On Friday, Nov. 22, six junior Union University athletic training students who were eating breakfast at Perkins Restaurant on Vann Drive provided care until EMS arrived to a man in his 80s who was having a seizure.
Students Ethan Bond, Noah Graves, Riley Gray, Riley Jo Tate, Sadie Thetford and Leah Williams were eating breakfast at the restaurant when they noticed a man who seemed to be choking. Graves and Tate went over to help and realized that he was having a seizure.
After introducing themselves to the man’s relatives who were also at the restaurant, the students provided standard care to the man. Tate held the man’s head, Graves took his vitals and the other students talked to his children about his medical history. Upon learning that he had experienced heart and lung problems in the past and had been diagnosed with pneumonia the week before, they concluded that he was likely having a heart attack, continued to monitor his pulse and prepared to perform CPR if it became necessary. An ER nurse who was also in the restaurant confirmed that the man could be having a heart attack.
Tate said the man was conscious but not responsive at first. As the students provided care, he became more responsive, and Tate introduced herself and explained that the students were working to help him.
EMS arrived about ten minutes later and allowed the students to perform a six-man lift to move the man.
“I appreciated the respect after we told them we were athletic training students,” Tate said. “They understood that we were trained and being trained in emergent care. A lot of times people don’t really know what we do, so it was nice for him to appreciate and understand what we were trained in.”
Dr. Jonathan Allen of Union’s athletic training department expressed pride in hearing how the students handled the situation calmly and put to use what they had learned in the program.
“It was neat to see them do something in real-world, real-time that they’ve trained and talked about and discussed, but then actually seeing them apply it without us there prompting them to do it,” Allen said. “When most people think athletic training, they think we are out there simply for the athlete. They don’t realize that what we train in and what we’re capable of doing is able to be utilized across the board. We’re teaching people how to be able to help, to save a life if need be.”
Tate also emphasized the scope of Union’s athletic training program in equipping students to care for anyone in need.
“I think Union and our professors have done a great job of making us realize that this isn’t just our job, it’s our mission field,” said Tate. “Sometimes we get the conception that missions is telling people about Jesus, and it is, but it’s also using our skill set that the Lord blessed us with to minister to others in whatever field it may be.”
Photo Courtesy of TripAdvisor
