NYPD officer suspended for not helping girl

[aard3]

Sorry if it's a repost.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=7638045

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=7643359

Should police be required to perform CPR? Is it already part of their "job description"?

Thoughts?

Aaron

 

[Hitman]

iop1

 

[kz45]

maybe she was from another district

 

[spanky]

I'm torn.

On the one hand, one would expect the officer to do whatever it takes to help save this little girl.

At the same time, if you are the parent of an asthmatic child, one of your goals in life should be to make damn sure you know how to perform basic cpr, have essential meds on hand at all times, etc etc.

 

[bayoupirate]

Parents have an Asthmatic child:
THey don't have emergency medication for the condition.
They're not trained in CPR themselves.
They don't call EMS for trained and equiped professionals.

and it the cop's fault.

Always someone else's fault isn't it.

Sad that child had to die because she had stupid parents.

 

[aard3]

I think whether or not she had stupid/ill prepared parents is a another issue. Fact is, that they apparently didn't, and the girl needed help... it's not her fault that her parents weren't prepared. Fact is, you could use the "not prepared" excuse for anything.... "oh, those people didn't have a halon system installed, so it's their fault their house burned down"... I mean, where does that stop? Why do we have public services in the first place?

^^^ playing devils advocate above ^^^

If the NYPD officer knew CPR, and refused to help... I'd say he's morally responsible.... at least I would feel responsible if I were in his shoes.

Now, should he lose his job though?

 

[spanky]

Not according to the supreme court.

 

[aard3]

lol...I think you're hitting on where I'm going with this....

Seems to me that being a police officer is like any other job, in that you have duties that your expected to perform... I know if I don't perform my job... my boss will take that as a big "i quit", and I'll be a goner.

So if the Supreme Court says cops don't have to actually help you...then isn't that the same as them essentially quitting if they decide not to?

Aaron

 

[#1bambam]

I dont think CPR is the important thing in this story.The thing that is sad is if the cop detained them from continuing to the hospital and that was in fact the thing that killed the kid.

 

[SirIsaacNewton]

Parent was a let down. Cop didn't seem to be properly trained. I would charge the mother with neglect for not having an Epi pen before I fire the cop.

 

[nola_]

If you know CPR then do it. Even chest compressions work for those who don't want to do the mouth to mouth.

I know that in my line of work (healthcare) if I refused to treat a patient/help someone there would be repercussions.

 

[nola_]

Parent was a let down. Cop didn't seem to be properly trained. I would charge the mother with neglect for not having an Epi pen before I fire the cop.

I just glanced over article. Was mom supposed to carry an epi pen but didn't have it on her during this incident? Was that the kids' regular form of treatment?

 

[JBE]

I'm gonna dive headfirst into the crap pile on this one...

Whether or not the officer actually knew CPR is irrelevant....Being certified in CPR does not automatically give you a legal "duty to act" in any type of medical emergency if you do not work in the medical field....Being an on-duty police officer though, I do feel he had an ethical duty to act. Now with that said....

1. Apparently the parents were not trained in CPR, so how did they actually know that the daughter needed CPR at that point. Just because her lips were turning blue doesn't mean that she needs her chest pushed on just yet...

2. They were only blocks from the hospital. Stopping on the side of the road to do CPR, if it was even required at that time, would have only delayed definitive care that much longer and would have increased the chances of mortality even greater.

3. If the child was in cardiac arrest secondary to status asthmaticus, all the bystander CPR in the world wouldn't have helped at that point.

These parents should have taken it upon themselves to have been better prepared and equiped for a child with a potentially life-threatening condition.

Maybe the officer should have performed CPR if it was required, but it wouldn't have done any good. IMO, the outcome would have still been the same and then he would have been found at fault for having delayed the child from getting to a higher level of care by wasting time doing plain ol' CPR on the side of the road only a few blocks from the hospital. He was almost in a lose-lose situation no matter what he did.

 

[nola_]

At the same time, if you are a parent one of your goals in life should be to make damn sure you know how to perform basic cpr,etc.

Fixed

 

[spanky]

Valid point but obviously a medically needy child's parents should be more-so prepared for known potential situations.

 

[nola_]

Absolutely

 

[aard3]

Ok, yea... I'm not in the medical profession... so maybe someone that is can jump in, but I think epi pens are for allergic reactions...not for asthma attacks... that said, my sister had asthma... and we had inhalers EVERYWHERE. I do think the parents dropped the ball on this...and it's something they are going to have to deal with.

@JBE. I kinda agree... I'm not sure it's the best thing to have cops running around trying to be everything to everyone. It's just not possible.

@Any Officers. Is it in your job description to perform CPR/ provide medical assistance?


What I do find troubling is that this officer failed to file a report, and didn't come forward when he knew they were looking for him... IA had to hunt him down...that says something too I think.

Aaron

 

[SpeedRacer]

3. If the child was in cardiac arrest secondary to status asthmaticus, all the bystander CPR in the world wouldn't have helped at that point.

This is what I was thinking. I don't know jack **** about medical stuff, but I don't see how CPR helps someone having an asthma attack.

As for the original question...I'd like to hear the other side of the story before passing judgement.

 

[aard3]

As for the original question...I'd like to hear the other side of the story before passing judgement.

What??? That takes all the fun out of it

 

[Swami]

Yeah I posted this a few weeks ago:

http://bayoushooter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42687

Didn't know the officer got suspended though so this is an update.