BALTIMORE — A man went into cardiac arrest on a flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Baltimore, but the quick actions of a nurse and a former nurse helped prevent tragedy.
Emily Raines, RN, an acute care nurse at Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), and her boyfriend Daniel Shifflett, a former nurse, acted swiftly to save a passenger's life during an in-flight emergency on May 1.
After receiving a overhead message for assistance, the couple sprang into action.
They quickly realized the passenger was not breathing and had turned a shade of purple. This led to the couple performing CPR on the passenger to restore his vital signs.
By performing chest compressions and other life saving measures for 20 minutes, the passenger's condition was successfully stabilized.
The plane made an emergency landing in Raleigh, NC, allowing the passenger to receive further medical attention and care.
Raines attributes a portion of her ability to respond effectively to training through GBMC's Resuscitation Quality Improvement (RQI) program. The program delivers quarterly training to support mastery of high-quality CPR skills.
In 2021, GBMC was the first hospital in Maryland to receive the title of a Resuscitation Quality Improvement Lighthouse Organization, recognizing consistent use and adoption of this innovative CPR training program.
Thanks to the quick actions of the couple, the passenger is doing well and is now recovering at home.
