In the Fall of 2022 is where my story begins. Emmalie and I were entering a patient's room together to practice our assessment. We found her patient in the chair, introduced ourselves, and explained to the tech that was monitoring him and the patient that we were going to perform an assessment. We began our assessment and I quickly discovered this patient was in a crisis and needed help. I stepped away to ask the tech to go for help as I believed this patient needed rapid support to prevent a life-threatening event. While my back was turned and I was explaining to the tech my concerns I heard Emmalie call out my name. I turned around to find that she was supporting the patient and that he had gone unresponsive. I quickly found the patient did not have a pulse. I informed the tech he had no pulse and we needed help, the tech ran from the room and did not return with help. I looked into Emmalie's eyes and saw panic, fear, and a desire to also leave the situation. I asked her to stay with me, I asked her to help me place the patient in the bed. I began compressions, I looked at Emmalie and asked her to help me, I asked her to take over compressions so that I could ensure help was on the way and begin advanced life support measures. In that moment, I will never forget, I saw Emmalie overcome her fear, and panic and determination entered her eyes. She began compressions and I was able to rally help from the nurses. Emmalie successfully and skillfully delivered two rounds of compressions while another nurse and I placed a backboard, administered epinephrine, and prepared for rapid defibrillation. Emmalie maintained that she would stay with me and see this resuscitative event through to the end. This was Emmalie's second clinical shift ever and on that day this young nursing student accepted the burden of self-sacrifice of being a nurse on a patient and their family's worst day.

On this day Emmalie set aside her role as a nursing student, overcame her own emotions and fears, and became not only what the patient needed but what I needed. I want to thank Emmalie for not abandoning me when I needed her and for her self sacrifice in the face of witnessing a life-threatening event occur to a patient. I want to add that this resuscitative event lasted 55 minutes and that every single one of my nursing students responded to my calls for help even when other staff members on the unit refused to help because they didn't want to take part in a resuscitative event.

Every single one of my students stayed in line for compressions and provided 90% of the compression work for this patient. These students followed feedback from the code leader and performed with such skill that I received copious praise from that ICU charge nurse on how impressed she was with their performance and teamwork. This group of students filled me with such pride at their strength, teamwork, and compassion that the memory of this day, though the patient did not achieve ROSC, I will remember and carry with me always. I want to say thank you to them for rising to the challenge and setting aside their hesitations to be what was needed.