Dora is a
nurse that has worked in the same hospital for 15 years. When she heard about the RN ambulance ride-along
program, she signed up to go along once every 3 months.
Saturday Night Ride Along
Dora jumped
in the ambulance at 7 pm for the first call of the night. Dora worked with patients after hospital
admittance, but she was not accustomed to emergencies as she experienced that
night. The first call was at an abandoned
shopping mall that was currently occupied by homeless men and women, and often
drug users. The call led them to a 28-year-old
woman that had overdosed on heroin. As
the others watched paramedics care for her and load her into the ambulance, an
older woman said to tell her, if she woke up that she would look after her
kids. A little further investigating led
Dora to find out the patient had 3 children, all living in the alley with
her. Dora contacted social services to
pick up the 3, 5, and 7-year-old. The
second call came in just after leaving the overdosed patient at the
hospital. A car, accident not far from
the hospital involved 3 cars, and it was unsure if injuries were severe. Fortunately,
a few stitches and bruises were all there were, everyone was fortunate.
Related: Common Intestinal Disorders
The next
call was an elderly man that had what Dora was sure was a stroke. He was transported without complications; a
very upset wife needed more attention than he did at the time. The next call was a fight between opposing
gang members. Rain had started, and as
they got closer, Dora noticed the rain mixed with blood next to one of the
victims. He was pronounced-dead on the
scene from a gunshot wound. Two more
victims were suffering from gun shots, however, neither was life
threatening. Dora was extremely upset on
the way to the hospital with the two victims, talked the entire way about how
they would get even with the rival gang.
5 more calls that night involved a baby that had fallen in the bathtub
and almost drowned, another gang fight, which this time involved stabbing
victims, a pregnant woman that was in labor, and had no ride to the hospital, a
diabetic patient with low blood sugar, and another auto accident which involved
severe injuries.
Dora saw a
lot on her ride along that night, much of it caused a lack of sleep for several
nights, and however, she was glad for the chance to see what paramedics deal
with on a Saturday night. Dora signed up
for a total of 4 more ride alongs that year, each one different in some ways,
yet sadly alike in others. Every ride
along Dora went on had at least one drug overdose, and one or more gang
violence attacks. On the last ride along
Dora decided she wanted to do something with the education she received on her
ride along. Dora formed an alliance of
paramedics, police officers, and emergency room nurses to visit high schools
and educate students on the dangers of drug use, and gang violence. The program seemed to be a huge success, and
was expanded throughout the county.
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3 years
later, Dora was working on her regular floor when she was asked to mentor a
group of student nurses for the day.
Halfway through her shift, when they all took a break in the cafeteria,
one of the young students said to Dora, “You don't remember me, do you”? She was right, Dora did not remember her, but
learned she was one of the students at a school that she spoke at. Dora made such an impression on the group she
spoke to that, several of the students entered into a field of nursing or first
responders. Dora never realized how much
she would learn and accomplish from that ride along, but she was grateful for
the experience, and the opportunity to possibly transform some lives.
Many
hospitals now do ride along programs with nurses and doctors, and most have
been a great success. Sadly, it is
estimated that in major cities, one out of every 5 calls involve gang violence
or a drug overdose.
Related: International Nurses Association
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