The Ultimate Jobsworth? - Page 2

shillelagh · 05-03-2013, 20:35

i was at accy pals yesterday for an appointment ... i told her i had epilepsy .. she asked me what happened when i had a fit .. so told her i had grand mal .. the type that can jerk and i always bite my tongue .. and she asked me what to do if i had a fit ... and i said well if i fall forwards to catch me so then i dont do any damage to anything and myself .. and she then said i cant do that .. so what else do i have to do ... that is a health professional at the accy pals .. she also said can you tell me when you are going to have one .. and i said i dont know when im going to have one ... i said people can tell when im heading for one .. but i dont know ... i think i scared her ...

Margaret Pilkington · 05-03-2013, 20:40

Well, John, the best first aiders are St Johns ambulance....as I said nurses are too used to having equipment to hand...that, and once you qualify, someone from the legal department comes and tells you how Joe Public can sue you to infinity.....and beyond, if you get it wrong. This really put me off going to the aid of someone in the street.
We are deemed 'responsible' because we have had training...so if your CPR doesn't work you can find yourself up in front of the beak/coroner and asked to explain what you did, why you did it, and how much experience you have had in the past in such endeavours.
So I pull my collar up and forget I know anything medical.
Maybe gynn will call me a callous B too.

lazeeboy · 06-03-2013, 09:06

I was a "First Aider" at my place of employment for 23 years. Fortunateley I never had to deal with a life-saving emergency.
Recently a friend of mine died on the golf course, two fellow players who had not had formal training gave him CPR which, when medics came, they had to ZAP him. He was luucky after 10 minutes of CPR he recovered first time. He had a stent fitted and is fine now.

Due to this accident we have now purchased a Defibrillator and members are being trained.

FIRSTLY if a person has a Cardiac arrest, That person is DEAD. Anyone who who was to stand by and do nothing is more likely to be sued for NOT HELPING. This sue for cash culture is appalling.

jaysay · 06-03-2013, 09:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by shillelagh

i was at accy pals yesterday for an appointment ... i told her i had epilepsy .. she asked me what happened when i had a fit .. so told her i had grand mal .. the type that can jerk and i always bite my tongue .. and she asked me what to do if i had a fit ... and i said well if i fall forwards to catch me so then i dont do any damage to anything and myself .. and she then said i cant do that .. so what else do i have to do ... that is a health professional at the accy pals .. she also said can you tell me when you are going to have one .. and i said i dont know when im going to have one ... i said people can tell when im heading for one .. but i dont know ... i think i scared her ...

Hell Jen that must be very frightening to say the least, especially when a health professional says they can't help, I think, as a layman, that going to help another human being in distress is just human nature, seems I'm wrong when people with some medical knowledge can get the rap for trying to help

jaysay · 06-03-2013, 09:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazeeboy

I was a "First Aider" at my place of employment for 23 years. Fortunateley I never had to deal with a life-saving emergency.
Recently a friend of mine died on the golf course, two fellow players who had not had formal training gave him CPR which, when medics came, they had to ZAP him. He was luucky after 10 minutes of CPR he recovered first time. He had a stent fitted and is fine now.

Due to this accident we have now purchased a Defibrillator and members are being trained.

FIRSTLY if a person has a Cardiac arrest, That person is DEAD. Anyone who who was to stand by and do nothing is more likely to be sued for NOT HELPING. This sue for cash culture is appalling.

Totally agree with your last statement, which makes wonder if there are no blame accidents any more.

Margaret Pilkington · 06-03-2013, 11:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazeeboy

I was a "First Aider" at my place of employment for 23 years. Fortunateley I never had to deal with a life-saving emergency.
Recently a friend of mine died on the golf course, two fellow players who had not had formal training gave him CPR which, when medics came, they had to ZAP him. He was luucky after 10 minutes of CPR he recovered first time. He had a stent fitted and is fine now.

Due to this accident we have now purchased a Defibrillator and members are being trained.

FIRSTLY if a person has a Cardiac arrest, That person is DEAD. Anyone who who was to stand by and do nothing is more likely to be sued for NOT HELPING. This sue for cash culture is appalling.

No, I don't think you could be sued for not helping...especially if you hadn't a clue what to do.
The TV adverts with that footballer Vinnie are an excellent idea....but all children in schools should be taught CPR(maybe it already is).......and there are defibs now which tell you what to do if a person does need to be 'shocked'.

It is scary doing CPR...and I am speaking from the perspective of being a nurse who has been involved(in a hospital setting) a number of times.
When you have done, you shake like a leaf, whatever the outcome - or maybe that was just me. I never got 'used to it'.

Eric · 06-03-2013, 11:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

No, I don't think you could be sued for not helping...especially if you hadn't a clue what to do.

True. And in the US, you are more likely to be sued for helping than for not helping.

But even if you "hadn't a clue", doing something is the right thing to do. In Canada, if you tried to help someone in a medical emergency, and failed, the family of whoever you tried to help would probably thank you for your efforts; in the States they would sue your ass off.

Margaret Pilkington · 06-03-2013, 14:21

I would seriously think twice...and the second time would be long and hard(after a look at my bank balance).
Yes it IS human nature to try and help......but not if someone is going to sue the britches off you.

shillelagh · 11-03-2013, 15:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Hell Jen that must be very frightening to say the least, especially when a health professional says they can't help, I think, as a layman, that going to help another human being in distress is just human nature, seems I'm wrong when people with some medical knowledge can get the rap for trying to help

id never sue someone for trying to help me ... and ive dropped all over the place .. im just glad that someone around me would help ... like the doctor who was on the train when i was coming down from the spugsters in january .. if it werent for him id have been kicked off the train at carlisle took to hospital and probably not released till the next day ... but because he said he'd keep an eye on me and i was getting off the train at preston and so was he .. that the ticket collector said i could stay ...

Margaret Pilkington · 11-03-2013, 15:47

Jen, you might not sue, but that is the problem...you never know who might.
I think the situation is different for Doctors, they have their own insurance.

jaysay · 11-03-2013, 18:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Jen, you might not sue, but that is the problem...you never know who might.
I think the situation is different for Doctors, they have their own insurance.

Think your right there Margaret, sadly that's the sort of society we now live in now, but to think that anybody would sue anyone trying to help them is quite beyond me

cashman · 11-03-2013, 20:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Think your right there Margaret, sadly that's the sort of society we now live in now, but to think that anybody would sue anyone trying to help them is quite beyond me

Its beyond all decent people no question, But that don't stop it happening.

jaysay · 12-03-2013, 09:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

Its beyond all decent people no question, But that don't stop it happening.

Sadly your right cashy

shillelagh · 14-03-2013, 15:05

i was talking about this yesterday wi my nephew .. hes a health and safety bod ... and he turned round and said that he would never sue anyone if they were helping him .. BUT .. he does know of a case that someone collapsed wi a heart attack and his heart stopped .. a bloke who was walking past went to help him ... and gave him CPR ... while he was doing it waiting for the ambulance to arrive .. because you have to do it wi some force .. he broke his rib while giving him CPR ... this bloke recovered due to this bloke doing CPR ... and he is now suing the bloke because he broke his rib ... i couldnt believe that ... he saved his life and now hes being sued .. id just be grateful someone came to my aid ...

cashman · 14-03-2013, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

Its beyond all decent people no question, But that don't stop it happening.

Sadly jen, point proved, unsurprisingly.