Would You Stop to Provide Medical Care?

taigarn0825, ASN, RN · Mar 2, 2015

Being in our profession, many nurses are inclined to stop. However, many are employed in clinical settings. Clinical medicine is far different than street medicine. Barring any critical injuries, there is not much a clinical nurse can do other than help to stabilize the scene and direct traffic. Having been an EMT, I have stopped in the past, but just until EMS arrives. Because of the variances in Good Samaritan laws from state to state, any medical professional would be wise to consider their choice carefully. For those who do stop, it is often best not to identify themselves as medical professionals... and to know the Good Samaritan law for the state where they live and/or work.

cheezwizz90 · Mar 2, 2015

I agree with the crowd. Keep on driving if the authorities are on the scene. I keep a CPR mask and rubber gloves in my glove box and a first-aid kit in the trunk.

BecomingNursey · Mar 2, 2015

Nope. I wouldn't. Not if someone was already there. If there wasn't help and people were trapped or something yes, maybe. But if there are already first responders on scene I'm just gonna be getting in the way and adding to the confusion. But if it's a little fender bender with people walking around outside of their cars nah. I'm gonna keep on going home to get a shower and go to bed. Lol

I'm not telling you it's going to be easy, I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.

Author: Art Williams

FlyingScot, RN · Mar 2, 2015

I'll stop if nobody else is on scene or if it looks to be a mass casualty incident but I am uniquely trained and have scene experience. I carry a pretty complete first aid kit but note I said first aid. I do not carry IV supplies, medications, suture material, ETT's or anything beyond what a first responder should use. Regardless of my training I am a first responder only.

Tenebrae, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2015

It would depend on the situation. Were police present, I would slow down and and ID myself as a nurse and ask if they needed help.

Were I first on the scene, call 111, for ambulance, do what was possible to secure the scene and assess injuries provide what first aid I can and help till others arrive.

Fortunately due to our accident compensation legislation it prevents health providers from being sued for the provision of health treatement

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2015

If police/fire already on the scene, no. In my county they are trained as first responders, and I suspect that that is not uncommon. I seem to know an awful lot of firefighters who are also EMTs. Otherwise my involvement would be limited to holding C-spines and calling 911. A few months ago I was driving home after dropping my daughter at gymnastics, and I saw a cyclist get hit by a car. I did stop; however, that exact spot was not a safe one for me to pull over, so I stopped the safest place I could and sprinted over, maybe 50 ft. (along w/ another witness.) The guy had already gotten up, yelled at the driver, and taken off. Hopefully he was ok. But if he hadn't run off, all I would have done was hold C-spines and call 911.

anon456, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2015

If the scene is safe and there are no rescue people around, yes absolutely.

I just had this happen a couple of weeks ago. I heard but did not see an accident. I was on my way to work. I got up to it and saw a vehicle on its side and another one very smashed up, both in the front lawn of a church (so off the road). I parked and ran over expecting the worse. The people were all able to get out of their cars and reported that they were not injured, and about then the police arrived, so I left.

My mom (a nurse) also rendered aid a couple of weeks ago. She stabilized a teenager's neck while she was still in her car, obviously injured and scared and had a broken arm. As soon as paramedics arrived she gave her statement and left.

lasair · Mar 2, 2015

If I were to stop - and only if I witnessed or no other help was there - I would not identify myself as a nurse. I am trained to be a first responder only and I always have my kit in my car from voluntary work. If outside of voluntary work and nurse work I would not say that I was a nurse but rather that I am trained in first aid, cpr etc and this protects me under the good Samaritan law, if there is someone higher than me, then I am not needed.

gypsyd8 · Mar 3, 2015

Driving home last night, after working three straight shifts in the ER, I saw a two-car accident. I noticed that the police and fire department had arrived but no paramedics. I was very tempted to just stay out of it to be honest. But I pulled over anyways and asked if they needed medical assistance. No one was seriously hurt, thankfully. And five minutes after I pulled over the paramedics arrived.
This morning at our monthly RN brunch party, however, I was very surprised to hear more than half of my nurse friends say they would have just kept on driving, especially after a long and exhausting day.
Would you stop?

Absolutely.

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Mar 3, 2015

Yes I would stop and I have. But there's not much I can do besides call 9-11 and give a witness statement to the emergency responders. I'd probably assure basic safety if needed- like CPR if it was needed and no one was there. The situations I witnessed did not involve any problems with ABCs.

I call 911 all the time though when I see something dangerous-- like swerving cars or pedestrians walking like they're drunk in traffic lanes.

DogWmn · Mar 3, 2015

Yes, I carry first aid supplies, I live rural so I might be the first on the scene. Decades ago I also lived rural and took an EMT class and road along a couple of days a month. I've also taken some online courses in back country first aid. If EMS/Fire was there I might stop depending on how many involved in the accident. We have Fire volunteers in our county so it's good just to stop and ask if they need a hand.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 3, 2015

Yes, I have. Ironically, it was before I was a nurse. Car accident/car versus canyon wall, no seatbelts. One kid's scalp was torn partly off his head. Held pressure to stop the bleeding til the paramedics arrived. Cool as a cucumber throughout. Lost it after the crisis was over.