Your first stop at a MVA

[KBICU]

Hello All :)

So today I was driving into work and on one of my back roads a car was flipped over on the opposite side of the street. My nursing instinct kicked in and I pulled over to check it out. Luckily (somehow) the two young teens were okay and out of the car and 911 was on the way. The girl was badly shaken up, arm bleeding (she was standing next to the car) so I lead her away from the car and sat her down off to the side in the grass. The presumed boyfriend was more mad that he totaled his dads car (told him he was lucky to be alive, he didn't quite get that).

I'm sure this wont be my last, but just wondering what other experiences you've all had and how you deal with them. Talk about an adrenaline rush!

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

i usually only stop at a scene if there is nobody on scene yet and sometimes if it looks bad and there is only pd on scene, but I am also trained as a firefighter and have had times when i've been half an hour deep into cutting a car apart and had someone well intentioned come running up to the scene yelling that they are a nurse or doctor or emt. My rule of thumb is to only offer help if no one is really helping yet. and if my help is declined (even if it's rudely declined- it happens, trauma scenes are emotionally charged) i just carry on my way.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

I'll stop and see if 911 has been called yet. Haven't needed to do more than that really, which I'm glad for.

[Davey Do]

You were there and ready to render professional care if needed, Kara. And, you gave comfort. Good for you.

I've stopped at many an MVA, usually following the same guidelines as Flare mentioned. I figure that professional emergency personnel know what to do a heck of a lot better than little ol me.

I want to add that whenever I have been the first responder on a scene, police officers have given me great deference. And the emergency professionals who followed me expressed their gratitude for my actions. Their actions caused me to feel like they were saying, "We're all in this together". Good feeling.

Dave

[itsnowornever, BSN, RN]

I will only stop if there is no one there (like others said"...I've witness a car flip over behind me and eject the driver and hit a parked car--only thing I could do was check breath sounds (check for lung function) and neuro on the driver, (some bystander already moved him to the sidewalk :/) and check the other driver for injuries and shock. The second time I witness an old man fall like a sack of flour...stopped, assesses for pulse rate, loc, meds, got a quick history and passed it on to FD.

Both times I stopped FD seemed glad for a quick update, glad someone sorted the mess for them.

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I follow same thought process. Stop if 1st one there or if it looks like another set of hands is needed. I do have a jump kit & o2 in the car, so I can work a scene if needed until ems shows up.

Now, with mvas, scene safety is paramount. Rubberneckers will NOT see you. Be very careful moving around the vehicle(s), especially if they're on their side. Be cognizant of undeployed airbags.