I came across an unconscious woman - what should I do?
Discussion
I was out in the forest the other morning when I saw a figure collapsed on the path with a dog by its side
As I got there it was a woman in her early 30s. She was on her side and alive but unconscious so I checked her airways were clear and rang 999. She was already on her side and didn't want to move her and there was no need to.
I checked the dog for an address or phone number but nothing, it wasn't sure whether it wanted to wag its tail or bite me.
I rummaged through her pockets and found her phone which had an emergency screen saying she was type 1 diabetic and an emergency contact number which I rang. Her husband answered and when I told him where I was, he said he was on his way.
The ambulance arrived and they had her sorted and conscious in about 15 minutes.
Is there anything I should have done differently?
As I got there it was a woman in her early 30s. She was on her side and alive but unconscious so I checked her airways were clear and rang 999. She was already on her side and didn't want to move her and there was no need to.
I checked the dog for an address or phone number but nothing, it wasn't sure whether it wanted to wag its tail or bite me.
I rummaged through her pockets and found her phone which had an emergency screen saying she was type 1 diabetic and an emergency contact number which I rang. Her husband answered and when I told him where I was, he said he was on his way.
The ambulance arrived and they had her sorted and conscious in about 15 minutes.
Is there anything I should have done differently?
Good suggestion re the first response course. I've only recently moved to this rural location so it could come in useful. We had an RAF helicopter drop out of the sky the other month which could have been nasty but thankfully no injuries.
A friend of mine found somebody who had hung themselves. Luckily found him blue but still alive.
Re the necklace, I wouldn't have found it as she was dressed for walking in the cold and I felt uncomfortable enough rummaging in her pockets. If anything, she seemed over dressed for the temperature as I was just in a thin long sleeved shirt and not cold.
Very good point about the necklace though as if this kind of thing happens again, I won't be so reluctant to invade personal space. They could be dying.
The frightening thing was that she looked so healthy with no obvious signs of external injuries and at first had no idea what could have happened to her. The possibility of being diabetic hadn't entered my head.
A friend of mine found somebody who had hung themselves. Luckily found him blue but still alive.
Re the necklace, I wouldn't have found it as she was dressed for walking in the cold and I felt uncomfortable enough rummaging in her pockets. If anything, she seemed over dressed for the temperature as I was just in a thin long sleeved shirt and not cold.
Very good point about the necklace though as if this kind of thing happens again, I won't be so reluctant to invade personal space. They could be dying.
The frightening thing was that she looked so healthy with no obvious signs of external injuries and at first had no idea what could have happened to her. The possibility of being diabetic hadn't entered my head.
FunkyNige said:
Shoegrip said:
Very good point about the necklace though as if this kind of thing happens again, I won't be so reluctant to invade personal space. They could be dying.
The first aid course I went on said to give a commentary of what you're doing so if they're unconscious but aware of voices they don't worry about what you're doing, ie. just say "I'm just going to check if you've got an emergency necklace on", or "I'll just look in your pockets for your phone to see if there's emergency contact details on it".When I posted this, I was wondering whether it is best to move them or not. As it was, she didn't need moving much.
The_Doc said:
OP: Good on you, bask in the knowledge that you are going to heaven for your actions. Then feel slightly cheesed off when you realise none of your mates will be there..... 
Doubt I'll be going to heaven. When she sent me a text thanking me for helping I told her it was nothing - anyone would have done the same thing and it was lucky she only had an iPhone 5 because if it would have been a 7 I would have just robbed her and left her. (Only joking about that last bit - it would have had to be a 7 plus for me to do that )I started this thread a few days after the event as it was still on my mind and I realised that the situation could have gone a number of ways and I wondered if there was anything that should have been done differently.
This was early in the morning in an area where it would have been quite possible for nobody to go past for several hours. It was pure chance that I was passing so there was nobody else who was going to take charge of the situation. Had it been in a city centre with lots of other people around then would I have stopped? It really would have depended on the situation and I wouldn't be critical of others not stopping as I don't know what is going on in their lives. What if they are going to catch a flight or to a genuinely important meeting?
On this occasion, lots of things went through my head. She was a pretty girl (lady) on her own, had she been attacked, if I go near her will I be accused of attacking her, is it appropriate for me to rummage her pockets? Should I move her? Is she I'll and will I catch anything from her.
It is shameful that those thought entered my mind as all that really mattered was, is she alive, is there anything that needs to be done to keep her alive, call the emergency services, try to find out if she has next of kin or contact details on her.
In hindsight, call emergency services should probably been on top of the list.
This was early in the morning in an area where it would have been quite possible for nobody to go past for several hours. It was pure chance that I was passing so there was nobody else who was going to take charge of the situation. Had it been in a city centre with lots of other people around then would I have stopped? It really would have depended on the situation and I wouldn't be critical of others not stopping as I don't know what is going on in their lives. What if they are going to catch a flight or to a genuinely important meeting?
On this occasion, lots of things went through my head. She was a pretty girl (lady) on her own, had she been attacked, if I go near her will I be accused of attacking her, is it appropriate for me to rummage her pockets? Should I move her? Is she I'll and will I catch anything from her.
It is shameful that those thought entered my mind as all that really mattered was, is she alive, is there anything that needs to be done to keep her alive, call the emergency services, try to find out if she has next of kin or contact details on her.
In hindsight, call emergency services should probably been on top of the list.
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