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Should you or shouldn't you help?


8-bit

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Most states good sam laws, only cover you for basic care-ie: first responder level.

As a medic, I cannot preform any ALS procedures off duty. Well, I can! But, I lose all liability coverage and can be charged with practicing without a license.

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We recently had an in-service on the ins and outs of the "Good Samaritan". It was given by a local lawyer and member of the state EMS board. They specifically stated that "when EMS personnel happen upon an MVC, respond to a medical, or any other event requiring EMS care, while off duty, they are responding ONLY as first responders and should administer care accordingly. With that being said, in todays world, all EMS personnel should still plan on being sued for some stupid ass reason".

Not long ago, I responded to a medical in the neighboring community with their rescue unit. The fire chief knew I worked for the ambulance service and asked me to go. While I was unable to do anything other than assess the patient and monitor him until the truck arrived, the rescue was appreciative. Once the truck arrived, even though it was the same service I worked for, I stepped to the side and let them do their job. My thought is, they were getting paid, not me. Once they had all the info. I could give them, my part was done unless they needed me for something. Why give it up for free if you can get paid! :)

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I don't stop. Why? I'm an a**hole. An a**hole who cares about my family and my future. MVA's are dangerous scenes, if I get hit and injured or killed on duty then I am covered by insurance and my family will be taken care of. If I am playing Joe Samaritan and get hit, I'm screwed or my family is screwed. It just isn't worth it to risk my safety, I do that enough on duty.

Also keep in mind, the Good Sam Law only protects from losing a lawsuit. It does not protect you from some jackass suing you anyway. There is always a 1-800 lawyer looking to make some cash.

Peace,

Marty

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Good Samaritan does not apply for a trained medic, you can get nailed if found out you did not stop..........and how can you sleep that night if u passed an MVC and did not assist.

Do your 1st aider stuff and that is it till you are trained. Keep the glucometer and b/p cuff at home till u get the diploma.........remember radial and carodic pulses tell you alot.

Still like the 1 that I stopped at a mvc motorcycle out of province where the medic were ass's (BLS) and pushed me aside and i offered ALS support iv. ett i said tramatic cx trauma I got we got it.......till they lifted back the sheet and this heart lungs were looking back and the cocky medic passed out........so he went in the 2 nd rig and I came the primary medic. So stop and assist but stay in your scope.

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Still like the 1 that I stopped at a mvc motorcycle out of province where the medic were ass's (BLS) and pushed me aside and i offered ALS support iv. ett i said tramatic cx trauma I got we got it.......till they lifted back the sheet and this heart lungs were looking back and the cocky medic passed out........so he went in the 2 nd rig and I came the primary medic. So stop and assist but stay in your scope.

Again, a tremendous story there. I thought I had read something similar before...

http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.ph...sc&start=30

Stopped at a mvc motorcycle saw the pt with two ladies, asked if they needed help, I am a Paramedic ACP they said "no they are RN's " Noticed the pt was on his stomach ,heard snorring respirations!!!!!!!!!!! I Went down and told them they must gain airway control HE'S BREATHING THEY SAID :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: I said thankyou for your help, I now need Your assistance. With all the c spine logged rolled and his helmet was chacked in half beside him ................rn's nicely removed it before I arrived, he had massive head trauma. Had my wife get my medical kit out the back as we where heading back from Sudbury Ont and suctioned him Airway was contolled, did abc's proceeded to remove clothing noticed a Hells Angles tat and patch GREAT he had 2 femur fx, 2 radial/ulner fx and when I opened the shirt 1 Rn passed out there was 2 lungs and a heart doing a bradycardic beat........his ribs were sticking lt/rt. Covered the cx the ambulace arrived I had 2 14g IV's in and they where BLS. THE LOOK OF HORROR ON THERE FACES I had my ACP TAG with me and went with them,intubated and he coded in hospital.

Yes it is nerdy to have a kit with you if you use it be prepared to go, have your tag with you, but the hospital was impressed with our scope of practice.....got a thankyou from the Hells Angles :shock: and the RN woke up after her friend pulled her out of the bullrushes. :)

Looks like some of the details of the story changed, maybe you just forgot. I'm sure it still happened...

You also never answered any of the questions that I posted regarding your ability to practice in Ontario on that call. Maybe you can answer them now in this thread.

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I have a First Aid kit I packed myself plus some little extra things first-aid kits don't normally have. [Glucose Meter, BP/Steth kit. etc...]

Should I get out and offer help even though I'm still just a student or would I get in the way?

What would you offer to the scene that isn't already there? Does what you offer outweigh the temporary confusion or delay as they figure out who you are, what your level of training is, what your competence is, and how to use you?

So, if it's just a standard MVA, doubt you'd offer much. If it's a "slinger" and there's people everywhere with only two ambulance crewmembers there, I wouldn't mind. Stopping should be the rare exception that probably will never happen.

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Like I said, I don't know the U.S. laws, but at least for Canada using a glucometer is a controlled act (the breaking the skin part of using it) and it would generally be illegal to do so without physician delegation.

Which will all change once we actually get a college here. As a Nurse I can check a glucometer reading on a patient at any time without physician delegation because it is part of my scope to perform a procedure below the dermis.

Once we get a college, the same will apply to us.

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Which will all change once we actually get a college here. As a Nurse I can check a glucometer reading on a patient at any time without physician delegation because it is part of my scope to perform a procedure below the dermis.

Once we get a college, the same will apply to us.

Some say there is no guarantee of that, but that is a whole other issue.

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