Just had to Heimlich a kid

Specialties School

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Talk about being in the right place at the right time!! The first graders were eating lunch and they asked me to cover the front desk (about 20 feet away from the cafeteria) for 10 minutes. All of a sudden a teacher looking terrified comes running to me yelling "Someone is choking". I had just answered the phone when she grabbed me and I threw the phone onto the desk and went running. The little boy was legit choking. I did the heimlich and a giant glob of food came up and out :wideyed: How he fit that much food into his mouth is beyond me. Anyway, he then vomited, cried and will be fine. I called his mom to tell her so she is aware. Poor kiddo is still shaking. The funniest part is, I went back to the front desk and the hone rang and the person says "Um, I just called a few minutes ago and think the call got dropped" :roflmao: I said "actually, the phone got dropped, by me".

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

Way to go!!

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Awesome!!!! How scary! Glad you were right there!

Have you guys seen these anti choking devices? Choking First-Aid | Anti-Choking Device | LifeVac | Save a Life

I think there should be 1 or 2 in every school! Same as an AED!

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Specializes in Sub-Acute, School Nursing, Dialysis.

Great job!!! Had to be scary! I always dread lunch time!

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Woof. That's one of those things (like CPR) that you "know" how to to do but it's totally different to actually do it. So glad you were nearby and that the student was OK! Great work! :up:

Then again, was someone else initiating the heimlich while that teacher was running to you? Yes it's good they got you quickly but don't most adults have a concept of how to do it?

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Specializes in School nursing.
Woof. That's one of those things (like CPR) that you "know" how to to do but it's totally different to actually do it. So glad you were nearby and that the student was OK! Great work! :up:

Then again, was someone else initiating the heimlich while that teacher was running to you? Yes it's good they got you quickly but don't most adults have a concept of how to do it?

They might, but I think most people don't actually know the proper positioning.

OP - go you!!

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..

That is AWESOME! Way to go!

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Great job!!!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.
Woof. That's one of those things (like CPR) that you "know" how to to do but it's totally different to actually do it. So glad you were nearby and that the student was OK! Great work! :up:

Then again, was someone else initiating the heimlich while that teacher was running to you? Yes it's good they got you quickly but don't most adults have a concept of how to do it?

So one of the lunch monitors was told by another child "something is wrong with Joseph" (Way To Go Friend for telling) and he said he couldn't tell the kid was choking, but another lunch monitor who was right next to him said "I think he's choking I'll run and get the nurse". All of this happened within like 30 seconds thankfully, and since I was right there, it was over within a couple minutes. I can't imagine what would have happened if the Heimlich hadn't actually worked. I am so thankful it worked immediately. That whole lowering to the ground once they go unconscious scenario is what I keep replaying in my mind. SO glad it didn't get to that point. And incidentally, just last week I was telling my school operations manager that I want to make sure we have several people from each grade CPR and First Aid trained. I have already coordinated a training for staff the first week we are back from Summer.

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Specializes in kids.
And incidentally, just last week I was telling my school operations manager that I want to make sure we have several people from each grade CPR and First Aid trained. I have already coordinated a training for staff the first week we are back from Summer.

This. I ask and ask and ask about doing large group presentations on epi pen, bbp etc and am told that is is taken up with department time....come my evaluation, they want more staff education...

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Nicely done!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.
This. I ask and ask and ask about doing large group presentations on epi pen, bbp etc and am told that is is taken up with department time....come my evaluation, they want more staff education...

Yup!! I tried to do it last Summer and they said there wasn't enough time. I think this year, enough teachers asked and said they felt uncomfortable in any type of emergent situation. I think yesterday's choking episode is exactly what admin needed to give me the go ahead.

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Specializes in School nursing.
This. I ask and ask and ask about doing large group presentations on epi pen, bbp etc and am told that is is taken up with department time....come my evaluation, they want more staff education...

YES. It is so hard to get even 10 minutes to do an Epi-pen demo.

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