A Maple Ridge nurse has been recognized provincially for her life-saving actions outside the Haney Place Walmart in June.

Stephanie Bazinet, an emergency room nurse at Ridge Meadows Hospital, has received the BC Emergency Health Services Vital Link Award for her quick action, performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation or CPR to a man in cardiac arrest on June 23.

Bazinet thought she was in for an ordinary day that morning as she ventured out at 10 a.m. into the rain to return a pair of shoes at Walmart.

Bazinet, an emergency room nurse at Ridge Meadows Hospital, was initially planning to go to the Walmart in Port Coquitlam on June 23 to return the shoes she bought for her 2-year-old the day before. But at 36 weeks pregnant she decided to make life easier for herself and at the last minute she decided to head to the Walmart at Haney Place Mall, closer to home.

B次元官网网址滾iterally at the last minute, instead of turning right to go to PoCo, I went straight to go the Maple Ridge Walmart,B次元官网网址� said the nurse, thinking it would be a lot faster to complete the errand.

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However, as she approached the doors to the department store, she realized something was wrong. At first she thought there was a lineup to get into the store, but Bazinet soon saw an elderly man collapsed at the entrance surrounded by about a dozen people.

Immediately Bazinet asked if they needed any help. She told the group she was an ER nurse. Initially the people helping the man said they were OK. But the experienced nurse knew better.

B次元官网网址淪ometimes when people go into cardiac arrest they have this breathing that we call agonal respirations. So it looks kind of like theyB次元官网网址檙e breathing but itB次元官网网址檚 these gasping breaths,B次元官网网址� she explained.

When she asked someone in the group to check for a pulse, they realized they needed help.

They thought he was breathing, said Bazinet, who immediately checked for a pulse.

Finding none, she knew he needed help right away.

Bazinet asked if anyone else knew how to do CPR.

Nobody did, said Bazinet.

B次元官网网址淚 was like, alright, I guess itB次元官网网址檚 me,B次元官网网址� she said.

Then, pushing aside the fact she was in her ninth month of pregnancy, and that the baby could come at any day, Bazinet got down on her knees.

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The man was laying on his side because he had just vomited. So, she put him back on his back and started compressions.

She told a bystander to start a timer for her chest compressions. By that time, another person stepped forward who knew how to do CPR. And somebody from Walmart came out with a pocket mask, a mask with a one-way valve to allow somebody to give a person breaths through their mouth safely.

Bazinet was able to give the man respirations while the other person continued with chest compressions until Maple Ridge Fire and Rescue arrived on scene.

When firefighters took over and attached an AED, the automated external defibrillator detected a B次元官网网址渟hockable rhythmB次元官网网址� and they were able to shock the man to the point where he regained consciousness before being transported to hospital by paramedics.

Before leaving the scene, she gave the paramedics detailed information about what happened, information she knew the team at the hospital would need know once the man arrived. Then she asked the bystanders if anyone needed to talk about what they had just witnessed, knowing how traumatic it could be to some people to see a scene like that. Then she asked a young man who was taking notes to get the names and phone numbers of every person there.

B次元官网网址淚n case it turns out that this gentleman has COVID,B次元官网网址� she told him, knowing that if management at Walmart had a list ready for them it would make it easier for contact tracing.

Bazinet then notified one of her coworkers whom she knew was on shift at the hospital to expect a post-arrest at some point, telling them what just happened.

Her manager sent a text back asking her what she was doing performing CPR at 36 weeks pregnant during a pandemic.

She also sent a text to her husband letting him know that she was going to be late.

Finally she exchanged the shoes and returned home.

Later that same day the paramedic supervisor who arrived on scene contacted her to see if she could nominate Bazinet for the Vital Link Award.

The Vital Link Award is presented to citizens by BC Emergency Health Services, who save a life by successfully performing CPR.

Bazinet was given the award in a socially distanced ceremony at Maple Ridge Park on Oct. 8.

Bazinet is surprised at all the attention she is getting.

B次元官网网址淓verybody around me seems to think that it was this big heroic effort,B次元官网网址� but Bazinet feels she doesnB次元官网网址檛 deserve so much recognition.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 something as a nurse, itB次元官网网址檚 part of my job. I just canB次元官网网址檛 imagine not helping somebody in need,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 almost like my duty.B次元官网网址�

Wyatt Bazinet was born on July 21.

cflanagan@mapleridgenews.com

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