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by
Praveen, MSN, RN (Columnist)
Natalie Davies, a senior at Sacred Heart University, was on Spring break when she selflessly presented herself to the aid of a man who collapsed at John F. Kennedy Airport, stated a report from ScrubsMag.
"With my clinical experience, plus my work in the emergency room at Yale New Haven Hospital, I just reacted,” stated Davies.
This is often the reality of nurses, whether working on the frontlines or on holiday, such as in Natalie's case, when an emergency arises, you automatically switch into nurse mode.
Despite being only a nursing student, Natalie trusted her ability and began performing CPR and was eventually able to get the man talking again with the administration of an AED by the time EMS arrived.
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Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is one of the many skills taught to nursing students. CPR is used when an individual's heart stops beating or beats ineffectively, causing poor blood perfusion to body organs. No one wants to ever be in a situation where they may have to perform CPR or receive CPR, especially when you are still a student learning your trade.
AEDs are essential tools that are needed in addition to high-quality compressions in order to get a heart beating again. "We were lucky the AED was so accessible,” Davies added.
Recognition from Sacred Heart University
Natalie's quick thinking and action caught the attention of Karen Daley, dean of the school's nursing department, and Heather Ferrillo, undergraduate nursing program chair.
"We are proud of her and commend her for taking this life-saving action. She translated our mission of caring and compassion into action, which is at the heart of what we do in nursing,” Daley mentioned.
"Natalie exemplifies what it means to be a SHU nursing student. She put into practice what she has learned over the last four years and didn't hesitate to share her knowledge and skills in an unexpected situation,” said Heather.
Importance of Learning CPR
Davies' passion for helping people grew from a young age, being the daughter of a physician and spending countless days in a doctor's office. Davies is on course to graduate this Spring and has accepted a critical care registered nurse position at Yale New Haven's Emergency Department.
"In this case, there were a couple of us right there who knew what to do. It's important for everyone to learn how to administer CPR when needed,” advised Davies.
This article was originally reported by Scrubs Magazine.
Edited by Joe V
About Praveen, MSN, RN
Praveen has 4 years experience as a MSN, RN and specializes in Public Health.