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Original poster

6 yr old fell over outside clinic - they wouldn't give her first aid

37 replies

assumedname · 21/07/2005 16:23

Just been to the local centre where they do enuresis appointments, baby weigh ins, counselling etc. Health visitors are based there and also district nurses.

My 6 year old was running along the pavement outside and went a complete purler, ending up skidding along the pavement on her right cheek.

Obviously really upset, badly grazed cheek, cut hand, grazed shoulder, red chin, nose and that bit above your lip, red knees. Dirt in all the grazes.

I took her back inside for first aid. They didn't have a first aid kit, no first aider and the district nurses wouldn't help in case something went wrong (and, presumbably, led to them being sued).

What is the world coming to?

I then had to take my 11 yr old out of her appointment so I could go home and treat the 6 yr old.

Do you think I should complain to the health authority or am I wasting my time?

OP posts:

SoupDragon · 21/07/2005 20:06

Oh, I agree - it's b'@@dy ridiculous. I wonder why they settled out of court rather than drag the ungrateful git to court and make a fool of him?

katierocket · 21/07/2005 20:12

jeez assumed, that is just so crap

Tissy · 21/07/2005 20:31

Nurses and doctors don't have a "legal obligation" to help in such a situation (don't know where stacijc got that from), and there have been situations where "good samaritans" have been sued for damages, thankfully mostly in the States.However, in the situation described below, a bit of sympathy and reassurance would have been in order. If the only clinics held are those described, then they probably wouldn't have had access to dressings, antiseptic etc, and may not have had a first aid kit on site, either, though you would think that a District nurse might have had something useful in her bag.

I would complain that the district nurses refused to help- that is unprofessional.

Flossam · 21/07/2005 20:46

As nurses unless you are a qualified first aider you should not give first aid. In an emergency you are professionally bound to assist. Although if you are not in uniform then no -one would normally know that is your job. We do not get supplied with the equipment to do this (Masks with one way valves so that during mouth to mouth we do not end up with vomit in our mouths and all the infection risks such a proceedure carries ie hep b). So I think the nurses were probably reluctant to help due to the first point. I can't believe though that they did not have a first aid box, and supply you with the equipment they would have had in house to dress and cleanse your DD's injuries. HTH and that DD is feeling better.

Flossam · 21/07/2005 20:47

Tissy if we refuse to aid a patient in an emergency as a nurse we can get struck off by the NMC.

Caligula · 21/07/2005 21:07

All the situations that have stood up in court have happened in the States, which as everyone knows, is mad. There hasn't been a single mad case under English law, as far as I'm aware. Insurance payments out of court, yes, but not legal judgements. I might be wrong, but so far no-one has ever posted any proof that loony litigation is successful in English courts.

PeachyClair · 21/07/2005 21:07

I know they run out, but when I was doing my nurse training we all had to do First Aid, I assumed that was standard? We were all told at the time to keep them updated too.

edam · 21/07/2005 21:24

Agree with Caligula. A lot of this fear of being sued is ridiculous.

Tissy · 21/07/2005 21:30

Flossam, yes, but that is not "legal obligation" , it's a standard set by the NMC, not enforceable by civil law. And whether several cuts and scrapes count as "emergency" is questionable. Clearly child and mother were distressed, but no-one was in danger, which is why I suggested that sympathy and reassurance was in order. If someone had required CPR in front of them, I doubt if they would have turned their backs.

SofiaAmes · 21/07/2005 21:32

HEY!!! Whatever happened to one human being looking after another. I can't believe that anyone presented with a crying 6 year old with a variety of bloody dirty scrapes would do anything but help. I don't care what the supposed threat of lawsuits is (and I'm an american). And you don't have to have medical training or be a genius to figure out that a bit of washing of the wound, some antiseptic and a plaster (ask the mum, she was right there - if the child's allergic to latex).
Assumedname, if you don't complain then you are just allowing this appalling behavior to continue. Even if it won't make a difference, I think it's a civic duty to make a complaint.
I am so sick of this "it's not my job" mentality that people seem to think somehow justifies not helping other people. We're talking about a 6 year old here!!!!!

PeachyClair · 21/07/2005 21:35

Quite right Sofia, couldn't imagine doing that to anyone, let alone a 6 year old! Assisted at a few accidents etc in my time (years with St Johns before 18 months at hated Nurse training!)
but never any problems with anyone, they were always grateful.

And I know this wasn't a 'real' emergency, but if there was one I would rather be sued than not help.

Caligula · 21/07/2005 21:39

I think anyone who was sued for helping someone would

a) win the case

and

b) if by some strange lunacy didn't win, there'd be such an outcry that someone would set up a fund to pay the damages and the plaintiff would become a national hate figure (fuelled by the sun) and the defendent would become a fixture on the celebrity chat show circuit.

Honestly, I really don't think in the real world (under English or Scottish law) people sue. I totally blame insurance companies for everything. Including the weather.

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