Hats off to Women and Children Services, Emergency Department, Respiratory Therapy, Pharmacy, Spiritual Care, Rapid Response Team, Cardiologists, Intensivists and the Cardiovascular Care Unit.
In late March, a visitor collapsed in Women and Children Services due to ventricular fibrillation. Earlier that day, this person had rescued a stranger from a river after a car crash -- and then came to the hospital to witness a birth in the family. The person collapsed shortly afterwards. Nurses from WCS immediately recognized the situation and sprang into action.
Team members activated a Code Blue for a medical emergency and started basic lifesaving measures including defibrillation using an AED. Moments later, RRT and Code Blue teams from the ED, pharmacy, spiritual care and intensivists arrived. They continued resuscitation measures, the patient’s pulse returned to spontaneous circulation, and the patient was transported to the ED.
Later, the care team used targeted temperature management therapy, and the patient awoke the next morning.
“Within 48 hours, the patient had returned to baseline, off oxygen and without symptoms,” said Kevin Thompson, MD, attending cardiologist. “A defibrillator was placed for prevention of future events, and the person was discharged. I have seen the patient in clinic and the patient remains stable, asymptomatic and back to normal daily life thanks to all the first responders in the hospital and their excellent care on CVCU.”
Kudos to the providers and staff who helped (and we apologize if we don’t have all the names):
Emergency — Brian Clothier, MD; Kelly Marineau, RN’ Tricia Talley, RN
ICU — Michelle Marchand, RN
CVCU — Kevin Thompson, MD; Marcene Thomas, RN; Nimeshkumar Meta, MD; Steve Marvel, MD; Victoria Bernhard, RN; Emily Day, RN; Kellie Wilcox, RN; Patricia Meier; RN; Heather Rideout, RN
WCS — Amy Brase, RN; Michelle Hirschkorn, RNC; Shelley Weise, RN; Lisa Ketchum, RN; Cassandra Mattson-Boyechko, RN; Evelyn “Michelle” Jones, RN; Heidi Classen, RN; Katie Hill, RN; Marianne Schroeder, RN; Amy Molan, RN; Emily Neves, RN; Amber Schwartz, CUA; Jessica Dearborn, RN; Sara Towell, RN