This is getting silly! I am sitting in Pizzas 'R Us with Mrs RRD and the little ones tonight. I'm just tucking into my pizza with goat's cheese and caramelised onions, when I see a man being supported on both sides. He doesn't look great, shuffling along beside my chair. As his eyes roll up and his knees start to buckle, I decide pizza would have to wait. I jump up, grab the chap under his arms and get him into my chair. Then I get one of the waiters to help me carry the chair and, by now moribund, patient to the door of the restaurant. I make sure the chair is tipped back as much as possible, but by the time we go a few steps he is completely unresponsive and we lower him to the floor. I open his airway - almost no resps, and very difficult to feel a pulse. Fortunately, within a few seconds his pulse returns and he makes a few gasping breaths. I get the manager to call for an ambulance, then speak to Control, to give them some more information. 5 minutes later the FRV arrives, and the man is already much better, sitting in a chair. I hand over to him, and sit back down with my family. My pizza is retrieved from the oven, where it had been kept warm, and I finish my meal.
It doesn't matter where you are, you just can't ecsape it. When first moved into our house about 6 years ago I had a fitting patient just round the corner, a child electrocuted by an electric fence (not very serious in itself but mum was panicking), a young lad who fell off his skateboard and badly slit his lip, a neighbour who's mother suddenly developed flash pulmonary oedema and top it all my wife went and gave birth to our 4th child in our bedroom!
ReplyDeleteYes, Mac, I agree. If this is your profession, then it is also your life. I do know of some doctors who would have quite happily continued eating their meal, because they were off duty. For me, and for many other doctors and ambulance personnel, there is no such thing as being off duty.
ReplyDeleteIt's reassuring to know that there are still some people out there who care enough about the lives of others that "there is no such thing as being off duty.". With all the pressures that are on you guys, I think it's a fabulous thing that you're giving up your free time to help people. Keep up the hard work.
ReplyDeleteWell done! I have witnessed an incident outside of work where a nurse, wearing uniform, has quickly zipped up her coat and walked away. I too can't help being involved outside of work if someone needs me, and it is so reassuring to know that there are still medical professionals like you who could have ignored this, but didn't.
ReplyDeleteI'll agree with you - I'm only a volunteer first aider, but I'm never "off duty" as such. If I see someone in need of help, I will help them!
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