Dental hygiene students Tania Mazzuca and Anna Lemoine had just finished up pediatric clinic and were walking back to their cars when they noticed a woman in distress in the pedway. The woman was unconscious and overdosing.
Knowing something had to be done, the two students reacted quickly and jumped in to help the patient. From calling 9-1-1 to administering a naloxone kit, Tania and Anna are very thankful to the knowledge they gained from professor Alexandra Sheppard that helped them take control of the situation and help the woman. Read their heartfelt thank you and story below:
Hello Professor Sheppard,
Anna and I just wanted to reach out and say thank you. Today we left clinic and in the pedway we saw an unconscious female who was clearly OD on some sort of drug. We were two of the four individuals that surrounded her (other two were nurses) quickly Anna and I realized she was unconscious due to drugs. We checked her pulse and quickly I called the 911, while Anna ran to the hospital to get a naloxene kit. Honestly, without the naloxene class we wouldn't have known what to do in that situation and once it was administrated a couple minutes later the ambulance arrived and the girl woke up.
Honestly I just wanted to send this not for praise or anything but like wow thank you for teaching us that. We were quick on our feet and felt like that knowledge just helped us save someone. Oh how powerful education can be.
Thank you,
Tania Mazzuca
Hello Professor Sheppard,
I just wanted to thank you so much for having that session in the beginning of the semester with us on the fentanyl crisis and having us complete the naloxone training session. This afternoon after clinic Tania, Marissa and I were involved in an emergency situation and I truly believe that the knowledge and information you provided us help us save a life!
I am so grateful for that session, and wanted to thank you for making sure to include that in our program this year. I would definitely encourage that to be included in every year in this program. It has encouraged me to carry a naloxone kit with me in my backpack, because we never know when we may run into someone in need.
Best regards,
Anna Lemoine