Originally Posted By: hikermor
Should a first responder be making decisions like this on the scene of an emergency situation? -" How old are you? 87! That great. You've probably lived long enough...sorry, no CPR today!"

I completely agree, you provide the help you can in an emergency situation and then let the medical professionals make the big decisions.

One thing I find missing from this discussion is the differentiation between first aid and medial care. Simpy put, first aid is something that can be provided by anyone as a stop-gap measure in emergency situations. This situation clearly falls into the realm of first aid; the nurse on the phone wasn't being asked to do anything more than the average Joe on the street would be asked. She wasn't being asked to provide medical care.

A policy against providing medical care makes sense, banning first aid does not.

What if the woman slipped, resulting in a severe cut rather than having a heart attack? Had the caller stood there and allowed her to bleed out would those defending her view this any differently?
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Victory awaits him who has everything in order — luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck. Roald Amundsen