Michele Frazier
October 2024
Michele
Frazier
,
BSN, RN, CCRN
DCH PACU
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland
United States
On her way into work, our coworker Michele F. (who works in the pediatric PACU, but has a significant pediatric cardiac ICU background) turned the corner before fully on campus to see a man (later learned that he is a 74-year-old local physician) unconscious down on the ground with two bystanders around him. Michele stopped and learned from the witnesses that he had only been down for 1 minute, that they had witnessed it, and that he had hit his head.
They didn't know CPR. Michele sprang into action and started CPR (even though the majority of her career has been all pediatric), directed folks at the scene as to what to do (sending someone for an AED, someone to call 911), and delivered two rescue breaths without even a barrier, because there was no one to hold open his airway during her compressions. A bystander grabbed the AED from a nearby school, and the AED delivered 4 shocks, and the patient was still in v-fib when the AMR folks arrived.
Eventually, another RN arrived at the scene (an AYA traveler) and took over compressions as Michele had been the only one doing this for over 3 minutes. When Michele was safe to leave to come into work (when the AMR folks arrived at the scene), she stepped right into the work environment so naturally. This doesn't even seem odd to those of us who know Michele, because she's the kind of person who truly, deeply cares for other people; all people.
I'm so proud of the kind of nurse that she is! She gives so much and is so humble. She's an avid teacher, especially when it comes to cardiac education, and she has a real gift for it! And, one of the most beautiful parts of this story is that the patient's family asked to be connected with her, and he has since met her and is doing well. The nursing team in the ICU here at OHSU attributed his recovery to Michele's excellent CPR skills.
Michele demonstrates the kind of compassionate care that is so inspiring in the nursing field, and I know we (her work crew) are so proud of her work, and this story just highlighted it. She demonstrated excellence in compassionate care and local outreach!
They didn't know CPR. Michele sprang into action and started CPR (even though the majority of her career has been all pediatric), directed folks at the scene as to what to do (sending someone for an AED, someone to call 911), and delivered two rescue breaths without even a barrier, because there was no one to hold open his airway during her compressions. A bystander grabbed the AED from a nearby school, and the AED delivered 4 shocks, and the patient was still in v-fib when the AMR folks arrived.
Eventually, another RN arrived at the scene (an AYA traveler) and took over compressions as Michele had been the only one doing this for over 3 minutes. When Michele was safe to leave to come into work (when the AMR folks arrived at the scene), she stepped right into the work environment so naturally. This doesn't even seem odd to those of us who know Michele, because she's the kind of person who truly, deeply cares for other people; all people.
I'm so proud of the kind of nurse that she is! She gives so much and is so humble. She's an avid teacher, especially when it comes to cardiac education, and she has a real gift for it! And, one of the most beautiful parts of this story is that the patient's family asked to be connected with her, and he has since met her and is doing well. The nursing team in the ICU here at OHSU attributed his recovery to Michele's excellent CPR skills.
Michele demonstrates the kind of compassionate care that is so inspiring in the nursing field, and I know we (her work crew) are so proud of her work, and this story just highlighted it. She demonstrated excellence in compassionate care and local outreach!