Would You Stop to Provide Medical Care?

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Mar 20, 2015

I didn't suggest otherwise.
I will comment that the accidents both occurred in rural settings where response of emergency services was not immediate. Several vehicles drove by the accident where the vehicles were off the road in the ditch (where the child died) without stopping to offer help after I arrived and before the police, fire, or rescue professionals got to the scene.

In your scenario Id stop in a NY minute. In the OP scenario with police & fire on scene I'd keep moving.

PinayUSA · Mar 21, 2015

It is a game time decision for me. If there is no one around I will call police and then start access the situation.

If I see police or fire I will access the scene and see if they need help, Rolling car over or removing person from vehicle.

Christy1019, ASN, RN · Mar 21, 2015

It is a game time decision for me. If there is no one around I will call police and then start access the situation.
If I see police or fire I will access the scene and see if they need help, Rolling car over or removing person from vehicle.

I wouldn't recommend rolling any cars over OR pulling people from vehicles unless it's on fire. But even then, you have to keep yourself safe...

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Mar 21, 2015

If any other emergency responder was there then I would not have stopped. They have the situation under control and like many others have posted, I would just be getting in their way.

If the situation was safe then maybe, depends how bad it is and if I could really help without causing more harm. I would dial 911 to call aide to the accident. If I was in the actual accident and able to help safely, then yes. Years ago I was in a car accident where a truck jumped a median and hit the driver's back end of our car while airborne. It proceeded to land on the roof of another car and multiple cars ended up slamming into the back of the suddenly immobile vehicle. By the time I got from our car (driver was stunned and kept driving panicked for about 30 seconds when he finally realized that I was saying, "You have to stop. You were hit"). By the time I made it back to where everyone else was emergency vehicles were already on the scene so I let them do their work in peace. I waited for the volunteer patrol car to come where we gave our statement and left.

EwaAnn · Mar 21, 2015

If any other emergency responder was there then I would not have stopped. They have the situation under control and like many others have posted, I would just be getting in their way.
If the situation was safe then maybe, depends how bad it is and if I could really help without causing more harm. I would dial 911 to call aide to the accident. If I was in the actual accident and able to help safely, then yes. Years ago I was in a car accident where a truck jumped a median and hit the driver's back end of our car while airborne. It proceeded to land on the roof of another car and multiple cars ended up slamming into the back of the suddenly immobile vehicle. By the time I got from our car (driver was stunned and kept driving panicked for about 30 seconds when he finally realized that I was saying, "You have to stop. You were hit"). By the time I made it back to where everyone else was emergency vehicles were already on the scene so I let them do their work in peace. I waited for the volunteer patrol car to come where we gave our statement and left.

Nine years ago my parents were in a rollover accident. My mother had a right shoulder injury and my dad had hairline fracture in his neck. Fortunately they were driving a Buick Lasabre. After the car finished rolling over, there were people at the scene already. Civilians that helped roll the car back in upright position. Fortunately they had onstar so when you have an accident it is detected in their HQ, they sent out help. Someone must have witnessed the accident and called 911 as well. EMS were surprised that they came out alive with minor injuries. If you saw the car(i have a picture of it) you would say the same.

ixchel · Mar 21, 2015

If there are no first responders on the scene, I stop.

Not too long ago, I was the first car behind a truck that struck a bicycling woman. I positioned my car to ensure no other cars would strike her, and got out to assess her while calling 911. The guy who hit her was a zombie, with a phone up to his ear and not actually talking to anyone. He stayed like that for quite awhile, and only snapped out of it when police arrived and approached him. I ended up boxed in by fire, police and EMS vehicles, but could sense quickly when it was time to hop in my car and wait until I could go.

My favorite part of the whole thing - when I was near the woman, waiting for EMS, this random woman walked up and said to me, "I'm a nurse and that woman is just fine." I couldn't even wrap my brain around what she said. Apparently she had some sort of XR, CT, MRI vision. Must be a very helpful super power filled with a high salary and job security.

kmarie724 · Mar 21, 2015

If police/fire were already there, I would not stop. I'm not trained as an EMT/first responder and I don't know the procedures/policies so I don't think I would be helpful in any way. If there was no one else there, I would call 911 and if I could safely stop, assess the victims and render any basic first aid I was able to.

BD-RN, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2015

The Good Samaritan law applies to untrained peoples. WE are not untrained. The Good Samaritan Law does not apply to nurses usually. Give someone CPR, break a rib, and they can and do sue you.

Im interested to know what state you're in. This is from the CA BON Nurse Practice Act:

Â§ 2727.5. Liability for emergency care

A person licensed under this chapter who in good faith renders emergency care at the scene of an emergency which occurs outside both the place and the course of that person's employment shall not be liable for any civil damages as the result of acts or omissions by that person in rendering the emergency care.

This section shall not grant immunity from civil damages when the person is grossly negligent."

I have stopped and assisted someone in a bike accident, and stayed until Paramedics arrived. Then I reported off my basic assessment to them. I got invited to the firehouse for dinner with them, and got to go on a ride along that night! :)

Safety comes first. I'm not a rescue swimmer, and I won't extricate someone from a car. Someone else can do that and when they're safe I'll offer my services, and stay within the scope of my practice.

I've also assisted on a plane. I found out they have O2, an AED, an IV start kit and even NS. If you operate in good faith, and are not grossly negligent (you know, don't perform surgery on the highway) you are protected in California. I personally believe I have a moral duty to act if there is no one else there and it's safe to do so.

EmergencyRN22 · Mar 22, 2015

I would only if I witnessed the accident and/or no ems or police were on scene. I'd only see if there were anything I could immediately do to help the victims. Then call 911 for them and stay with them if they need emotional support.

I carry my nursing bag in the back of my vehicle. I have some gloves, tape and abd pads but that's about it. If needed I'd do hands only cpr until the squad arrives.

Hubby would probably do the same, then again, he's a ff/medic. Just another day at the office for him. Haha

cheers :)

FlyingScot, RN · Mar 22, 2015

I've also assisted on a plane. I found out they have O2, an AED, an IV start kit and even NS. If you operate in good faith, and are not grossly negligent (you know, don't perform surgery on the highway) you are protected in California. I personally believe I have a moral duty to act if there is no one else there and it's safe to do so.

Just as long as you remember that you cannot start an IV without a direct order from a physician and technically not even O2 although that one kind of slides by most of the time under the idea of reasonable and prudent actions.

TransportJockey, EMT-P · Mar 22, 2015

Just as long as you remember that you cannot start an IV without a direct order from a physician and technically not even O2 although that one kind of slides by most of the time under the idea of reasonable and prudent actions.

Airlines have a medical director. And usually you're in contact with him or her. I know when I assisted with chest pain on a cross country flight I told the medical director who I was and what I was licensed as (medic) and was told to work along with the standard of care and typical ACLS guidelines. That sufficed for my order.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 22, 2015

I would only if I witnessed the accident and/or no ems or police were on scene. I'd only see if there were anything I could immediately do to help the victims. Then call 911 for them and stay with them if they need emotional support.
I carry my nursing bag in the back of my vehicle. I have some gloves, tape and abd pads but that's about it. If needed I'd do hands only cpr until the squad arrives.
Hubby would probably do the same, then again, he's a ff/medic. Just another day at the office for him. Haha
cheers :)

I suspect I'd call 911 first -- and have the REAL first responders on the way.