I recently went on vacation & was on an airplane. A person on the plane had a seizure & then went into full arrest. There was another RN on the plane with me. We are both ER nurses & ALCS certified. We used a BVM & an AED. We started an IV and gave epi. All supplies were from the plane. My license is in California. We Diverted to Nevada.
Looking back I wonder if I was covered under the good Samaritans law or did I practice outside my state & scope of practice. Technically, although we left California we landed in Nevada so I wasn't in my state. Also, there was no doctor on the flight who gave the epi order.
No worries as you are covered under good Samaritan law and the 1998 law mentioned above. I was in a similar situation from San Antonio to Seattle. We diverted to Salt Lake. Talk about adrenalin rush!!
As a former flight attendant with 17 years experience, the main concern is to save the passengers life. If you could prudently perform any procedure than we hoped you would. You also have every right to decline. Even if the outcome is not favorable, I have never heard of a volunteer being brought up on any sort of discipline. I'm sure if they could prove gross negligence that would be a different story, but I never heard of any such thing.
I'm not offended- I actually thought the same thing when I wrote it. Honestly- in all the codes I was involved in we never had to actually wait more than maybe 2-3 mins for a dr, np, or pa to show up. It was a relatively small hospital so there was always someone within a few mins walk/ run of where we were. It usually took that long to get code cart, hook of defib, ect. So maybe I was just never in one where anyone had to actually make a decision prior to a provider showing up.
Maybe it's in the back of your mind that it's your agencies protocol to wait. Either way...food for thought and something to look into at your place of employment to open up discussion on improving patient outcomes.
As our BON no longer issues physical licenses, I would have no identification on me attesting to my nursing credentials, though I do have my ACLS card in my wallet.
Texas BON license verification is online only. I guess as long as there was wifi, I'd be good.
As our BON no longer issues physical licenses, I would have no identification on me attesting to my nursing credentials, though I do have my ACLS card in my wallet.
Texas BON license verification is online only. I guess as long as there was wifi, I'd be good.
Last I knew, I could pay $30 for the privilege of carrying a State license ID. Umm....no thanks. Someone needs to know RIGHT NOW if I'm a nurse? They can look it up
I can't imagine in any kind of true emergency where the only thing standing between probable death and the guy on the floor is ME...someone's really going to want to take the time to see if my license is active. Just sayin'.
Last I knew, I could pay $30 for the privilege of carrying a State license ID. Umm....no thanks. Someone needs to know RIGHT NOW if I'm a nurse? They can look it up
I can't imagine in any kind of true emergency where the only thing standing between probable death and the guy on the floor is ME...someone's really going to want to take the time to see if my license is active. Just sayin'.
It was merely a response to someone saying anyone who could prove their credentials would have access to the kit.
I have a driver's license, so wouldn't need a "state license." Texas BON does not issue physical nursing licenses unless it is the first one after NCLEX.
It was merely a response to someone saying anyone who could prove their credentials would have access to the kit.
I have a driver's license, so wouldn't need a "state license." Texas BON does not issue physical nursing licenses unless it is the first one after NCLEX.
I think we have a miscommunique: the State ID I was referring to, that could be had with the payment of a $30 fee, is for a physical nursing license on a wallet-sized card. No relation to a driver's license. An ID card that identifies me as an RN, with my photo on it, and license number.
My State BoN is happy to collect said fee if someone wants such a card to carry around and have it available to "prove" a license status. Oh, and it'd need to be done every three years, with renewal, because of course there's an expiration date on it.
I get a new piece of paper in the mail with every renewal that shows my license number and the current years' registration, but no more licenses issued on paper are issued by my State BoN for us, either.
I'm with Wade, who said he's not going to be digging through his wallet looking for his ACLS card, either. NOR am I going to be scanning in anything and keeping it in an email, ostensibly on my PHONE that is turned OFF in flight!
I figure if I really have to "prove" my credentials to someone before I can have access to the equipment/supplies I need to help someone....then they really don't need my help all that much :-/
I think we have a miscommunique: the State ID I was referring to, that could be had with the payment of a $30 fee, is for a physical nursing license on a wallet-sized card. My State BoN is happy to collect said fee if someone wants a physical card that is a miniature of what a license would look like....if they issued us one! I get a new piece of paper with every renewal that shows my license number and the current years' registration, but no more licenses issued on paper for us, either.
I'm with the guy who said he's not going to be digging through his wallet looking for his ACLS card, either. NOR am I going to be scanning in anything and keeping it in an email, ostensibly on my PHONE that is turned OFF in flight!
I figure if I really have to "prove" my credentials to someone before I can have access to the equipment/supplies I need to help someone....then they really don't need my help all that much :-/
Interesting. I would like that option, though I think having to pay $30 for one is pretty outrageous. The only way I can prove my license is valid and current is to have someone go to the BON website and verify for themselves. I've even done the print screen thing before to give to my employer and they said no dice, they need to verify online for themselves.
When I had my cardboard license, I used to keep it in a "window" container in my wallet and would occasionally look at it with pride from time to time, lol. What a sap.
armyicurn
331 Posts
OP,
No worries as you are covered under good Samaritan law and the 1998 law mentioned above. I was in a similar situation from San Antonio to Seattle. We diverted to Salt Lake. Talk about adrenalin rush!!