A high Risk patient presented to L & D for her routine 5th repeated c/section. The patient was currently incarcerated and under the escort of 2 armed Cobb County officers, which added to the tension in the room. She had known placenta previa, which meant a higher risk for bleeding and complications during her surgery, so L & D prepared by scheduling Cell Saver to be in the room.

Complications arose after the delivery of the baby and the patient's bleeding became more extensive. The OR team responded quickly, a hysterectomy was started, and massive transfusion protocol initiated. The patient's bleeding continued to worsen. Blood bank was not able to run blood to the OR, so staff RN's took turns running across campus to retrieve the dozen + units of blood and blood products. The patient started to go into DIC while urology was called in to help with the bladder and the OB's continued to fight against excessive amounts of blood loss. Every person in that room was doing everything they could and were willing to do whatever job was thrown at them - from running labs to gowning/gloving and crawling under the drapes to feed guide wires through the foley and so on. When the bleeding was finally stabilized she was transferred to the ICU. This emergency took incredible teamwork to save this patient's life.

Thanks to fearless leader Chris Eymold and the Team of Nurses:

Debbie Brown,
Joy Ashworth,
Jami Macurak,
Emily Bayley,
Danielle McGinn,
Erin Rakestraw,
Courtney Ward,
Jena Bryant,
Marie McTyre