During the summer semester, athletic training graduate students at Southeastern Louisiana University had more of a hands-on learning opportunity than they bargained for ---- they saved a life on campus.
Students from the Master of Science in Athletic Training program were exiting class around 2 p.m., which is the same time that the clients from the OPTIONS program were dismissed.
OPTIONS clients have cognitive challenges and provide integral services to the College of Nursing through simple maintenance and custodial work.
The students and clients converged in the breezeway when one of the clients collapsed as he approached his transportation vehicle. Immediately, MSAT students responded to the victim by assessing airway, breathing, circulation, and responsiveness - all skills they had just learned in Clinical Assistant Professor Scottie Patton’s Emergencies in Athletic Training class.
Non-responsiveness, lack of breathing, and lack of pulse were determined and CPR was initiated. Emergency services were called, the AED was retrieved from the Kinesiology and Health Sciences building, two-person CPR was started by the students, and Patton was notified of the emergency all at the same time through tremendous teamwork by the students.
Nursing students assisted with maintaining the airway of the victim and retrieved their “crash cart.” The University Police Department, Hammond Fire Department, and EMS all arrived to care for and transport the victim.
“The remarkable thing about this incident is that the emergency response was entirely student-initiated without hesitation, as the athletic training students had just reviewed situations like this,” Patton said. “Bystanders reported that the response was seamless, and the victim made a full recovery.”
The athletic training students and Patton were recognized for their response by Southeastern’s President William S. Wainwright.
“This is a powerful example of how experiential learning prepares our students to make a difference when it matters most,” said Wainwright. “These students took the skills they had learned in the classroom and immediately put them into action, demonstrating tremendous preparation, teamwork and compassion. We are incredibly proud of their response and grateful to everyone who worked together to help save a life.”
For more information about Southeastern’s Athletic Training program, visit southeastern.edu/majors-and-minors/athletic-training-ms/.
Southeastern President William S. Wainwright recognized the students and their instructor for their lifesaving efforts with Southeastern coins. Pictured, front row, from left, are students Anna Marie Asheo of Coldwater, Miss., Ashley Cornwell of Geismar, Tanzy Villacis-Mena of Baton Rouge, and Taylor Bonura of Saint Rose. Second row, from left, are students Baylie Fournet of Prairieville, Caleb Ritchie of Brookhaven, Miss., Christopher Brenning of Kiln, Miss., and Abigail Saba of Loranger. Third row, from left, are Clinical Assistant Professor Scottie Patton, and students Christian Dupre of Houma, Robert Clement of Houma, Kameron Goleman of Lecompte, and Tyler David Powell of Slidell.
