By law, as a nurse are you required to stop at accident scenes?

Question

mom is a nursing student and needs to know the answer for class

Answer 1

It depends on the state your mother is in, their laws and their case history.

If someone can demonstrate that an RN knowlingly drove past a scene without rendering aid (absent of any variables like a perception of danger to herself) then she might be liable. As an RN she loses protection under most "good Sameritan" laws if she does stop to aid someone. Many health care professionals are advised not to put stickers or personalized plates on their vehicles lest someone think, "Hey, that nurse is not stopping".

Most classes that bring up law as a part of coursework are not taught by legal pros (and the text books are just as simple). My advice (not the answer to your question) is to stop and render aid, and render that aid in a manner that a reasonable person with your mother's level of training would. This allows your mother to act in an ethical manner, as well as protecting a victim and herself. Your mom can be sued for her work in a hospital setting as easily as on a roadside. One becomes a nurse to render aid, not to hide from doing so. The best protection is to be competent. Faliure to provide assistence is more dicey in my opinion than providing competent aid. Like I wrote earlier though, I can't know the best answer to your question without knowing your state.

Her best bet is to contact someone in her study group, or to look up the information in her texts.

Good luck to you and you mom both.

Answer 2

All laws vary from state to state. But the standard rule is there is on obligation to stop and assist someone. However if they do stop and start helping them, they have an obligation to continue that help (I guess until a more professional person arrives).

Answer 3

She has a moral duty to assist but for study purposes, I strongly think that they are looking into the Insurance/litigation aspects if anything went wrong. As a nursing student I think that she should not get involved................

Answer 4

She is only obligated to stop if she has a duty to act. Such as if she is being paid to respond to that accident.

If she has no such duty to act she is under no obligation to stop. But once she does stop she is under an obligation to act. She cannot stop and survey the scene and decide she doesn't want to do anything.

Answer 5

By compassion not by law at least not until you are registered

Answer 6

No, I do not believe so. Although that would be nice :), it is not legally necessary. That is unethical.