Posted 13 October 2021 - 17:19
Posted 13 October 2021 - 17:19
News
Off-duty nurse praised for pulling man from burning car on her way to work
‘I was acting on instinct’ said Mags Chineah after she sprinted towards danger
‘I was acting on instinct’ said Mags Chineah after she sprinted towards danger
A ‘selfless’ off-duty nurse who rescued a man from a burning car has been praised for her quick-thinking.
Nurse pulled driver out of car after a collision
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust heart failure nurse Mags Chineah was on her way to work when she witnessed a collision in east London.
‘I saw a car crash into a sign on a mini-roundabout and could see flames under the bonnet straight away,’ said Ms Chineah.
‘I was worried it would explode so I jumped out of the car and sprinted over.
‘The driver was in shock so wasn’t moving very fast so I helped pull him out and got him away from the car as quickly as I could. I was completely acting on instinct.’
A crew from London Fire Brigade were quickly on the scene and put out the flames to prevent an explosion.
The driver, who is in his fifties, and a woman were treated at the scene by London Ambulance Service NHS Trust after the collision on 4 October.
Ms Chineah only happened to be driving past because she was running late for work, and had accepted a lift from her daughter Nicole. Once Ms Chineah had checked everyone was ok, she headed to work as the emergency services had arrived.
Instinctive sprint towards danger showed selflessness and compassion
It’s not the first time Ms Chineah has stepped in to help while off duty. In 1999, she responded to a call for medical assistance on a flight when a fellow passenger collapsed.
‘I never panic in an emergency and it doesn’t bother me to run towards a situation. In this case it was the first time I’d sprinted in years,’ she said. ‘I think I pulled something.’
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust chief nurse Kathryn Halford said she was ‘very proud’ of Ms Chineah, who has worked at the trust for 30 years.
‘Mags displayed incredible selflessness and compassion when she ran towards danger to help the driver.’
Assisting in an emergency
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) code says nurses should always offer help if an emergency arises in their practice setting or anywhere else. However, you must:
- Only act in an emergency within the limits of your knowledge and competence
- Arrange, wherever possible, for emergency care to be accessed and provided promptly
- Take account of your own safety, the safety of others and the availability of other options for providing care
Adapted from the NMC code
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