Being A Good Samaritan and Providing First Aid
By: Greg Garner
Everyone wants to help someone in need. It is human nature to want to respond to a fellow human being who is injured or sick. Many people take basic first aid classes so that they will know what to do in an emergency. However, administering first aid is a slippery legal slope. Most people do not realize that there are laws governing the administering of first aid by anyone. There are common laws and special laws that have been put into effect to help protect both the victim and the caregiver. In most countries, the Good Samaritan law or a variation of it, protects the average person who is trying to help someone who has been injured. Even that law, which is designed to protect us, has guidelines that need to be followed.
The Good Samaritan law helps protect us from lawsuits should we administer first aid to someone who has been injured. Often, the steps you take can mean the difference between someone living or dying. Here is what you must know about this law.
In principle, the Good Samaritan law protects you so long as you are not careless in providing first aid. This means that you cannot do more harm than good, so only do what you know you can do.
You must be acting out of good faith. If you perform first aid and expect to be rewarded, you are not covered by the Good Samaritan law. You cannot bill for services.
If you perform first aid outside or above your personal skill level, you are outside of the law. If you try to perform open-heart surgery, or any surgery, you are above your skill level. For many people, applying a band-aid is the peak of their skill level so be very careful.
Ask for and receive consent. If the injured person is conscious and lucid, you must receive permission to perform first aid. If you are thinking about doing something drastic, like applying a tourniquet, you should try to get that consent in writing. It is that serious. Going off the assumption that an unconscious person would consent to first aid, implied consent covers you if the person cannot respond. When you ask for consent, you should explain what skill level of first aid you actually have.
Implied consent will cover the giver of first aid in the absence of a child’s parent or guardian. It will also cover in the case of an elderly person-under a less than desirable mental capacity-if their legal guardian or power of attorney is not present.
While there has never been a successful case against a person who tried to save a life using first aid, it is still wise to use caution so that you are not the first. Common sense dictates that you do not move an injured person unless absolutely necessary. A tourniquet is always the last resort to save a life, and CPR should be given only after you are 100% sure the person is not breathing and has no pulse. Do not be afraid to lend a hand and help someone in need. Use common sense and stay calm.
Author Resource:-> For more information please visit our First Aid Training website http://www.bbpexams.com/first-aid-training.htm —- Article From Articles For All
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