New York EMTs accused of ignoring pregnant woman having a seizure

[Greenday]

I know that in Australia if you have medical or first aid training you are not legally obligated to help, however if you do we have "good samaritan" laws in place that protect you from litigation so long as you don't go outside your training.

Yea, we don't have those. You could be sued for everything your worth even if you try something within your training but you aren't on the clock.

[KabeRinnaul]

Yea, we don't have those. You could be sued for everything your worth even if you try something within your training but you aren't on the clock.

Are you in the US? Because what Nyoibo said is pretty much exactly what my first aid instructor told us.

[Greenday]

Are you in the US? Because what Nyoibo said is pretty much exactly what my first aid instructor told us.

It seems to vary from state to state. Some states give complete immunity. Other states only give immunity to doctors only and only under certain conditions. Wiki wasn't really exact on each state.

[Slytovhand]

I know that in Australia if you have medical or first aid training you are not legally obligated to help, however if you do we have "good samaritan" laws in place that protect you from litigation so long as you don't go outside your training.

Not entirely correct, Nyoibo. Depending on your level of training and your job, you may have to stop to render some sort of assistance. But, really depends on circumstances. I think ambo's and paramedics have to do something if they witness an accident or similar... but they should be allowed to have time off as well! After all, if you're a plumber, you should be allowed to walk into someone's home without having to offer up your skills at the drop of a hat.

If you disagree, then check the burn-out and suicide rates of the emergency services professions.. and also the drug problems associated with it (including, or especially, alcoholism). What do you expect, given what their job entails!

[MergedLoki]

I think legally they're in the same boat as the rest of us.

If they ensured 911 was called good for them. What could they have done without an ambulence 10 ft away with all their medical gear?

I mean i have my CPR/first aid certification (requirement as i'm a healthcare worker) but legally all i HAVE to do is ensure medical help (911) is notified if something is up. I don't HAVE TO start cpr on anybody I don't want to etc.

Now I'm pretty sure I would do whatever I could to help someone if they were in trouble but with someone having a seizure there isn't much to be done really.

[Amina516]

Also just a thought here, seizures happen on a daily basis. You can really do nothing, especially in a restaurant, except wait for it to pass and try and prevent the person from harming themselves whilst seizing. Seizures medications are not something that first responders would have access to OR would be able to administer even if they did.

They told them to call 911. I dont understand though. They were just dispatchers? Were they in uniforms? I know the dispatcher jobs around here are civilian positions, but many are held by people in the med field already. I dont know understand what anyone thinks they shouldve been doing. Did they have access to an ambulance and therefore an AED of some kind? That at least would have clused someone into her cardiac arrest if she was still in the restaurant when she had it.

The NY law is this : Any person who voluntarily and without expectation of monetary compensation renders first aid or emergency treatment at the scene of an accident or other emergency outside a hospital, doctor's office or any other place having proper and necessary medical equipment, to a person who is unconscious, ill, or injured, shall not be liable for damages for injuries alleged to have been sustained by such person or for damages for the death of such person alleged to have occurred by reason of an act or omission in the rendering of such emergency treatment unless it is established that such injuries were or such death was caused by gross negligence on the part of such person.

So you dont HAVE to help, but if you do help, youre not responsible for things that happen as long as your not negligent.

Theres a lot of things that article doesnt answer.

ETA: This article breaks it down a little more.Clicky.

Now, im throughly disgusted by their behavior.