Quote:
Originally posted by JRutledge
Quote:
Originally posted by drinkeii
I have a VERY large problem with people who say that they are more concerned with liability issues than doing what is right. Why did you learn a set of lifesaving skills (many of which can be performed with makeshift materials if the first aid kit is not handy) if you planned to stand back and watch someone injured and just say "well, I'm not in my uniform and don't have a handy-dandy jump kit with me, so I'm going to sit back and wait for the people whose job it is right now to come and do it, even though I could be helping."
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Whether you believe it or not, you can test this out in court. Go ahead and help a kid or touch a kid that is hurt during a game. You might spend your life savings defending yourself in court when you are sued for further injury, whether you did anything or not. You are an official on that court or on that field. If you have a conflict with that, then stop officiating if you feel your committment to saving people or helping people is too strong. But the problem is, most people are not going to realize that you are an EMT or doctor on the court. They are going to see you as an official first and after they sue you, they will find out what your professional background is. And what happens if you are considered to be interfering with the EMTs that are their in "their" official capacity. Now you can be found as neglagent for getting in their way.
There really is no right and wrong here. Just like everything else we talk about here, you can do what you feel is best. But sometimes what you feel is best can get you in a heep of trouble and put you in a very hard to get out of situation. I might know CPR, but that does not mean I am the one that will apply it if I am officiating. That is why there are trainers and EMTs at sporting events to begin with.
Just a thought.
Peace
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Interesting - because as I understand the law, the good samaritan law, it applies no matter what colors you're wearing or what uniform you happen to be wearing at the time. So you would refuse to do CPR if necessary, just because that's not why you're there? That kind of gets rid of the whole idea of the public being trained in CPR - since it's not their job (person walking down the street...), they aren't supposed to use it because it might get them in trouble. Something is wrong with the logic here.
Also, I work a LARGE number of events where there is no EMT or trainer present. Maybe where you do, there is, but there are a large number of events (usually gradeschool, often catholic school leagues or church leagues) where there is no trainer.
As for interfering with the EMT's, hmmm - if you are trained, you wouldn't be interfering... you either would be helping, or you would just be standing around (or going back to running the game). Again, the question of liability seems to come up here, and that was my point in the first place - why would you get the training and put yourself in a situation where you should be using it, and then say "sorry, not my job..."?
As for the person before who responded - I am not questioning your compasion, nor am I trying to make this personal. As I said before, however, the attitude that "this isn't my job" doesn't fly with me. You said that you have worked for 20+ years in extreme situations. That is your job... what my concern seems to be when you punch out, do you pack up your skills and say "not my job now..." As much as I hate lawsuits (mainly because they seem to be for stupid things), I would much rather support a lawsuit against a person who I know had training and failed to act (with or without a legal "duty to act"), than I would against a person who applied that training in the proper fashion and something went wrong.
As for what you said: I have talked to lawyers on this subject because I do have a lot of human compassion. In my case, If a player has an Airway, is Breathing, and has Circulation, and no threat to Life, Limb or Vision....I am there as an Official and nothing else. Does that make me cold blooded and heartless.
One other note! Most of Lawyers, Judges, and fans where I officiate know what I do at my day job. (my part begins here) - I find it very unlikely that a lawyer would say "stay away from the person - that's not your job..."
I guess that also takes out all of the volunteer fireman/emt's, since it's technically NEVER their job, except when they get called. So to make an extreme example, I am in my territory as a volunteer - I see someone hurt. Am I supposed to say "Hold on there - I can't do anything until we are officially dispatched... lemme go find a phone and call, and when my pager goes off in my bag over there on the sideline, I'll be happy to help you." Sounds pretty stupid, doesn't it. And there are several venues in the area in which I am a fireman/emt that I have in the past and will probably again officiate, in basketball or soccer, both somewhat contact sports with the potential for serious injury.
[Edited by drinkeii on Dec 2nd, 2002 at 02:23 PM]