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When my father-in-law died, he and the MiL were on vacation in Florida. He had dropped over-my mother-in-law heard a thud, came running to where he had been sitting, knew what'd happened and began pounding on his chest while calling the front desk. They had no defribillator hand, no one on staff knew CPR; they called for an ambulance.
Because she'd been pounding on him, the EMT's were obligated to 'continue' resuscitation efforts. Because the EMT's had continued resuscitation efforts, the ER was obliged to do so....all 'protocol'. The man was dead before he hit the floor. Mom had be been pounding on him, screaming at him not to die on her-but to the EMT's, it was 'resuscitation'.
As lay-people, we're in a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't position. If you run to help, whether you know CPR or not, you could be held liable for any failures. If you stand by and do nothing, you could be held under 'good samaritan' laws or feel guilt for not being able to assist. And, if it's a loved one and you go into panic mode, it starts a chain reaction like above.
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Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.
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