Would You Stop to Provide Medical Care?

[us2uk4u]

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?

[rnICU303, BSN, CNA, RN]

Like others have mentioned I would only stop of no one else was on the scene yet. The other day i was the first person to come across a man who had crashed his motorcycle on the country road near my home. I called 911 and made sure he wasn't hemorraging or needing CPR and just kept him alert and talking for a few minutes until EMS arrived.

[toomuchbaloney]

I always stop if I am first on the scene. That has happened several times during my nearly 4 decade career.

I keep gloves, and a pocket mask in my glove box.

Stopping at an accident allowed me to save the life of a toddler once. Another time there was no saving the poor child but I could stay with the despairing parent who was also trapped in the vehicle.

If there are police and/or fire at the scene I continue driving.

[TM84]

It's interesting reading all the responses - I'm currently a third year student in NZ, and have been a long time reader of these forums, and this is my first time leaving a comment.

In NZ, as student nurses we have to have a current first aid certificate at all times - we can not go on placements without it. We are also told that if we come across an accident, we are obligated to stop and offer assistance - with our first aid certificates we are trained first responders, and as long we state that we are students, and work within our scope of practice we can help. When I say scope of practice, we can't do things like put in IV's or anything, but we can bandage wounds, stabilise broken bones, and are trained to deal with potential spinal fractures. We can do neuro obs. We can help out with what we can. If first on the scene we can organise other responders (civilians) as well to go and call 111 etc.

We're also supposed to keep a well stocked first aid kit in the car (although I only carry basic stuff in mine). Once the paramedics are there, we hand over, and carry on our way.

[Do_Good]

I was the first medical person on the scene of a single motorcycle accident on July 17th. I have experience as a first responder due to my correctional nursing experience . The driver was laying in the middle of the passing lane and the motorcycle was nowhere in sight. He had compound fractures on every limb . I did a quick assessment and yelled for someone to give me something to make a tourniquet for the worst compound fractured limb. A man standing by gave me his shirt and my husband had a telescoping nightstick in his car that I used to tighten the shirt. Meanwhile, my husband who is disabled held a towel up to shade the man's face from the hot sun then later to provide a screen from the picture taking passerbys. When the fire chief got there he provided gloves to me and left the bag with the oxygen tank on the ground. I put oxygen on the man. When the EMTs got there I gave them a report and they gladly accepted my assistance while we bandaged and all of us worked together to get the broken patient on a backboard. They ended up having to call med flight. I found out later from one of the officers at the scene that the the man lived and because I stopped at the accident I was instrumental in saving that man's life. You don't need any equipment to stop to help another human being.

[EwaAnn]

In basic first aid, it says no matter what the scenario is, always be sure the area is safe.

[Alnitak7]

Like others have mentioned I would only stop of no one else was on the scene yet. The other day i was the first person to come across a man who had crashed his motorcycle on the country road near my home. I called 911 and made sure he wasn't hemorraging or needing CPR and just kept him alert and talking for a few minutes until EMS arrived.

The problem with driving by when someone else is on the scene is that they might have no cel phone, no emergency medical experience, and not know how to take care of patients.

The same indignation you get when understaffed at work could also happen at accident scenes since there might be more victims than first responders.

Also, don't forget the ones who stop to stare and who might be a threat to the victims.

I do agree that when EMS gets there that you should usually keep driving

[EwaAnn]

I stopped and gave CPR to a customer in the store. I too had no equipment except for my knowledge:)

[snyderrobyn77]

As an ER RN with special Trauma Nurse and Pediatric Trauma Nurse training I am required to stop. How they would know I just drove by, I don't know, but I personally couldn't just drive by knowing I have the training to help.

[FlyingScot, RN]

As an ER RN with special Trauma Nurse and Pediatric Trauma Nurse training I am required to stop. How they would know I just drove by, I don't know, but I personally couldn't just drive by knowing I have the training to help.

In what state?

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

Apparently my first instinct to say no I wouldn't stop is not true. Today I did stop. A motorcycle vs pick-up never ends well for the motorcycle rider. Saw the rider laying on the side of road, there were a few people standing around but no first responders on site, so I stopped. Rider was alert and oriented, thank goodness but he had a wicked compound tib-fib fracture. Bones poking out both sides. His helmet was pretty dented and had a nice gouge out of it but wearing it definitely prevented him from much more serious head injuries. I didn't have to do much but keep him still to prevent more damage until the EMT's arrived. Hopefully he didn't have more serious injuries that weren't apparent on site. I guess it is a pretty good sign that the EMT's told dispatch they didn't need a chopper, at least he was stable enough for ambulance transport.

[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

A few months back I had the kids in the car to drop them off somewhere, I don't think I was even wearing a bra. Come to the intersection and mid sentence talking to them I say ACCIDENT! Threw one of them the phone to call 911 and pulled it over. Thankfully everyone made it out of the cars ok and the response was fast. The kids still laugh at me trotting across the street with no bra. Some curlers would have been a nice touch!

[EwaAnn]

Twinmommy+2 the curlers would have added a nice touch but you did a great job training your kids to act fast.