1st on scene of accident yesterday...what would you do?

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I'm a newly licensed LPN. Driving home, I passed a small convertible all smashed up and on it's side in a ditch. I stopped to find two teenage boys at the scene. The driver was barefoot and walking around with a small gash on his ankle. The other was sitting and complaining of leg pain 4/10. When I saw the car I was astounded that they weren't seriously injured. The passengers side door was completely smashed in and the windshield was cracked. They had extricated themselves from the vehicle and police were notified but not yet on the scene. Both were A&Ox3, not in any apparent distress. I assessed for signs of shock, internal bleeding, altered LOC, tachycardia... but I didn't know how to help them. I couldn't think of anything else to do. I knew I needed to stay with them until the ambulance arrived but I just felt helpless. What else could I have done?

TIA

Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.

http://www.cprinstructor.com/legal.htm

I found the above site, it lists all the states with a link to the Good Samaritan Law within their jurisdiction

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Specializes in L&D, M/B.
Driving by an accident. The key word is driving by. I call for help on my cell. I do not stop and render aid. I carry no supplies, no gloves, no airway barriers. I carry my cell and call 911.

I can understand if you are worried about lawsuits but I for one will forever be VERY great full to the nurse that stopped and saved my son's life after his MVA.

His truck hit another SUV so hard (not his fault), both femurs shattered his hips and with the combination of the air bag and the steering wheel compressing his chest and rendering him unconscious, he stopped breathing. She got to him and got him breathing again and kept his neck straight until EMS got there.

He would NOT be here today if not for that WONDERFUL NURSE that saved his life. I am deeply great full.

I would and will stop if at all possible to pay it forward.

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Specializes in LTC.
This morning I had a very abrupt wake-up. A screech and BANG!!!! I have a little over a year of experience and have never been at the scene of a accident. This was a very bad accident...

I jumped out of bed, threw clothes on and then ran out of the house. One vehicle was on fire. I stepped back out of the way and called 911. People ran and got water and threw it on the fire and finally put it out. I told the operator how many people were involved. I told them two unresponsive trapped, she asked if I any knew CPR... They were still pinned. People at the scene was able to get the driver out, and seeming he had blood on him but only a small cut on his head (unable to see how deep). I found out later the 1 passenger was DOA, and the other probably died shortly after. THere was so much blood, but I have no clue where it came from or even who. I was so scared, I did even know what to do first, the lady stayed on the phone with me until a firefighter showed up.... Looking back, I could have, I could have. It was raining, we didnt even cover up the guy that got out of the car. I didnt even reasure him. EMS arrived, I stepped away and let them in. I didnt even say a word. I am really not good in any situation when I have no control, and my legs go all weak and shaky.

I have been trying to say busing, tryin not to think about it. When I turn on the tv, it is all over the news. It is like I relive it all over again. I still see their faces, and bodies, and all the blood. I cant even close my eyes right now.

I am trying not to beat my self up over this, but this was just such a horrific event. Please any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I totally know what you are going through. PLEASE PLEASE be reassured that you did ok by letting the medics do their jobs. Sometimes there just isn't anything to be done.

This will mess with your head for awhile, but time will pass and the intensity will start to fade. In my case, I was majorly depressed from what I saw for about a couple weeks, but time does heal.

Remember that as a nurse, your daily work makes a huge difference in many lives.

:flwrhrts:

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Specializes in Nada.

Scary situation: Don't know how I stumbled across this thread...

When I was 16, a really, really, really bad car accident happened infront of the car my mother was driving. (They turned right at a red light or something I dont quite remember, it was 7 years ago lol) Anyway, my mom went to nursing for like 1.5 years so not really enough to know really anything, she starts yelling at me to get out of the car and help. So she runs over to the driver side door and I run to the person in the 2nd car who got out and seemed fine and all of a sudden everyone that had gotten out of their cars stares behind me I look around and on the ground is the passenger of the first car bleeding all over the place and holding her new born baby up for me take.

The baby had some blood on her but after a little examination I could tell is was the mothers and not hers. So here I am in the middle of the road holding a new born and trying to help this woman who is bleeding EVERYWHERE and no one else would help me. My mom was busy trying to keep the driver from getting up and running (he was very disoriented). So finally I tell the woman that I wouldn't let anything bad happen to her and she's like "I'm ok, just watch my baby" and she's obviously NOT ok, she had a terrible bloody head wound (although head wounds bleed alot anyway) and I think her leg was broken because it was all... for lack of better terms... bending in ways it shouldn't be bending. I crotch down next to her so she could be eye level with the baby, she asked me my name and I told her and she thanked me. Then we hear sirens (this was a good 10 minutes of waiting) and the woman just passes out cold, the paramedics come and take the man in one ambulance and try to help the woman, load her up in a ambulance and snatch the child from me.

