Leading a Rescue

Kristen has had many experiences in her 13 years in EMS that have involved quick thinking to save a life. She has delivered three babies in the field and resuscitated four cardiac arrest patients. However, one of her rescues involved skill in not just her medical knowledge, but also in quick decision making and being a trustworthy leader.

One day, Kristen was on a routine call in which she was driving an ambulance with her partner caring for a patient in the back when she was flagged down by someone who was panicked on the side of the road. The bystander told her that there was an unresponsive person on the sidewalk nearby. Kristen made the choice to park the ambulance, get equipment out and go assess the patient, which she decided was the right call because the patient in the back of the ambulance was stable enough to wait a few extra minutes before finishing transport to the hospital.

Kristen had to act alone because her partner was with their other patient, but she flawlessly assessed the patient, noticed that it was a cardiac arrest, and carried out CPR with the help of bystanders who she instructed to assist her and call 911. Kristen essentially led a group of people with no training to carry out the rescue as a team for five full minutes. Another ambulance eventually arrived, and by that time the patient’s heart was beating on its own.