Patient dies after the route of emergency rescue van blocked

A heartless nurse who blocked the path of an ambulance, and therefore delayed its journey to help a critical patient, is threatening to sue the emergency services and netizens who criticised her after she complained about the ambulance. The patient later died because the emergency service van did not get there in time.

Tal Sulawan, a practical nurse in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, took to social media yesterday at 6.10pm to complain about the emergency rescue van on a Facebook group called Tung Song Junction (ชุมทางทุ่งสง).

The woman said…

“This message is a complaint for an emergency rescue van from the Siam Ruam Jai Salvation. Look at the left lane before asking a way from other drivers. Don’t only try to chase other cars away for your own convenience. Think about others’ safety. No matter how hurried you are, safety should be the first priority.”

Almost 6,000 people reacted to her post, and 7,600 people commented. It’s fair to say most Thai netizens didn’t agree with her opinion, adding that emergency services should get priority on the roads because they have to deal with matters of life and death. Many others added being a nurse she should know that better than most people.

President of the Siam Ruam Jai Salvation, in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Piyapong Sookchana, clarified the issue on his Facebook account after the story went viral.

Piyapong said he had already talked to the rescue van driver. The driver informed him that the team was in a hurry to pick up a critical patient to take to the hospital.

The driver said there was a green sedan blocking their way. The team turned a siren on to request the sedan driver to allow them to pass but the sedan driver just ignored them and drove slowly until the rescue van driver found another route to get past her.

The driver added the rescue team was too late to save the patient. The patient’s heart had already stopped when the team arrived.

Piyapong reported that the dash cam video backed up the ambulance driver’s story.

“You are also a practical nurse, so I think you understand a situation like this very well. If the patient isn’t in a serious condition, we will never be in a hurry like this. Be more thoughtful.”

According to media reports, the female practical nurse showed no remorse and insists she did the right thing. She also threatened to sue the rescue team and netizens who criticised her.

SOURCE: Channel 8 | Dailynews | ปิยะพงษ์ สุขชนะ

SOURCE: Channel 8 | Dailynews | ปิยะพงษ์ สุขชนะ