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Originally Posted by Discombobulated
That’s so tough and sad. I can see litigation might be a fear especially in countries where it’s done more commonly.
When I did a first aid course and we learned CPR the course leader talked about fears of litigation, as there were stories if you broke someone’s ribs with chest compressions you might get sued. He said if someone had stopped breathing already there was nothing left to lose and that no ordinary person had ever been successfully prosecuted for intervening with good intent. However he did say that Drs, nurses who were off duty could be prosecuted because of their Hippocratic oath to do no harm and so they are often reluctant to help off duty. Maybe it’s similar for police officers? Hoping your neighbour will be okay. I know things may be different in your country but hoping any judge will look kindly upon her intent.
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Yeah doctors are obligated to help regardless if they are on or off duty. Nurses are not obligated when off duty. In the US it’s mostly because doctors have huge liability insurance that will cover them if they are sued. Nurses don’t have such insurance so if they help someone when off duty and things go wrong, they risk to lose their job, license, money and could potentially end up incarcerated.
So I’d not blame nurses staying out if it when off duty. If you have little kids at home you’d think about what will happen to them first if things go wrong