title: Is there a risk in being a good Samaritan?
abstract: It's Nursing Week and you are at a booth in a busy shopping mall. After spending a couple of hours talking with people, answering questions and taking blood pressure readings, you start to sip a well-earned cup of coffee. You glance down the mall and observe a middle-aged man suddenly clutch at his chest and fall to the floor. You alert your colleagues to call 911 as you run down the mall to do what you can. You reach the man, announce, "I know CPR," and initiate resuscitation. You have just spent an invigorating day on the ski slopes. As you drive home, you are horrified to see a car spin out of control and roll over into the ditch a couple of car lengths ahead of you. Suddenly you face a dilemma. You are an experienced nurse who wants to help and yet, lurking in the back of your mind, there is the nagging fear that you could be sued. You wonder if are you legally obligated to stop and assist. Could you be liable if you fail to do so?
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Phillips
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D002170:Canada; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009726:Nurses / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D018570:Risk Assessment