So I was put in a difficult position today...

[OmegaXIII]

Strange thing happened to me tonight when i went to see Paranormal Activity at the cinema (quick side note: do this yourself! Great movie) as i was walking to the snackstand a random girl right next to me as i passed collapsed. I thought she'd just tripped or something so initially walked on but then i quickly realised that something more insidious had happened. Her friends screamed and started panicking, putting her in the recovery position. The staff came over eventually and an ambulance was called, it didn't appear that anyone there had any emergency medicine training. Here's the issue - i do, because i'm a med student, i have to have that training to be able to work in the hospital.

Over the next half an hour or so i found myself thinking, " 'SSSABCDE' dammit i could have done the collapse protocol there and helped the girl out" but i didn't because a plethora of fear of failure, insurance issues and general unwelcomeness overcame me. It really began to bug me when the paramedics arrived and put here in a wheelchair - stilled really zonked out. From what i could tell nothing really bad came of it.

Slightly difficult question for most (not being familiar with being a medical student i assume) but in my position what would you have done? I felt a bit guilty afterwards but i dunno, would it have been a good idea to help?

 

[Flishiz]

I'd just stay there as well. I'm going to be a Law student, and if two people are arguing, I wouldn't jump in to defend the hot girl any more than I would to help her as a med student. Too much that you might be biting off without knowing.

 

[TheGreatCoolEnergy]

You should have helped her, but you would have been sued(as people are assholes these days) because if I recall, you need permission first to perform first aid, right?

 

[imburke]

look, you looked back, thats more than other people would have done, the times of chivalry are dead, if u had stopped to help and it was only a slip, she would have been all like, " dont touch me pervert", so you followed your impulse, you looked back and it was worse, had her friends not been there, you would have helped, i say dont feel bad, if given the opportunity, you would have helped. thats more than most people can say

 

[blackshark121]

If this is in the US, if you were honestly trying to help, you couldn't be in trouble, the Good Samaritan law averts any blame if you are trying to be a good samaritan.

It must have been a stressful situation, and you didn't know the person. If her friends started screaming for help, then maybe you should have done something.

Myself, I would use my First Aid cert training to help, because I'm weird like that.

 

[OmegaXIII]

That's what i thought at the time. It was nothing to do with her being a girl, it was just more the fact that this is the kind of thing i'm being trained for. If it were a guy a would have had the same dilemma. It just bugged me that i most likely could have commanded the situation until the paramedics got there, rather than just recovery position and a couple of jackets - so much more could have gone wrong for the people there.

(This is a reply to the first response btw, loads of you keen posters beat me to the next posts!)

 

[Kuchinawa212]

Called for help for sure, that was thr right thing, and I'm sure you would have been just fine. I would have tried as best as I could to help, but I can understand the shock and awe effect of what just happened.
Don't beat your self up, you didn't do more harm then good.

 

[OmegaXIII]

In the UK there are loads of shitty insurance laws about if you give care to someone in a public place. Its a frigging minefield. I do have a certificate for passing the ACE course of my degree (the emergency care protocol) but i just didn't know at the time.

I just froze really, i'm not beating myself up as such it just felt a little odd because it kinda felt like i should have done something with the knowledge i have

 

[chronobreak]

Hm, my wife is a nurse, and I'm pretty sure that you have to help in situations like that, or maybe it's just doctors. I'll have to ask her.

 

[Trivun]

I'd have helped as much as I could anyway, because if someone trips near me or falls then I stop to help them up regardless. Not trying to call you out on that or anything, but really when she fell you should have helped her up anyway, that's good manners.

Anyway, I'd have done DRABC in that situation then called 999, since I have no actual first aid training or medical knowledge. Unless watching Scrubs counts (the only thing I've really learned from that is that you don't give organs to transplant patients from people who died of rabies...).

 

[orangeapples]

something like this happen in class last semester. I girl collapsed in the room, and people just looked in disbelief of what happened. On guy who happened to be an emergency response worker just walked up to her and did his emergency response thing. We all had a good laugh after he got back: our professor said, "it's a good thing he collapsed in this class because we have our own emergency team." Funny thing is that the girl who fell wasn't as embarrassed as the guy was. After she came to, she looked around, looked at him, swooned and said, "my hero." He just slumped in his seat and put his hand on his forehead.

it was a fun class.

I suppose everyone is a little embarrassed by their job.

 

[slabomeat]

Eh, it all worked out.

 

[lodo_bear]

I can't say what I would have done, since I don't know how much of a coward I am. I will say this: that desire you had to help is a good desire. Next time the opportunity comes, act on that impulse. The more you do so, the less your fears will control you, and the richer your life will be.

 

[OmegaXIII]

I'd have helped as much as I could anyway, because if someone trips near me or falls then I stop to help them up regardless. Not trying to call you out on that or anything, but really when she fell you should have helped her up anyway, that's good manners.

Anyway, I'd have done DRABC in that situation then called 999, since I have no actual first aid training or medical knowledge. Unless watching Scrubs counts (the only thing I've really learned from that is that you don't give organs to transplant patients from people who died of rabies...).

She'd already passed me and her friend was already helping her by the time i looked around, otherwise yeah i agree its just manners. All the main stuff like the calling 999 was done i just wondered if i should have done a proper ABCDE assessment because she was unconscious.

I can't say what I would have done, since I don't know how much of a coward I am. I will say this: that desire you had to help is a good desire. Next time the opportunity comes, act on that impulse. The more you do so, the less your fears will control you, and the richer your life will be.

Did you quote that from a disney movie or something?

 

[ProfessorLayton]

You should have helped her, but you would have been sued(as people are assholes these days) because if I recall, you need permission first to perform first aid, right?

Why would anyone sue someone for helping them? It's sad that anyone would even think about doing that.

Really, if I had the training I probably would have tried to do something. Since I have absolutely no idea of what to do in such a situation I probably would have stepped back and let someone who knew what they were doing help out instead.

 

[UnravThreads]

No, you didn't do the wrong thing. It's often better to not get involved at times like this, unless you are dead certain you could help. The paramedics have equipment and it's likely the staff at the cinema were trained to deal with these situations.

Don't let it bug you, it could be a lot worse.

 

[Pimppeter2]

S a random girl right next to me as i passed collapsed.

You must be one hell of a man.

 

[PhantomCritic]

I woulda helped her, if I had the knowledge of course, otherwise I'd just call for help. Don't feel bad man, all these friggin policies make it impossible to actually try to help out someone in that position without gettng sued.

something like this happen in class last semester. I girl collapsed in the room, and people just looked in disbelief of what happened. On guy who happened to be an emergency response worker just walked up to her and did his emergency response thing. We all had a good laugh after he got back: our professor said, "it's a good thing he collapsed in this class because we have our own emergency team." Funny thing is that the girl who fell wasn't as embarrassed as the guy was. After she came to, she looked around, looked at him, swooned and said, "my hero." He just slumped in his seat and put his hand on his forehead.

it was a fun class.

I suppose everyone is a little embarrassed by their job.

Heh, how true indeed. Oh yes, any luck with your ODST prob yet?