Good Morning! I woke up and saw a phenomenal story on my news feed regarding two outstanding nurses I know. Here is the story in Kim's words:
"So, last night on my way into work, I decided to stop at a local CVS to stock up on some drinks and snacks for my 12-hour shift in the Children's Emergency Department. I was going to stop at the Walgreens, but the light turned red and it was easier to just go to CVS. I walk into the store and find myself to be the only customer. I gather my purchases and head towards the register when a man comes in screaming hysterically asking for help. I couldn't really understand him and the cashier looked scared. He approached me and started screaming and crying asking me where the medicine was for an overdose. I told him he needed Narcan and it would probably be behind the counter. He runs to the back and screams that the pharmacy is closed. I asked him to calm down and asked him if he called 911 and if someone was with his friend. He said he just called 911 and that she was in the hotel behind CVS. He is panicked and just keeps asking for help. I put my stuff down on the counter and thank God a former co-worker, Lori Alligood, walks in the door as he continues to explain to me what happened and as I am contemplating what I am going to do, he just takes off running and I said: "Well let's go". Lori and I follow him.
As soon as I entered the hotel lobby, I noticed the manager on the phone behind the glass and three young children in the lobby playing. We lost sight of the guy so I asked where he went. Smoke filled my nose as I am trying to catch my breath and the place just had a smell I can't really describe. The kids point us to the hall and when we turn the corner I notice the door was opened to the room. Two ladies standing in the hall just staring into the room and yelling "Is she dead?" I get into the room and see a man in the corner chair shooting up, about 15-20 cellphones on one bed and another man sitting on the other bed. The end table is full of needles, lighters, and what I assume to be drug residue and drug paraphernalia. The girl is on the floor in between the two beds. We notice she has at least been turned onto her side as she is gasping for air and clearly in respiratory distress with all the secretions coming out of her mouth. Lori checks for a pulse and I am trying to find my keys to get my one-way pocket mask for CPR. She has a thready pulse and then it's gone. Lori starts compressions and I wait until she's tired. We switch, back and forth for what seemed to be forever. No one is helping us and are more concerned with the drugs than this person. This human being. Police arrive and ask if they can get by while we are doing CPR. I ask for Narcan. I just assumed they carried it. EMS arrives as I'm doing compressions and we check for a pulse. She now has one and they take over. Lori and I walk away and hope she makes it."
The two nurses are Kim Mewborn, in the Children's Emergency Department and Lori Alligood, on CICU (both originally from 3 South, that's how I know them). They are both amazing nurses every day and to be this brave to go into an unknown environment and be as observant as they were is astonishing and they need to be recognized for saving an individual's life by going well above and beyond the call of duty.
Note: This is Lori's 2nd DAISY Award!