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Irked by lack of response during a work emergency


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So I'm a little pissed off and still in shock from today's event at work. Sorry for any lack in grammar or paragraphs, I'm typing from my phone. I went on my 10 minute break today but still had my walkie talkie on. I was outside smoking when I hear "someone call 911 there's been an accident in the fitting room". I then hear "omg does anyone know cpr". Nobody responds, I say I do and I'll be right there. I punch in my employee code to get in the side door and notice my store manager is just bull****ting with the loss prevention manager as if an emergency isn't happening! And she heard the call trust me. I started running to the fitting room, and when I got there- it was only my 1 friend and coworker that was at this girls aid, she was the one that radioed for cpr. I was instructed that the customer had a seizure and stopped breathing. It was pretty evident, it was scary- her eyes were wide open, non responsive, and she was completley blue. I never seen anything like it, I was scared and shaking, but I would rather take action even if it meant I made a mistake, then take no action like the rest of my co-workers. I went to open her mouth and her teeth clenched up and she started beathing, thank the lord! She was still out of it for another 5 minutes. The paramedics got lost on the way, took them 15 minutes, by then she was fully conscious. I don't know, I'm just frustrated by the lack of response an initiative by co-workers. This girl could have died, and she looked dead for a good 10 minutes. I just wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I did what the others did and just stood around. Oh and after the whole ordeal, one girl said "yeah I dealt with seizures like this all the time at my old job". Really? Then why didn't she help? I know people get scared but ****, its common sense, you do what you can. God I hope I never have an accident at work, due to the lack of response. Venting, sorry.

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May I say that was an ordeal that you definitely deserve credit for handling despite the co workers lack of aide.

I am both speechless and sadly disappointed in the lack of concern your boss's and others had. This really was a life. They had an opportunity to assist in helping. Yes I get the legal ramifications (medical aide without training yada yada spiel)...But for some reason I side with you ...you do what you can...whatever that may be.

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Your next step would depend on whether you want to remain employed or not. It appears a critical procedure may not have been executed properly, though you did great, so you can follow up on that and see what the operations manual/guidelines for the store spell out. If changes in procedures and/or responsibility need to occur, then that. If the chain of command processed improperly and needs to be fixed, that. On and on.

 

Alternatively, it might be a good time to suggest that the store put on a CPR class for associates, with the store manager securing the trainer and overseeing the class.

 

Glad to read you care, did something and that the victim apparently lived. Good on ya for that.

 

What you described sounded to me like an epileptic seizure. I've experienced those with friends in the past and they can be scary. Hard to know. In my case, I knew they were epileptics and what to expect and how to handle the situation. You had complete unknown. Hope you don't have to deal with that again anytime soon.

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So I'm a little pissed off and still in shock from today's event at work. Sorry for any lack in grammar or paragraphs, I'm typing from my phone. I went on my 10 minute break today but still had my walkie talkie on. I was outside smoking when I hear "someone call 911 there's been an accident in the fitting room". I then hear "omg does anyone know cpr". Nobody responds, I say I do and I'll be right there. I punch in my employee code to get in the side door and notice my store manager is just bull****ting with the loss prevention manager as if an emergency isn't happening! And she heard the call trust me. I started running to the fitting room, and when I got there- it was only my 1 friend and coworker that was at this girls aid, she was the one that radioed for cpr. I was instructed that the customer had a seizure and stopped breathing. It was pretty evident, it was scary- her eyes were wide open, non responsive, and she was completley blue. I never seen anything like it, I was scared and shaking, but I would rather take action even if it meant I made a mistake, then take no action like the rest of my co-workers. I went to open her mouth and her teeth clenched up and she started beathing, thank the lord! She was still out of it for another 5 minutes. The paramedics got lost on the way, took them 15 minutes, by then she was fully conscious. I don't know, I'm just frustrated by the lack of response an initiative by co-workers. This girl could have died, and she looked dead for a good 10 minutes. I just wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I did what the others did and just stood around. Oh and after the whole ordeal, one girl said "yeah I dealt with seizures like this all the time at my old job". Really? Then why didn't she help? I know people get scared but ****, its common sense, you do what you can. God I hope I never have an accident at work, due to the lack of response. Venting, sorry.

 

I think it's just the way some people are now. We hear all of the time where people are mugged, assaulted, etc. and people just stand there and watch. Just be glad you are not apart of the apathetic crowd.

 

I had a friend that upon hearing of a tragedy, would say, "I'm glad that wasn't me"...WTH?????? Personally I found that verbage offensive. Certainly we all consciencly or subconsciencly at some point in our lives have started to think this way, but most dismiss it quickly knowing that it is wrong thinking. This was this friends normal thought process...

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  • 2 weeks later...
creighton0123

From experience, I know that many larger places of employment have some employees trained as emergency responders for situations exactly like this.

 

You can't fault people, though. For the most part, a majority of us have never been in a situation with a frightening medical emergency. As it stands, though, unless you're trained to respond to certain types of emergencies, you can actually cause more damage than good in attempting to aid the person undergoing the emergency.

 

Everyone's first instinct when witnessing a seizure is to restrain the person on their back, which is often the last thing you want to do. In this instance, it is better to not act than to risk further injury.

 

A real emergency is scary. You can't blame most people for locking up.

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