When we with think of all the patients that cross our paths, it may be difficult to image that we, as nurses, may be called to action at a setting outside our clinics/hospital. Beaumont Health is working towards a fully integrated health system with puts the patient and family at the center of the care we provide. The Beaumont Canton Ambulatory nurses, wanting to give back, were volunteering for the Salvation Army during the Holiday season. Christine, Denise, Melissa, Sarah (Melissa's daughter) Ashley, Sarah (Denise's daughter) Nancy and Shannon (Denise's daughter) were all planning to be there, but the day did not go as planned.
We were scheduled to ring the bell for the Salvation Army for 2 hours at the JC Penney in Westland. We were pros at this, as we did this the week prior at the JC Penney in Canton. As Denise was parking, another car approached her and a lady rolled her window down and asked Denise to call 911 as she was having shortness of breath. Denise jumped into action and went to the lady's car and called 911. Denise, knowing how important families are, asked Ashley a co-worker with us, to try and find any family of this lady, by looking in her phone. As Denise was talking to this lady she stopped breathing. By this time, Melissa and Ashley were there. They then moved her from her car to the ground and started CPR. EMS, Fire and Police showed up and took over.
Patients and families are also part of our lives as nurses. Denise's second daughter and Melissa's daughter were with us this day. They were able to see their mothers as nurses in action, doing CPR in a public parking area. Melissa's daughter still asks her if she saved anyone else at work. Canton staff Heroes! Angels at work. We then continued to ring the bell.
I am so proud of the staff I work with on a daily basis. Thank you Denise for planning the event and providing extraordinary care to this woman.