Everyone thinks they're prince valiant and would jump to the aid of the damsel in distress but if you had any concept of the amount of law suits filed again doctors on a yearly basis for malpractice even when they've saved the persons life you wouldn't go within a hundred feet of the *****. Society brings this on its self, watch your own back first and last and fuck the rest of em.
So I was put in a difficult position today...
- Thread starter OmegaXIII
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If I knew what to do, which I don't, I would have helped her as much as I could. However, you didn't know what to do so it wasn't your fault.
this thread reminds me of season 9 of scrubs... when dr cox talks to his class for the first time. x)
OT: ... well. i'd even go so far ahead as to say, if you're learning and training to help people, but freeze at the moment of need... are you sure that's the profession you want? (legal excuses aside)
OT: ... well. i'd even go so far ahead as to say, if you're learning and training to help people, but freeze at the moment of need... are you sure that's the profession you want? (legal excuses aside)
Legal side probably depends where you live, where I live as long as you do everything first aid by-the-book, you can't be sued, cos if the person's unconscious it's "implied" consent.
That being said you can't just heimleich people randomly, because it's not used over here, we just clap you on the back/front a lot.
As a soon-to-be registered nurse, i'd probably help, but try to disappear when the paramedics arrive - nothing more annoying than an extra hanging on the scene for the attention/buzz of sirens and excitement
Don't beat yourself up mate, one day you'll wish people would stop collapsing in front of you when you're trying to go out and have a good time
That being said you can't just heimleich people randomly, because it's not used over here, we just clap you on the back/front a lot.
As a soon-to-be registered nurse, i'd probably help, but try to disappear when the paramedics arrive - nothing more annoying than an extra hanging on the scene for the attention/buzz of sirens and excitement
Don't beat yourself up mate, one day you'll wish people would stop collapsing in front of you when you're trying to go out and have a good time
If you were really confident about your abilities as a practicing med student I would say that intervening would of been a good idea but, if you weren't sure then it was the right move.
In Australia we have the aforementioned good samaritan laws and such, but an interesting thing is while you can't get in trouble for not helping or helping someone until a paramedic takes over, but if you start helping and then give up and leave the person, you can be liable.
Also if you are a medical practitioner or someone in the medical field (though not a med student) and you respond by giving first aid, the quality of care is assumed to be much higher, so if you do help out and they die/become paraplegic, you could be in some trouble if you caused/assisted it.
But generally you will be fine helping out.
Also if you are a medical practitioner or someone in the medical field (though not a med student) and you respond by giving first aid, the quality of care is assumed to be much higher, so if you do help out and they die/become paraplegic, you could be in some trouble if you caused/assisted it.
But generally you will be fine helping out.
http://definitions.uslegal.com/g/good-samaritans/TheGreatCoolEnergy said:
"When any doctor of medicine or dentistry, nurse, member of any organized rescue squad, member of any police or fire department, member of any organized volunteer fire department, emergency medical technician, intern or resident practicing in a hospital with training programs approved by the American Medical Association, state trooper, medical aidman functioning as a part of the military assistance to safety and traffic program, chiropractor, or public education employee gratuitously and in good faith, renders first aid or emergency care at the scene of an accident, casualty, or disaster to a person injured therein, he or she shall not be liable for any civil damages as a result of his or her acts or omissions in rendering first aid or emergency care, nor shall he or she be liable for any civil damages as a result of any act or failure to act to provide or arrange for further medical treatment or care for the injured person."
I can tell you that you probably have a right to be scared about being sued. My mother was an anesthetist, and she once got sued by someone after she put in an IV drip in order to save somebody's life because their hand hurt afterward. Go figure, putting a needle in a vein might sting a bit.
The good news is that frivolous lawsuits like this are usually thrown out straight away without causing any harm to the person being sued. Also, dickwad people like this are in a minority. But, honestly, I really can't see how either choice you could have made was more appropriate than the other. Both options were equally reasonable, given the circumstances. Seeing as her friends were there, though, you could have gotten their permission to help, which essentially protects you by having those witnesses on your side, but, hey, I can't say I would have known what to do if a situation like that suddenly occurred.
Don't beat yourself up about it.
