Unfortunately in today’s world, you are faced with some difficult issues
when providing much needed care during an emergency. There are two things you
should do to protect yourself – get consent to help a victim and protect
yourself from disease transmission.
Before helping a victim, you should always receive consent. This not only
protects you from a possible lawsuit, but helps the victim understand what you
are doing.
According to the American Red Cross, to get consent, you must:
State your name
Tell the victim you are trained
in first aid
Ask if you can help
Tell them what you think is
wrong
Tell them how you plan on
helping them
If they do not want your help, and explicitly state this, than call 911 and
observe the victim.
If the victim is unconscious, then consent is implied, meaning they would
probably agree to care if they were conscious. This is outlined in Good
Samaritan laws – which can vary from state to state.
Another issue when helping in an emergency situation is disease
transmission. Blood and body fluids of another person can be potentially fatal
if they have a highly transmissible disease like AIDS. In order to avoid this,
you should always protect yourself. When packing a first aid kit to travel
with, make sure you include a breathing barrier (which can be purchased from
your local American Red Cross or in the first aid section of almost any store)
and disposable gloves.
After treating someone, always wash your hands immediately after with soap
and warm water.