Staying afloat and rendering assist… Lt. Holly Sapien, Navy Nurse Corps officer assigned to Naval Hospital Bremerton (second from left), together with husband Musician 1st Class Michael Sapien (far proper), Lt. j.g. Randy Le, Naval Hospital Bremerton registered dietitian (left) and Musician third Class John Landis (again) pause for a selfie second onboard the Bremerton to Seattle ferry Walla Walla after it ran aground on Bainbridge Island, April 15, 2023, as a consequence of energy loss. Throughout that point, Sapien responded to a medical emergency, taking the lead in stabilizing one other passenger coping with an epileptic seizure till native fireplace and rescue personnel might get on board and transport the affected person to a neighborhood medical facility (Courtesy picture).
Though there have been no reported accidents because of the vessel ending up on a Bainbridge Island beachfront, April 15, 2023, there was a medical emergency amongst the roughly 600 passengers on board.
Sapien, a Navy Nurse Corps officer assigned to Naval Hospital Bremerton, instantly responded to a name for somebody wanted with medical background.
“There was a passenger having a grand mal seizure,” mentioned Sapien. “I needed to get him out of the seat he was in. I needed to get him on his aspect to guard his airway and stop aspiration.”
Sapien, an El Paso, Texas native with nearly 10-years of Navy expertise, had handled grand mal seizure situations earlier than when working at Naval Medical Middle Portsmouth, Virginia.
“That was in a medical surroundings, with skilled medical workers prepared to assist. This was the primary time not in a hospital setting to answer such an occasion,” famous Sapien, including that her coaching robotically kicked in.
Her efforts additionally bolstered instructing the Navy’s Tactical Fight Casualty Care course and holding Fundamental Life Help coaching designed to reinforce medical readiness in usually austere, fight environments.
“All of us take these lessons for our skilled growth however by no means actually know after we’re going to really use the abilities,” acknowledged Sapien.
But reply she did, till turning her affected person over to the Bainbridge Hearth and Rescue group as soon as they received on board.
“It’s good to be there when wanted and have the ability to bounce in and assist out to provide peace of thoughts to a different when there’s no hospital close by,” mentioned Sapien.
The routine ferry journey turned something however practically half-hour into the Puget Sound crossing. Lights began to flicker. The regular thrum of the boat’s engine stilled. The vessel was headed in the direction of a beachfront house. “Brace for impression” was introduced over the Walla Walla loudspeaker system.
The ferry reportedly slowly angled into the seashore, coming to relaxation in a smooth touchdown.
“As soon as grounded, life jackets have been handed out if there was a must abandon ship,” associated Sapien. “We waited round for 4 or 5 hours earlier than lastly deciding to get off on one of many quick ferries referred to as in to help.”