The good news is that frivolous lawsuits like this are usually thrown out straight away without causing any harm to the person being sued. Also, dickwad people like this are in a minority. But, honestly, I really can't see how either choice you could have made was more appropriate than the other. Both options were equally reasonable, given the circumstances. Seeing as her friends were there, though, you could have gotten their permission to help, which essentially protects you by having those witnesses on your side, but, hey, I can't say I would have known what to do if a situation like that suddenly occurred.
Don't beat yourself up about it.
Meh. Unless it's super serious don't bother.
I've got two stories.
1)
I was driving my neighbor home from the airport, he's a resident orthopedic surgeon. This car pulls out of a side street directly in front of me, from the passenger side, and I hit the brakes. There was a car driving alongside my truck, on the drivers side- that never saw it coming and plowed right into the other driver's door at about 50 mph. Pushed the T-boned car about 150ft down the road because they didn't even have a chance to hit the brakes. I pulled over and my neighbor asked me what I was doing. I said somebody could be hurt. He said if it's bad to call him and not to say he was a doctor. lol.
2)
I was driving one of my many ex-gfs home late at night. I stopped at an intersection. A car on the other street in the left turn lane sat through the light until it was my turn to go. I sat through the next light waiting to see what they would do. Could be a drunk. It was 2:30am. They sat through yet another light. So I crept by though the next light and tried to see inside the car but couldn't, tinted windows. I dropped her off 5 minutes later and said if the guy was still there when I got back I'd call somebody. By the time I got back about 10 minutes had gone by. The paramedics were at the intersection looking in the driver's side door. I turned and rolled up and asked if the guy was drunk. They said, he's dead.
I've got two stories.
1)
I was driving my neighbor home from the airport, he's a resident orthopedic surgeon. This car pulls out of a side street directly in front of me, from the passenger side, and I hit the brakes. There was a car driving alongside my truck, on the drivers side- that never saw it coming and plowed right into the other driver's door at about 50 mph. Pushed the T-boned car about 150ft down the road because they didn't even have a chance to hit the brakes. I pulled over and my neighbor asked me what I was doing. I said somebody could be hurt. He said if it's bad to call him and not to say he was a doctor. lol.
2)
I was driving one of my many ex-gfs home late at night. I stopped at an intersection. A car on the other street in the left turn lane sat through the light until it was my turn to go. I sat through the next light waiting to see what they would do. Could be a drunk. It was 2:30am. They sat through yet another light. So I crept by though the next light and tried to see inside the car but couldn't, tinted windows. I dropped her off 5 minutes later and said if the guy was still there when I got back I'd call somebody. By the time I got back about 10 minutes had gone by. The paramedics were at the intersection looking in the driver's side door. I turned and rolled up and asked if the guy was drunk. They said, he's dead.
Yeah, Good Samaritan Laws don't protect much, and quite often can get you into more trouble than it seems to be worth.
Did you know instantly what to do?
If so, you should have helped. If not, it's just as well that you stood aside.
If so, you should have helped. If not, it's just as well that you stood aside.
No we don't take the oath until we actually graduate - and even then its a modified version because the original is so very outdatedGodavari said:
Hence the slight existential crisis. I think it was slightly compounded by the fact that i'm currently doing an intercalated year so am a bit out of practice as well. I think if i were still learning in the clinical environment this year i would have kicked into gear instantly.AnonymouZero said:
Well, I guess you should've helped her.
Then again, I don't know jack about first aid, so I couldn't really have done anything.
Then again, I don't know jack about first aid, so I couldn't really have done anything.
OmegaXIII said:
Don't feel so bad about yourself. Your only human, i guess you just froze up from shock at the unusual and perhaps rather scary situation. The paramedics got to her fortunatly, and i get the impression that her condition is not life threataning, so you where not in a life or death situation. Yes i think you should have helped, or at least calmed her best friend. Perhaps some time later in life you will find yourself in a situation like this and, with more confidence, you will be able to help out that time round. Don't feel bad about yourself though, if your a med student you will be helping out hunderds of people in the future once you start your career, perhaps even play a direct role in saving someones life. You'll do enough good in your future career to outweigh that moment of fear that gripped you yesterday.
Secondly, if you learn from your experiences, then you can not regret anything in life.