An elderly gentleman was knocked from his scooter after a collision with the back of a car.
I found myself reacting quickly; I put my hazard lights on and ran over to the middle lane of the roundabout.
- Originally published 17th October, 2011
I found the gentleman unconscious and his breathing laboured. But what is our responsibility as student nurses in emergency situations?
When I arrived on the scene, I ensured that I spoke loudly and clearly when I introduced myself, and ascertained his level of consciousness. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait long before a first aider arrived on the scene.
I was thankful that she arrived because although my previous healthcare assistant (HCA) training had taught me what was required in an emergency (albeit in a hospital situation), I am not a first aider. As student nurses we have a responsibility to respond to such events, but we must all be careful and know our own limitations with regards to knowledge and competence.
Even though we set out with the best of intentions, I don’t think we should put ourselves at risk in the process. In an adrenalin-filled moment it is easy to get carried away; our duty is to try to minimise the risk to the patient, while waiting for the experts to arrive.
The incident itself was quite distressing for those who witnessed it, but according to the A&E department the gentlemen is well on the way to recovery, thanks in part to the actions of those who were first on the scene.
If you do happen to find yourself in a similar situation, all you can do is be prepared.
So finding the time to get some good first-aid training is always highly recommended; you don’t really know when you might need it.
