Sued for doing CPR?

[AnthonyM83]

A few people at work were talking about an off-duty paramedic who was sued last year for doing CPR. The girl actually lived, but apparently successfully sued him for exposing her top while doing CPR. I don't know if there was more to it. Wondering if anyone could find the article.

[jsadin]

If he exposed her when it wasn't necessary, then he wasn't sued for doing CPR; he was sued for inappropriate sexual behavior. A quick Google search reveals no news articles.

[tskstorm]

If he exposed her when it wasn't necessary, then he wasn't sued for doing CPR; he was sued for inappropriate sexual behavior. A quick Google search reveals no news articles.

How can one do proper CPR without exposing the chest?

Are the appropriate landmarks not visual based?

[Flasurfbum]

I'm throwing the challenge flag on this. You need to remove shirt to locate anatomical landmarks. And to later attach quick combo pads or paddles, as well as leads.

[Capman]

A source would be nice. There may be more to the story. I'll try searching it.

[spenac]

Only thing I found with paramedic + breast that involved legal was this one where his DNA was found.

http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/6231088/detail.html

[Arizonaffcep]

A few people at work were talking about an off-duty paramedic who was sued last year for doing CPR. The girl actually lived, but apparently successfully sued him for exposing her top while doing CPR. I don't know if there was more to it. Wondering if anyone could find the article.

No "Good Samaritan" laws? Assuming its a real event.

[AnthonyM83]

Not sure what state it was in and their specific Good Samartian laws. I'm going to try to ask further at work, but a few people said they had heard about it when someone brought it up the other day.

The only thing I can think of is that he didn't have an AED on him so there wasn't as much of a need to remove her top. Don't know what kind of top it was either....depending on the type bra, it might interfere with hand placement. Then again maybe she was wearing a bikini?

Let me know if anyone is able to track the story down.

I just know if I had actually been REVIVED . . . I'd give the off-duty medic a freebie, even if I thought he had done wrong. I mean she most surely would have died otherwise...

[mshow00]

I'm throwing the challenge flag on this. You need to remove shirt to locate anatomical landmarks. And to later attach quick combo pads or paddles, as well as leads.

Not necessarily, you don't really need to see to locate anatomical landmarks, not anymore. How hard is it to find the sternum at the nipple line? I do see the point of removing the top for AED pads and the hands free for the defib unit. As far as the moniter leads, they should be placed with the top on when "in public".

As for the OP, I heard this story years ago long before I got into EMS, and have always been told that it is more urban legend than anything else.

[firedoc5]

I've heard many discussions/arguments over this. I'm not going to cover all that was discussed, but just make one point.

The scenario that was brought up was that if off duty and you have a woman who collapsed. ABC's and all done. She does need CPR.

Normally you can feel for the xiphoid process through a top. You absolutely need to do something about the bra. Reach up and hope that the hooks are up front. But if not, cut with scissors or pocket knife, or whatever. You can do this without exposing her chest completely.

Like in the scenario, you are off duty, wait until EMS get's there before actually completely expose the chest. Even then, if you are in a large crowd, you can still be somewhat discreet if you can't just load & go and get out of there. You can at least throw a sheet over her chest.

I am by NO means saying that this is how you are suppose to do it. It's just one of many possibilities.

As far as being sued, I just don't completely understand. Like some have said, you have just saved someone's life and now they want to sue you. Maybe some see $$$, Some may see it as an embarrassment, but they shouldn't be. But you're dealing with people, and people never fail to amaze you.

Once an agency in our Medical System was threatened with a law suite for basically the same thing. To go from the ambulance entrance and into the ER, you had to go by the waiting room that had windows. This one woman's family wanted to sue because the felt that their loved one's chest was exposed as they were doing CPR while going by the waiting room. Come to find out, he chest was not exposed and they had a sheet over her. But evidently she was so large breasted that one was "off to the side" enough to slip out from under the sheet. We all received notes reminding us of being discreet and all.