Old Women Hit by Car...What Would You Do?

[sameyjaney]

So the other day I am driving along and come upon an old women laying in the street as she has just been hit by a car while walking across a cross walk. I pull over to see if there is anything I can do. There is an old man kneeling next to her. I tell him I am a nurse and ask if there is anything I can do to help. He tells me, "I'm a physician, she's just out of it, I mean I'm out of it too, but not that out of it and I'm not in the mood for your help right now." The woman is breathing, talking etc. However, she is confused. The police arrive on the scene and an ambulance is coming in the distance. At this moment before the ambulance arrives the old man/physician instructs the women to get up and helps her walk to the sidewalk. As a new grad nurse who hasn't started working yet I realize that I do not have much training in this area of nursing. However, my thoughts were ABC's and do not move the women until the medical team arrives is able to stabilize the spine. If I would have been the only one on the scene I then would have moved on to assess as much as I could while waiting for more help to arrive. I mean it's an older women, which makes me think fragile bones, combined with a hard fall etc etc. What do you all think?? What would you have done in this situation??

[Fribblet]

I really get tired of know it all's. You dont know that mans credentials any more than he knows yours, All you can do is ask... I would never stop in an Emergency situation and ask anyone to Prove to me they are who they say they are while there is a life to be saved. Its just not common since.

First, since and sense are not the same word. Second, if you had read the OP, the man stated he was a doctor. Based on the information we have, he was potentially harming the patient. Just because he said "I'm a doctor" does not mean I automatically defer to his judgement. Do you just carry out orders without thinking?

You do what you can,..... You are not responsible for what some other idiot does... your only responsible for what you do.

Right, and do you not have a responsibility to advocate? If you happen upon a scene where you have already identified yourself as a nurse and someone who claims to be a doctor (for all you know that means podiatrist or chiropractic) is giving someone bad advice, you have a responsibility to intervene.

Oh Please what are you going to do Tackle the guy? If someone wants to be an Idiot off your duty there is nothing short of violence that will stop them. Are y ou going to stand in the middle of the street Yelling and screaming to get this guy to stop moving the patient?

You must be daft. No, I wouldn't tackle the guy, but I would tell the woman that walking is possibly a bad idea. You give the patient the information the "doctor" in this scenario is failing to give her and let her make her own choice.

Ask 800 people and you will get 800 ways to spin it...

Use common since...

Ask 800 people and you will get 800 people who know what common sense is, but not very many who know what common since means.

Do ABC's, insure the patient is in a safe location, keep patient stable... if some fool tries to move the patient then you try to explain its not the tight to do.

Right, which was NOT what the poster I quoted would have done. She said she would just defer to the "doctor's judgment." Have you even read this thread?

If they pick the patient up and move them its their problem not yours.... just try to stabilize the patient once the patient is moved.

Right. I'd like to see how that would go over in a courtroom. Yes your honor, I knew moving the patient was a bad idea, but I didn't say anything. I figured I'd just help after they moved them.

And like everything Document Document Document even if your not on the clock.

You'RE. Do they keep nurse's notes at accident scenes? When did that start? I'm getting the feeling that even if you read the thread, you didn't really absorb what was being said.

Because as you can see by the answers posted here ... their is always someone looking for a Lotto Ticket Win and will sue.

There.

That is whats nice about the good samaritan laws

Except that if you identify yourself as a nurse at an accident scene, you are expected to use your NURSING judgement and expected to live up to your DUTY and RESPONSIBILITY to advocate for a patient. If you argue and try to prevent the "doctor" from moving a patient and he does it anyway, then it really is his responsibility. If you just stand there smacking your gum and filing your nails, then you will also be called to the carpet.

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

He didn't move her, she moved herself (with his assistance, but sounds like she still got up and walked herself?). Seems to me that if she was capable of getting up and moving herself, there's no reason why she shouldn't -- but then I have no experience with trauma -- maybe someone who does have experience can let us know?

You can have an injury that's not apparent yet that would be made worse by moving. Even if you "feel fine" if you have a mechanism of injury that would cause major damage you need to be collared and boarded.

[Fribblet]

You can have an injury that's not apparent yet that would be made worse by moving. Even if you "feel fine" if you have a mechanism of injury that would cause major damage you need to be collared and boarded.

I've seen people with C-spine fractures (discovered later) walk though the entrance of the ER. Even if they walk in, they're still getting collared in triage and they certainly aren't walking to the back if their mechanism of injury has the slightest whiff of spinal injury.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

i've seen people with c-spine fractures (discovered later) walk though the entrance of the er. even if they walk in, they're still getting collared in triage and they certainly aren't walking to the back if their mechanism of injury has the slightest whiff of spinal injury.

a nursing school colleague of mine did just that. thought she was okay, but she was actually incredibly close to being paralyzed as she had a c-3 fracture. she didn't know that could happen without being absolutely evident. when she came to class later that week, she was in a halo.

also, i had to practically bite my tongue off to not comment about the multiple uses of the word "women" to describe one person. my luck, though, i'd say something, then realize i had five typos in my post.

[XB9S, BSN, MSN, EdD, RN, APN]

closed for review

[XB9S, BSN, MSN, EdD, RN, APN]

I've removed quite a few posts here, please could I remind all members that personal attacks will not be tolerated.