Anyone who has ever worked in a community setting can agree that there are numerous challenges that rise day-to-day. Two essential characteristics of home care nurses and personal support workers who work in our community is problem solving and quick thinking.
These two qualities helped Bridget Hill, one of our Registered Practical Nurses in the Visiting Nursing Program, save someone’s life recently.
Bridget had gone into a patient’s home to provide care. While she usually visits this patient in the morning, that day, for some reason, Bridget was visiting later in the afternoon. She was chatting with the patient and the patient’s husband, who was also in the room resting on his walker, asking questions about the patient’s health and answering questions as they came up. Bridget noticed the husband had suddenly gotten very quiet while she was completing her patient’s care. She looked over and noticed him slumped over his walker unresponsive.
This is where Bridget’s quick thinking saved a life that day.
She checked, but he had no carotid pulse, so Bridget managed to get him on the floor, started performing CPR and called 9-1-1 to have him transported to the Emergency Room. She later found out that he had a second collapse at the hospital, but is now back home, with a pacemaker but very much alive thanks to Bridget.
And her patient is immensely grateful too. On this, International Nursing Day, we want to recognize Bridget for going above and beyond; she is a real lifesaver!