Nurses are covered in some states but not in others; in some states, only certain acts are covered. While in many states no person has a legal obligation to help another (except in employment situations), and a health care provider, like any other person, may choose to help or to leave the scene of an emergency, other states consider it mandatory for anyone to give help. Refer to the specific laws in your state. Regardless, in many situations, nurses may have an ethical responsibility to assist.