Why don't people intervene when they see someone in trouble?

and it was obvious my well-being was at a great risk and I sustained an injury or work restricting defect then I would not be backed by the RCN who I pay membership to for insurance purposes. At least that is how I understand it from what I have been taught.

Not in this bloody country it hasn't.

Putting aside all these snivelling 'oh, but ____ might happen!'s for a second, it basically comes down to this: when you're in a situation where someone needs your help then you have two choices. One of those choices makes you a contemptable coward.

No, the point of the matter is, that there will never be a situation where an untrained person has the choice of either rushing in and almost certainly helping, or cowering off. There is a much greater chance that, by running into a situation, you do far more harm than good.

That a potential nurse would be more concerned with her compensation post-event than aiding a member of the public during given hypothetical event, truly appalling, and rather depressing.

Again, no. The first rule that you are taught on any first aid course is simple.
You can't help anyone if you are dead. There is no point in going into a situation that would put your life in serious danger. Especially for a nurse, who could most certainly do more good at work, rather than at home, unable to recover from an injury because the insurance didn't cover it. My advice would be to help if you can, but do not add to the danger in doing so.

No, what I am saying is to take the advice of the trained professionals, who would tell you to keep out of the way, or, if it were time sensitive, to try and solve the situation, but without endangering your own life.
You say that you are a strong swimmer, but, if you went out to save a teenager and they got you in a bearhug, clinging on for their life, would you still be able to swim, or to get out of it. If they had broken their back would you be able to get them out without disrupting the injury further and possibly killing them, for which you would be held responsible? These are the situations for which we are trained, and for which we have to renew our training every month.

rather than at home, unable to recover from an injury because the insurance didn't cover it.

But you aren't saying that. You are simply saying 'don't help' because you've come to the strange conclusion people are incapable without specific training.

I'm a strong swimmer who used to compete in events, and I'm not physically weak. I'm sure I could save a child from a river given it didn't have a strong current, but you'd rather I stood by the bank waving my hands in the air waiting for the emergency services to arrive. Who, from the sounds of it, would simply join me on the bank in a bit of hand wringing whilst privately considering their insurance.

for which you would be held responsible?

It's not my "outlook on life/society" as a student nurse I have a legal obligation to help in any situation inside or outside of work (placement) where lives are at risk providing the risk to my life is less. If something happened to me in a situation where I helped and it was obvious my well-being was at a great risk and I sustained an injury or work restricting defect then I would not be backed by the RCN who I pay membership to for insurance purposes. At least that is how I understand it from what I have been taught.

Putting aside all these snivelling 'oh, but ____ might happen!'s for a second, it basically comes down to this: when you're in a situation where someone needs your help then you have two choices. One of those choices makes you a contemptable coward.

No, the point of the matter is, that there will never be a situation where an untrained person has the choice of either rushing in and almost certainly helping, or cowering off. There is a much greater chance that, by running into a situation, you do far more harm than good.

Not in this bloody country it hasn't.

Putting aside all these snivelling 'oh, but ____ might happen!'s for a second, it basically comes down to this: when you're in a situation where someone needs your help then you have two choices. One of those choices makes you a contemptable coward.

Alot of ppl just cant be bothered with the hassle. My dad always said to me to ignore things like that because its me who will end up the victim. When i was really young i remember a situation when i told a teacher about some boys i saw stealing some equipment from school. Ended up in loads of hassle and my dad really stressed to me to always just say ' i didnt see anything'. I know its a bad mentallity to have but too often if you try to help you end up worse off. A mate of mine tried helping a women who was getting beaten in the street by her boyfriend on a night out and she turned and started attacking him and screaming at him to leave her boyfriend alone.

I saw a couple walk into a greggs the other day whilst there was a long que. The cashiers cudnt see because of how packed it was. This couple walked in, the woman had a pram with a baby and the man just cut into the que to where the sandwich shelf was and filled this bag with 6-7 sandwiches, EVERYONE saw it happen. The female stopped him and went '' no no , the cheese get the cheese ones''. He added 3-4 cheese sandwiches and then he walked out. about 30 seconds later she left the que aswell and all the people just looked at eachother and said nothing.

Putting aside all these snivelling 'oh, but ____ might happen!'s for a second, it basically comes down to this: when you're in a situation where someone needs your help then you have two choices. One of those choices makes you a contemptable coward.

This post, and your opinion on these matters, is absolutely nauseating to any decent human being.