First of all, if a MD started medical treatment on him, that doctor
should have stayed with him thru transport to the hospital. I am
training to be an EMT and if there is a doctor at the scene, he is
the one that assumes command of the situation - he cannot pass that
command off to an EMTor a Paramedic. Have you heard of the term
"abandonment" It is simply this: An abandonment situation occurs
when care is discontinued without the patient's consent and without
ensuring that care is being continued at the same or higher level.
Once you begin care you cannot stop until a person of equal or
greater training assumes (a doctor would have the most training)
responsibility for the patient. For example, you cannot turn patient
care over to a First Responder, nor can you leave the scene of an
accident once you start to provide patient care except in these
situations: You relinquish care to someone with equal or greater
qualifications, You transport the patient(s) to a higher care
facility, Your personal safety is threatened by uncontrolled hazards
at the scene, The patient no longer needs or wants your services.
This informationw as taken from my EMT-Basic training book which
teaches a nationwide curriculum. Some laws may vary from state to
state, however these rules apply to all EMS in the field.
Also, I would like to recommend that everybody take a CPR course -
you never know whose life you might save. The rider who died of a
heart attack on that ride - at least his friends and family won't
always be wondering "what if somebody at the scene knew CPR"... It
wouldn't be a bad idea to take a first aid class too (The American
Red Cross offers an excellent course). Sometimes it is just as
important to know what you shouldn't do as it is to do the right
thing.
I have often wondered about the lack of medical aid available for
riders at endurance rides. It is certainly something for all ride
managers to consider. At the ride I am involved with we are looking
into the possibility of having EMT's available on scene the entire
day. Does anybody know the statistics regarding injuries to riders
at rides? I know of at least two rides this year where Care-Flight
came in.
Karen