Ethics Scenario 2
SHOULD I CALL THE EMTs?
It had been a long second week of freshman year. Roommates Sally and Morgan were ready for the weekend. On Friday night, they heard about an upcoming party and decided to check it out. The beer was plentiful, and even though they were underage, Sally and Morgan were welcome to drink as much as they wanted.
As the night progressed, Morgan, who had very little experience with alcohol in high school, started to feel sick, so Sally helped her back to the dorm. When they got to the dorm bathroom, Morgan passed out next to the sink.
Sally wasn't sure what she should do. She had heard that there were EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians) on campus to help in this situation. But she'd also heard that when you called the EMTs, you got fined and "written up." She didn't want to get in trouble or to make trouble for Morgan, but she thought her friend might be really ill.
Found at: http://www.scu.edu/r/ethics-center/ethicsblog/thebigq/10564/Should-I-Call-the-EMTs
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The best thing that could be done when you are in a situation like this is make sure you know the signs of alcohol poising. But if you are unsure of the signs and symptoms, then a good idea would be to contact either an RA, or someone of a higher power, who knows what they’re looking for. Basically just get a second opinion. But honestly if you’re worried about if someone has alcohol poising or not, and it isn’t looking good, call an EMT. I’m sure your friends parents would rather pay a fine than lose their child.
ReplyDeleteI think in this situation you don't really have a lot of time to go find a person of higher authority. It could be a matter of life and death.
DeleteI disagree about this situation not having enough time to find someone else. They are in there dorm building, in the bathroom. There must be an RA close, and it would probably be faster for her to run to the RA's room then to call the EMT and have them run to the building. The RA is already in the building, while the EMT first has to get there after you make a call. Therefore the best thing to do in this situation is to find an RA and hope they know what to do, and if they suggest calling an EMT then the best thing to do is call an EMT.
DeleteI somewhat agree with this. It is smart to contact or find an RA, but in this situation I would call the EMT's first.
DeleteI like your viewpoint on this and your reasoning because it makes sense to go the the RA first for help because they could be the ones to help determine her overall health and call the EMT if necessary. RAs are always on duty so they won't be hard to find and you won't be the one getting in trouble.
DeleteThe smartest and safest decision would be to call for help. They have Good Samaritan rule for cases like this she wouldn't get in trouble. But the last thing that she should be worried about is getting in trouble her friends life is way more important. She should especially call help in this situation because she has no idea how to take care of her friend. It's better to be safe then sorry in the end.
ReplyDeleteI agree that someone needs to be contacted about the situation, but not all states or colleges have a Good Samaritan law when it comes to having no penalty for alcohol poisoning in a minor. I think that the roommate needs to contact an RA first to make sure that the student is in fact showing signs of alcohol poisoning and then they should definitely call the EMT's.
DeleteI think the roommate should find a hall director or someone of higher power because they would likely have a better idea than you of what to do. There is the possibility that you are freaking out because it is your roommate and they are in good shape. In this case, this is why I would not call the EMT right away and possibly get your roommate written up without knowing if they are fine or not. However, if it is serious, then the hall director would give you instruction of what to do next.
DeleteI think that the smartest thing to do would be call the EMT. Considering both of them have little knowledge about alcohol could be dangerous. I might say that if they had a little more experience she could find someone else to help. However, we could be talking about life and death and it is more important to keep someone's life than to have to pay a fine or get in trouble.
ReplyDeleteSeeking a medical professional would without a doubt be the right move, as there is no sense in risking someones life over getting in a little trouble.
DeleteIn this situation, the best option would be to call the EMT. Even though they are afraid of getting in trouble a fine is better than someone possibly dying. Both of the girls have very little experience with alcohol, so they have no clue how to take the correct precautions.
ReplyDeleteI agree, calling the EMT is the best situation in this situation. The fine shouldn't even be her worry, her worry should be on her friend.
