Dental Team Saves Patient’s Life After He Suffers Heart Attack in the Waiting Room
A dentist and receptionist performed live-saving CPR and used a defibrillator to help a patient who suffered a heart attack at a surgery in Tameside on Monday.
Fifty-three year old, Simon Walker, was waiting to see a dentist at Maggie Jackson Independent Dental Hygiene Service in Tameside, when he suffered a heart attack. He fell to the floor and dentist, Chandra Metha and receptionist, Charlotte Anderson- Hughes, came to his rescue, placing him in the recovery position before starting CPR and then using a defibrillator to try and restart the heart.
Charlotte, 23, said that the team acted very quickly, but initially, nothing was working and she described the sight of the man lying on the ground going blue with his eyes rolling as “awful.” After using the defibrillator to shock the body twice, Mr Walker registered a pulse and shortly after, paramedics arrived and took his to nearby WythenshaweHospital.
Charlotte said that members of staff do routine first aid training, but you never actually think that you will have to use it. On Monday, a normal day quickly turned and Chandra and Charlotte were forced to use their training in a very real setting. Their actions, their drive and dedication and the use of emergency equipment saved a man’s life and Mr Walker said that he will be eternally grateful for their help.
Speaking to journalists from his hospital bed, Mr Walker said that he will never be able to show how grateful he is to Charlotte and Chandra; without them, he wouldn’t be alive.
Maggie Jackson, the owner of the practice, is actually a friend of Mr Walker’s and she said that she was incredibly proud of her staff. Charlotte and Chandra kept their composure and did everything they could to give Mr Walker the best chance of survival. Before using the defibrillator, Chandra complete 15 minutes of chest compressions and rescue breaths.
Ms Jackson also took the opportunity to stress the importance of having a defibrillator on site. The General Dental Council recommends that all practices have one, but it is not a legal stipulation. Maggie said that the piece of kit, which costs £1,000, saves lives and the reality is that if Mr Walker had been even 100 yards away from where he was when he suffered the heart attack, he would be dead.
Join this Discussion