dlinfiniti

what they really need to start doing in laypeople cpr courses is to actually tell them about the noises cpr makes when done right. People sometimes are taken aback when they hear the cracking and think they're hurting the patient more and stop immediately

thanks for the comments, I have been a volunteer for longer than I have been an EMT and I really enjoy doing it but just needed clarification on where my boundaries are now especially after I saw a fellow volunteer that is sort of in the same shoes as me get chewed out by our volunteer supervisor for assisting a doctor in controlling bleeding by applying pressure to a patient under the orders and supervision of that MD. It really got me worried about getting put into these very rare, but possible situations.

Hi, long time reader, first time poster Anyway, I am an EMT-Basic in the state of California and also volunteer at my local ER on Sundays. Now the hospital's auxiliary (volunteer center) has made it explicit that I cannot provide any medical care whatsoever, however they do encourage patient contact both verbally and physically through handholding and stuff. Now my question is, would I be initiating my responsibility for patient care under my license if I were to hold a patient's hand as a volunteer? Do i have duty to act if I were in the room and a patient crashed, and if I were provide minor medical care such as direct pressure to control bleeding or something like that under the direct supervision of a nurse and doctor, whose license would be on the line legally there. Would volunteer services department be liable in any way if something happened? me? the doctor? Any idea on this subject matter would be greatly appreciated thanks. If this is in the wrong subforum, please feel free to move it, thanks