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Unlikely set of circumstances leads to the rescue of a patient in the parking lot

by | Apr 16, 2022 | Health & Wellness

From Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center:

Healthcare Heroes:  Donald Hurt

Several Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center colleagues say it’s a miracle that Donald Hurt, 58, is alive after being found unresponsive in a hospital parking lot. Hurt was on his way to work when he started to feel uncomfortable and decided he should seek help.

“I took a sip of coffee and I got this weird feeling inside,” Hurt said. “It was like the hot coffee was melting my insides.”

Hurt made it to the hospital parking lot, but felt a cool sensation as soon as he stepped out of his car. The next thing he said he remembers is falling facedown and essentially dropping dead.

At the same time Hurt collapsed, Tracy Ishee, a medical technologist from the lab, finished her shift later than normal and was in her car in the same lot. She said an odd pair of boots caught her attention, so she opened an HCA Healthcare app that she had just downloaded the night before for use in the case of emergencies or to report anything unusual. The app gives the caller an option to connect to 911 or to alert the hospital by setting off an emergency code for help. That’s when Ishee said she realized the boots were actually worn by a man facedown, unresponsive, and without a pulse.

An interdisciplinary team of healthcare workers, including the ER team, paramedics, pharmacy, administration, laboratory and respiratory services, immediately arrived and helped Hurt fight for his life.

Dr. Jennea Correia, the vice chair of the ER, said, “I started thinking, ‘How can I tell his wife and family that he died in our parking lot?’ I can’t. That was my drive to keep trying and not give up on him.”

As Correia was about to intubate him, the team was able to get a pulse. Hurt suddenly opened his eyes and began talking.

“We asked him if he had a wife and if he was allergic to anything, and he responded that he was allergic to dirt,” Correia said. “He was essentially dead with no pulse, and suddenly he was sitting up, talking, and making me laugh. This is my most memorable resuscitation.”

Everyone involved in Hurt’s rescue said they can’t believe he not only survived, but was coherent within hours. Hurt is doing well now and even returned to work the following week after his heart attack.

“It is truly a miracle,” Correia said.

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