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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this woman should have helped?

223 replies

notsolomon · 02/03/2011 13:50

I went to an exercise class this morning. There are about 8 of us. A lady in her late sixties, started feeling ill..she was ashen, she felt dizzy and light headed and she was clammy to the touch (could just have been sweat cooling).

I lay her down, put coats under her feet to raise them up, and reassured her. Her left shoulder/jaw was hurting a bit. It was about 15 minutes before she felt well enough to sit up and she spent that time looking quite ill - eyes closed, heavy breathing, softly moaning.... I was considering calling for medical help but she remained lucid, able to speak and had a regular (if slightly odd) pulse, so I just sat with her. The others carried on dancing but were aware of the developing situation (one smallish room with 8 of us).

Luckily, the old lady recovered a lot by the end but I mentioned to another member of the class that I want to go on a first aid course as I never know quite what to do.

"Oh," said this other woman "I am a doctor actually, but I can't get involved outside the hospital because I am not insured. It is really awkward sometimes."

Either she must be wrong about her legal liability or the law is an ass. Surely a doctor doing her non negligent best to help someone outside a surgical setting because they happen to be there, would not be held personally liable for any untoward outcome? Was this doctor being overcautious (or callous) or was she right not to walk 4 paces over to check up on the ill woman? It just seems human to me.

OP posts:
balloonballs · 02/03/2011 15:26

Mmsmum honestly, honestly it is not dangerous to stop an exercise class.

balloonballs · 02/03/2011 15:28

Have you ever stopped running, say after a race?

Or run up a lot of stairs and stopped at the top?

Did you keel over and suffer a heart attack or did you catch your breath and move on?

Rhinestone · 02/03/2011 15:28

Mmsmum - just seen your post at 15;13:08

Suddenly stopping exercise in an aerobics class is 'dangerous'? You are talking utter rubbish.

mmsmum · 02/03/2011 15:29

Rhinestone the op said the lady recovered after resting. I've already said that if the instructor thought it needed an ambulance she should have asked someone to call one and not left the room herself, there would also have been someone else on site (whether a gym or other place) who's responsibility it would have been to follow the rules at that facility. I have also said that since neither trained professional acted that it was probably clear to them that it was not an emergency

therealmrsbeckham · 02/03/2011 15:29

I agree with toughasoldboots and midnightmunchies

I am also a registered nurse and I am shocked and saddened that she wouldn't help.

jonicomelately · 02/03/2011 15:30

You'd have to do something blindingly stupid to be successfully sued in a UK court when you've acted like Good Samaritan. The qualified health professionals who walk past people in need must be very uncertain of their professional capabilities. They should hang their heads in shame

balloonballs · 02/03/2011 15:30

A little bit of knowledge really is a dangerous thing isn't it?

mmsmum · 02/03/2011 15:31

So what do you think cool downs are for? Fun?

balloonballs · 02/03/2011 15:31

Sorry that was about the "dangers" of stopping an exercise class not to you joni.

diddl · 02/03/2011 15:31

"Rhinestone the op said the lady recovered after resting".

Yes-15mins!

Good job it wasn´t a heart attack!

balloonballs · 02/03/2011 15:32

Cool downs are not because it's "dangerous" to stop a class suddenly.

Rhinestone · 02/03/2011 15:35

mmsmum - the symptoms described could be a heart attack or a stroke.

But no, let's think of all the participants and have a cool down. Hmm

Seriously, your opinion on this is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard.

Hollycatt · 02/03/2011 15:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

privategodfrey · 02/03/2011 15:40

I've noticed that top class marathon runners always do a cool down after a race.

Though that does seem to consist of collapsing in a heap and being covered with bacofoil for half an hour. Strangely they seem to survive ...

Confused
therealmrsbeckham · 02/03/2011 15:42

I'm also very surprised that the class wasn't stopped, I would also have been inclined to phone for an ambulance.

Like Rhinestone has said the symptoms could have been indicative of heart attack etc. Suprised the instructor decided to take that chance.

miniwedge · 02/03/2011 15:44

Seriously?? An elderly person was pale, clammy and breathless, needed to lie down for 15 minutes, had jaw and arm pain and NO ONE called an ambulance??

I think everyone in that room was being unreasonable including the op.
Well done for helping out but the lady needed medical attention.

Also, why didnt the instructor call for the buildings designated firstaider to assist you?

I would have kicked off I think if I was dealing with a person in medical need and people were carrying on around me.

Rhinestone · 02/03/2011 15:46

Miniwedge - I'd have kicked off too. And would have called an ambulance regardless.

jonicomelately · 02/03/2011 15:50

I think people who post on here should understand the difference between being sued and being successfully sued. You can't legislate for nutters who after having life-saving treatment will sue for having their breasts exposed but suing somebody isn't always (and wouldn't in those circumstances I would imagine) be successful.

mmsmum · 02/03/2011 15:54

I don't know why but I think this is being blown out of proportion and some people are resorting to being rude and insulting which is not necessary.

For the last time. The op said the lady was dizzy, pale and light headed. She then attended to the lady. So the doctor and instructor can see this and would have I'm guessing reasonably presumed that if the lady had complained of anything like a sore jaw on her left side that the op would seek assistance, but she didn't. Now given that the rest of the class continued and the first set of symptoms are fairly common in gym settings I wouldn't have thought it appeared to be too serious. And it wasn't as she did recover in a short amount of time. I can't speak for the doctor but if the instructor is qualified, trained and experienced then she/he will be able to spot the difference between a common occurrence and a real emergency.

This thread could go on forever about who should have done what, why and when and I can't be bothered with that.

One thing though, why didn't the op seek help if she thought it was a heart attack? My guess is is that if she thought it was she would have done something more than just sit with her.

MissJanuary · 02/03/2011 15:56

Why, was there no-one within the building, where you were have the excerise class, first-aid trained?

There should have been someone available?

iscream · 02/03/2011 16:00

Sounds cardiac related, I am astounded nobody called paramedics. Yanbu. Poor lady must of been frightened, I hope she is ok, anyway to follow up on her? I am glad you at least sat with her, what the heck was the instructor doing?

Hollycatt · 02/03/2011 16:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

iscream · 02/03/2011 16:00

*any way, not anyway

balloonballs · 02/03/2011 16:02

mm the only thing I saw being out of proportion was your "dangerous" to stop a class comment.

Rhinestone · 02/03/2011 16:03

Well I think it's fairly insulting to both common sense and human decency to suggest that a gym class 'cool down' takes precedence over someone potentially dying.