The worse part is... 7 years later... I still don't know if they are ok.

The point is, any help and comfort you can offer people on the worst day of their lives, makes it a little bit better, you know?

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Specializes in none yet, but I'm VERY excited!.
The point is, any help and comfort you can offer people on the worst day of their lives, makes it a little bit better, you know?

Great point. CPR and Basic First Aid are like that. They can be the difference between life and death.

Rgds,

Kenny B.

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.

I have stopped at MVAs before when i am in my own fire district because I know if it has not be called already, it will be shortly and better to have someone who is trained on scene than no one at all. I will stop if no one else is on scene in another jurisdiction, but am careful about what i do. I will remain with the victim(s) to provide scene safety, but will not intervene if my life will be put on the line. This is when those 3 magical numbers come into play (as they should in ALL MVAs/accident situations you come across when off duty). They are (say it with me)... 9 - 1 - 1!!! Even though i am an RN, when i am off duty, I am simply a CPR/AED/basic first aid layperson. I don't address that i am an RN and keep it under wraps for liability sake. Stay safe out there and use common sense. BTW - I do carry gloves, CPR mask, basic first aid kit from Wally World, and simple tools for rescue (with fire department).

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Specializes in ED, Flight.

I think the legal and practical issues have been largely covered.

Personally, I strongly disagree with the position that kenny b.'s instructor takes. I don't know that he is wrong legally, but I suspect he is overly worried because we do live in a litigious society. We have one of the real experts on the subject right here in NM, BTW. Winnie Maggiore is a paramedic and nationally known lawyer who specializes in these issues.

Once you know the law, and once you know how to address scene safety, etc. the big question hanging over it all is moral.

My wife is a physician. I am a paramedic and RN. Years ago (when living in MA, near the original poster I suspect!) we discussed this. There CAN be nasty consequences for stopping, just because people can be mean and greedy. Licensure and livelihood can even be threatened. But the moral stance we believe in at our house doesn't let us off the hook just because we're scared of some vengeful person with a greedy lawyer. As we see it, we have a religious obligation to help someone in immediate need. As we see it, we have to answer in the end to a far more authoritative Judge on high. We decided together we will take the undetermined risks in order to do what we clearly believe to be the right thing.

When I used to commute to Albuquerque, I stopped maybe five or six times a year to render aid on the interstate. The short distance (65 miles) I travelled is pretty open most of the way, and in some places near the middle ground response could take 15 minutes. That's a long time to leave someone bleeding out or not apneic. In addition, for some stretches of road the nearest responders are BLS only. Sometimes they've been relieved to find the extra help there.

At the very least I can help establish a safer scene. I have enlisted others who stopped to call 911, then go up the road a bit and start waving traffic down to slow. Often I can calm things down and keep patients reassured and safe. Patients with AMS DO indeed wander off. I can do a basic assessment, and then track and reassess. EMS then gets my little bit of paper with SAMPLE questions answered as well as my triage estimate. If there is more than one patient, they'll appreciate a quick update of priorities.

Beyond that, I do keep a trauma bag in my car and a smaller trauma kit on my motorcycle. Even if EMS is present, if the scene looks busy I may stop to be sure they have enough hands. Usually they politely refuse any help, but once or twice they've been glad for the extra hands even if only to help get patients safely in the ambulance.

Granted, I'm trained to work outside the hospital. But, as I said, I think the big issue here is the moral one. I do NOT suggest that anyone else has to make the choice we did in my house. I do NOT suggest that any of you have to put yourselves at legal risk. But I DO think that the moral question is the real one here. It's obvious. That's why it bothers so many of us, and this thread got so much response.

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I think you did the best you could and that exactly what I would have done if I was in your shoes. I think the world needs more nurse like you. keep it up

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Medic09, I could not agree more. As an atheist I have a slightly different perspective but come to the same conclusion. I'm the one who has to live with myself, to sleep at night, to set a good example. I care about the members of my community, and if I or someone I love were the one hurt, I would hope that someone else would also do the right thing.

Of course that means taking chances, but some risks are worth taking. I don't mean going into a dangerous situation--you should always keep yourself safe. I mean that I am willing to risk the small chance of being sued because doing the right thing is more important than that small risk. Like I said, I have to sleep at night.

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