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patient who's stricken with MH. The nurse who talked to me was kind and ther-
apeutic. She knew me, but I'd like to think she would have been that way with
anyone in the same situation. Even though I knew more about MH and had a
clinical background, the efforts the staff, surgeon and anesthesiologist made to
keep me informed and comforted made a big difference in how I reacted and
processed what was happening to Jake.
Be ready
I was a surgical nurse for more than 15 years and involved in more than 20,000
surgeries, but never witnessed an MH episode. Sure, like your staff, I rehearsed
the response protocols during drills. But did I treat them seriously enough, like
my son was the one stricken on the table? You never know when MH is going to
strike. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, early recognition and reacting
quickly can mean the difference between life and death for the son or husband
or daughter or mother of
someone in the waiting
room. Practice like it's the
real deal, because someday
it will be.
OSM
Ms. Scott (kimscott@me.com)
is a nursing instructor at Central
Lakes College in Brainerd, Minn.
Jake is a junior at North Dakota
State University.
