Driving past Scarborough Beach on the South Island of New Zealand on January 31st, Madolyn Connolly suddenly noticed an older gentleman standing next to a man who was lying flat on his back on the sidewalk behind a row of cars. The Ingram School of Nursing graduate (BScN’20, MSc(A)-AN’23) immediately sprang into action, stopping her vehicle to see if the man needed assistance.
As she relates, “Upon looking at the man on the ground, who appeared to be in his late 70s, I noted he was cyanotic; his friend stated he just fell over. The man was unresponsive to a sternal rub. I did a pulse check and noted no pulse, no respirations so I immediately began CPR. I directed a bystander to retrieve Scarborough Fare Cafe's Automated External Defibrillator (AED) which was down the street while I got on the phone with an emergency dispatcher. I gave continuous compressions for 15 minutes before the AED arrived/was set up and I delivered one shock as advised before resuming compressions for another 10+ minutes. Volunteer firefighters arrived on scene and we rotated compressions until ambulance staff arrived. The patient was intubated on scene and placed on a portable vent. I worked with the team to package the patient for transport to hospital while speaking on the phone with the patient's wife, gathering medical history and providing updates. The Sumner Paramedics and first aid personnel made an outstanding team, effectively and efficiently assessing and transporting the patient.”
After being stented upon arrival at the hospital and transferred to the Intensive Care Unit where he was recovering, the patient suddenly took a turn for the worst and passed away on February 8th. Despite the less than happy ending, the story of Madolyn’s heroic intervention continues to have a ripple effect on the Scarborough Beach community. “People are verifying where their closest AED is and many beachfront members are registering for first aid refreshers,” Madolyn reports.
Reflecting on the experience, Madolyn noted that while her nursing training came in handy, the fact that New Zealand is well equipped with AEDs in public spaces was a huge asset. She believes that merely having access to the equipment, however, is not enough. “Everyone should learn basic CPR. You never know when you will be in a position to help save a life.”
In the fall, McGill participates in the World Restart a Heart (WRAH) campaign, a student-led interprofessional initiative offering an engaging and informative series of live events, including a CPR booth, fun classes and a high-impact social media campaign.
Assistant Professor Caroline Marchionni, who served as a mentor to Madolyn, is proud of her former pupil. “Madi distinguished herself not only in her studies, but also as President of the McGill Vascular Access Student Club, which provides students with various opportunities to practice and this vital but challenging skill. She also served as a course instructor and a preceptor for our clinical courses, is a co-author of two posters accepted at the upcoming 2024 Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing conference and one at the Canadian Vascular Association conference, and she is writing a chapter for the Oncology Nurses Society guidelines.”
After obtaining her master’s degree, Madolyn completed an ICU/critical transport contract in her native Maine, then headed out to South Island, New Zealand, where she has been enjoying hiking in the wild bush and exploring the terrain. This month, she will begin a new job as a Vascular Access Clinical Nurse Specialist at Christchurch Hospital. She is also looking forward to volunteering as an intensive care nurse responder with the local fire department. “I’m grateful to everyone at the Ingram School of Nursing for the excellent training and amazing learning opportunities they provided,” she concludes.