Happenings Inwards Piffling Italy: Nurses Too Litigation Risk

This even out I was inwards a eating theatre inwards Little Italy New York. Fine house too.

The maître d’ asks loudly if at that topographic point is a MD inwards the restaurant. Nobody responds. He asks again. Nobody responds.

I take away maintain a surf-lifesaving get-go assist certificate in addition to volunteer at Bronte Beach. (I take away maintain previously blogged almost that.) In the absence of anyone else I volunteer.

The victim has fallen over (his married adult woman after tells me he was drunk) in addition to he has hitting his caput - but for all I tin enjoin he had a seizure. Whatever: he was barely witting in addition to was non answering his cite or details.

Still he has landed inwards a recovery type seat or moved to a recovery type position. His oral fissure is pointing down. 

I checked that he was breathing - in addition to he was - his breast was moving upwardly in addition to down.

I checked what was coming out of his airway - in addition to it was weak - in addition to at that topographic point was unopen to blood coming out of his oral fissure - mayhap consistent amongst biting his tongue really difficult or mayhap consistent amongst something actually nasty. There was quite a lot of blood coming from his caput but at that topographic point was cipher I could produce almost that without moving him (and I was non prepared to motion him). I checked his pulse in addition to it was weak. (I did non facial expression otherwise - he was breathing...)

I asked him a few questions in addition to I got no reply but he said he hated this in addition to therefore said cipher sensible again. I did non instruct a name.

I did non run across whatsoever upside inwards moving or treating him therefore I only chatted to him (without response), monitored his breathing in addition to waited for the ambulance.

In the midst of this I worked out that 2 women sitting at a nearby tabular array were nurses. I can't enjoin you lot how inappropriate it was that I was doing this in addition to the nurses were sitting there. They are good trained - I did a xl hours course of didactics five years ago. If it were me lying at that topographic point unconscious in addition to haemorrhage I would desire the nurses looking after me... 

But they would non - fifty-fifty amongst pleading - accept over. They were scared of litigation take away chances in addition to they said they could non touching on him. I did non motion him in addition to ultimately he was neither improve nor worse off for the fact I was there. (Moving him when he was silent breathing is beyond my pay grade. But I would silent take away maintain preferred non last involved...)

I am an Australian who loves America. Many things are improve than Australia. Many things withal are worse.

Litigation take away chances that agency a nurse would rather sit down at that topographic point watching an unconscious soul haemorrhage rather than assist them - that is something that is worse almost America.

John

Post Script:

I produce non doubtfulness at that topographic point are Good Samaritan laws that apply. There are specific ones inwards NSW for volunteer surf lifesavers. However it was commented after that if the asking had been for a lawyer inwards the eating theatre the hands would take away maintain all gone up. And the nurses were genuinely scared of litigation...

J