TOPEKA (KSNT) – Topeka Public Schools has honored two Stormont Vail nurses for their efforts during a medical emergency.
The two nurses stepped in to help a student who needed medical attention during a school event on September 28.
Nurses were talking to Topeka high school students about healthcare careers at the Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and Careers (TCALC) when the incident occurred. Amy Kincade, vice president of clinical integration, and Carol Perry, senior vice president and chief nursing officer, were in the right place at the right time.
The two nurses were at TCALC to participate in a student career panel and talk about a CNA course. Upon hearing that someone needed help, they said they dropped their purses and ran to the patient’s side. Even though Kincade and Perry are a long way from their hospitalization, they say the nurses are always ready to help when needed.
Specific details of what happened to the student cannot be released for legal reasons, but the nurses were able to resolve the situation and the patient was ultimately fine.
Without their help, the situation could have turned out much differently – which is why USD 501 takes the time to honor their services with a prize. The school board presented Kincade and Perry with a “Life Save Award” at its meeting Thursday night.
And while Kincade and Perry are honored with the honor, they said their reaction to the situation was instinctive and helping others was second nature to those in their field.
“Trying to make sure this patient was okay and was very helpful to have each other and to have a team,” Perry said. “That’s what nurses do all the time, you know, they have a team of people and we call on each other to make sure we’re providing the highest standard of care and that’s why we want to be nurses.”
Perry said it was helpful to take charge of the situation with Kincade by his side. But even in troubling situations like this, the Stormont Vail duo said they simply consider serving others a privilege.
“What happened at T-CALC happens all the time,” Kincade said. “It happens within your own family, loved ones, friends, at events, in community settings. So it’s something that you can not only get as a job or a career, but it’s really something that you can give to people in your community or people you care about.
Kincade said the two tried to express their passions for their work to promising students, which is why they were at TCALC when the medical event happened. The nurses said there was a great need for nurses right now. They want to show others the importance of their role and hopefully encourage young students to enter the healthcare field.
Both Kincade and Carol said their positions as healthcare workers allow them to direct their work every day not just with their minds, but also with their hearts.
