Expert advice
Legal advice: What are the implications for nurses who provide first aid outside of the work environment?
Although the UK does not have a Good Samaritan law requiring passers-by to provide first aid, nurses have a professional and ethical duty to give help within their level of competence
Although the UK does not have a Good Samaritan law requiring passers-by to provide first aid, nurses have a professional and ethical duty to give help within their level of competence
Providing first aid outside of your work situation can be seen as a Good Samaritan act. But unlike some other countries, including Finland and Germany, the UK does not have a Good Samaritan law that requires someone to come to the aid of another, unless there is a pre-existing duty or they created the situation.
This means that a nurse has no legal duty to provide first aid to a member of the public outside the work situation and environment.
...Want to read more?
Unlock full access to RCNi Plus today
Save over 50% on your first three months:
- Customisable clinical dashboard featuring 200+ topics
- Unlimited online access to all 10 RCNi Journals including Nursing Standard
- RCNi Learning featuring 180+ RCN accredited learning modules
- NMC-compliant RCNi Portfolio to build evidence for revalidation
- Personalised newsletters tailored to your interests
Already registered or subscribed? Log in
This article is not available as part of an institutional subscription. Why is this?
