer.

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I think anyone who is CPR trained should assist because ANY delay in compressions, even minutes, makes it unlikely he will survive. Whereas a witnessed arrest has the greatest potential for survival.

As far as rescue breathing, this is not important unless it is a child. In adults, the oxygen saturation at the time of arrest is adequate for 5-7 minutes post-arrest. Compressions are always the priority; recall that ABC changed to CAB.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
I think we should and being legally obligated would be fine with me. It just comes natural to me, an emergency you respond you're a nurse, why not? I could not ignore or let someone suffer.

But the vast majority of nurses are not trained as first responders. Here's an example of someone who stopped at an accident and ended up becoming a second victim. There's a difference between voluntarily providing CPR in a way that keeps the rescuer safe (hands only) and being legally obligated to stop and help at every emergency. I don't have a paramedic's jump bag in my car. I am not trained in prehospital care of an injured patient. I am nothing more than a bystander who happens to have a nursing license. That nursing license doesn't provide knowledge of everything. I would fight tooth and nail against any law that required me to stop and render aid.

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This is what imo, a bystander may do:

Put drink down, get off the stool, have someone dial 911 & fetch an aed, and help clear the area of spectators, if the area is safe and no harm will come to the rescuer, check for pulse, start compressions.

Isnt it considered negligence or abandonment? to not admin cpr once a license is issued? I believe the Good Sam Law protects the layperson so they won't be afraid to act / not get in trouble for acting 'out of scope'.

if it's just a bls cardholder as a bystander, then they should at least get fire there and check for pulse + start compressions (again only on a safe scene and if not, tell dispatch you need PD there too please)

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