DeleteConsidering the girls inexperience with drinking also comes inexperience with knowing the signs of alcohol poisoning. Therefore, yes, I agree that calling the EMT is critical.
DeleteI agree with this because it is important to protect your friends and make sure they are safe. Yes, they might both be in trouble but it is better to learn that way instead of someone losing their life.
DeleteThe only answer to this situation is to call the EMT's. Even though they would get in trouble and get a fine for the situation, but your friends life is much more valuable than getting in trouble.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that you should absolutely call the EMT's. I also agree with your idea that a life is way more valuable than any punishment.
DeleteIf you do not feel confident in someone'e health in the slightest, then the immediate action to take is to seek help whether it be friends, RA's or even a medical staff. Never should someone deal with this on their own and hope for the best, especially when a life is at stake.
ReplyDeleteIn this situation the health of her friend should be the main importance and while there will be repercussion for their actions the biggest repercussion that could be faced is the death of her friend. In this situation the best option is to call EMS.
ReplyDeleteCalling the EMTs takes a lot of courage, because with that could come potential consequence for underage drinking. However, Sally is in a dangerous position that needs to be handle by experienced EMT professionals.Therefore, I believe it is important for Sally to call them to make sure that Morgan is safe.
ReplyDeleteI think the best thing to do would be to find an older kid or a hall monitor in your hall. If she is in that bad of shape, calling the EMT takes more time to get to your room. So in my opinion, I would find someone like a RA or hall director who could give you good advice of that to do and I would listen to whatever they say and proceed accordingly.
ReplyDeleteI agree that finding an RA or hall director first may be the best option. They can be a voice of reason and help you decide if calling the EMTs should be the next step.
DeleteI also agree with this because the RA can give an extra opinion on the situation. An RA is there to ensure safety to the residence and this situation plays into that safety.
DeleteWhile I do believe that contacting the Emts would be the best call for this situation. Because it is always better to be safe than sorry. However I do understand the sense of panic because of the fine she will receive, so maybe by practicing safe drinking habits, and tending to her friend properly, she would only need to contact the Emts if it was too much too handle.
ReplyDeleteI think that the best solution to the problem would be to contact the EMT because a life is a stake. If she is passed our drunk then alcohol poisoning is at high risk and she could use some immediate attention. The fine and getting in trouble sucks, but it could save her life and is something you can learn from
ReplyDeleteWhile living in the dorms, RA's are certified in CPR and know what they are doing when it comes to illness and these types of situations. I would immediately go get the RA to have Morgan checked out. From there, the RA and I could make a decision on what to do. If she is in a state where her breathing is abnormal and she needs to seek medical attention, calling the EMS is the proper thing to do. Being written up and paying a fine are going to be worth losing a life if the situation is at that level of seriousness.
ReplyDeleteI agree that our RAs should be involved and be the first people we go to for help. They can help get other adults for assistance and help you make the descion to call the EMTs or not. I definitely believe that Morgan's life is worth saving, no matter the consequences.
DeleteIn this situation, you should definitely call the EMT'S. A life is much more valuable to keep than avoiding a fine ore penalty. No matter what situation you are in as a student, you should always strive to help each other and keep each other safe instead of worrying about the consequence.
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ReplyDeleteSally should one hundred percent call the EMTs. BY not doing so, she is putting her friend's life at risk, who trusts her (sally) to take care of her and keep her safe. Being fined and written up are two small consequences to face, especially when someone's life is at risk. Sally acknowledged the fact that she thinks Morgan might be very ill, so she should do what is morally correct, and save Morgan's life.
ReplyDeleteAlthough both risk getting into trouble, it is still important to call the EMTs and get the necessary help because you are not sure how serious this could effect your friend. Yes, your friend may be mad at you but would you rather them be dead? In the end they will understand that what you did was necessary. You should always do what it takes to help your friend out even if they might be mad at you because they don't realize how bad of a condition they were actually in.
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