Two skills you should know but wouldn't want to use.... ever....

Alright, head tilt, chin lift....

Once upon a time, ORs were part of my life

I miss the OR sometimes

Yesterday and today were spent at a training on first aid and basic life support. Since it's World First Aid month, our department initiated a series of trainings together with the PNRC for employees nationwide.

First aid and BLS are probably two skills that may be handy, but you'd wish you would never have to use. Because it's all different when it's a real situation already.

A couple of years ago, I found myself in such a situation.

I was on my way back to Manila together with friends Doc Ants and Mie. We took one of those colorum buses because it was late and there were no more buses. We were seated at the middle section of the bus, and suddenly there was a commotion at the front row.

It turns out that a passenger was unconscious and not breathing. Upon hearing the situation, Doc Ants was on his feet. The bus stopped at the Calamba toll booth. They brought the guy down. Doc Ants followed. Mie and I were right behind him with all our bags.

The toll booth personnel called an emergency pickup truck. They put the guy at the back. And then the bus conductor quickly went back to the bus and the bus sped off. I don't know maybe because it was a colorum bus and they knew they'd be in some kind of trouble.

The next thing I know, I was on the back of a speeding pickup truck sort of assisting Doc Ants in performing CPR on the guy. Mie on the other hand was on guard to be sure that Doc Ants or I wouldn't fall out of the pickup truck.

By the time we reached the ER of a small hospital, we were lazily met by the staff. They moved really slow, and I could see Doc Ants really trying to keep his cool.

After a couple of minutes, a nurse approached us and in a most boring tone said, "Sir, flatline na po."

That was a first for me. In my head, I was thinking if the guy already passed away while he was still in the bus, or when he was on the pickup truck already. Doc Ants was a bit mad because he feels that had the staff moved quicker, the victim could have had a chance to survive. Instead, they took their sweet time.

And then, the next thing to be dealt with was the guy didn't have proper identification. Doc Ants made an incident report and gave it to the hospital. The police arrived also, I think.

This happened several years ago, so I don't remember much. I'm sure though that I don't want to find myself in such a situation again.

Or if it does happen again, I think I'd be more confident to assist or to provide First Aid.