Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Northcutt | Medics assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment from Fort Hood, Tx.,...... read more read more
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CAMP ATTERBURY, IND— When there's a medical emergency, every minute counts, and the first person encountered could play a key role in saving a life. Army medics, 68W Combat Medic Specialists commonly referred to as "Doc," are typically the first folk’s soldiers meet in the Army when seeking medical care. Trained to administer emergency medical aid both in the field and humanitarian settings. They serve as first responders, triaging illness and injuries to save lives. So how would you convey to your "Doc" that something is not quite right and that it might be an emergency?
For the medical team from the 2nd Battalion, 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, this "what-if" scenario recently became a reality. As a fellow Soldier experienced atypical symptoms of a heart attack, they quickly intervened, ultimately saving his life.
Information specific to heart-related medical emergencies and how to recognize them is discussed and communicated with increasing frequency across radio, television, and news these days. This knowledge was truly put to the test for a team of medics assigned to 2nd Battalion 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment as a patient entered the Troop Medical Clinic (TMC) at Camp Atterbury, Ind., on October 18, 2021.
It was a typical Monday on Camp Atterbury, and everyone was going about their daily routine. Then one soldier stopped by the TMC during lunch and was greeted by Sgt. Corinthian Howard and Sgt. Berlin Robinson, combat medical specialists assigned to 2nd Battalion 7th U.S. Cavalry Regiment. The soldier was experiencing upper torso discomfort, and Howard and Robinson began to assess the patient right away.
"The patient was having some chest discomfort and we started our evaluation," said Robinson. "There were a few other signs and we decided to do an EKG." An electrocardiogram, or EKG, is a diagnostic tool that records the electrical signal from the heart to check for different conditions.
Howard and Robinson believed there might be more to the patient's symptoms after they processed the results of the EKG. The two medics quickly notified Capt. Ryan Thompson, the Battalion Surgeon, and 1st Lt. Courtney Talka, a Physician's Assistant. Both are assigned to 2-7 CAV.
"The patient had some interesting symptoms, including chest discomfort, but also had a couple of other unique symptoms," Thompson explained. "We ended up evaluating the patient further and it turns out that the patient was having a full-blown heart attack."
Thompson explained that as soon as the heart is suspected to be involved, an EKG can tell you right then and there if the heart is in trouble. Fortunately, an EKG was available at the TMC. While designed to provide basic medical care, a TMC is not fully stocked like a typical Emergency Room or other lifesaving facilities; however, the team knew they had to act quickly to ensure the patient was given the best possible chances of survival.
It was an all-hands-on-deck kind of moment at the TMC, with several medics, additional staff, and a whirlwind of orders working toward a common goal: saving a patient's life. Directions were relayed among team members to prepare various instruments, medications and coordinate for transportation to the hospital.
"It was a little bit like controlled chaos after we found out it was a heart attack, but overall, everyone was pretty calm," said Robinson. "The provider, Thompson, was there and he gave us our tasks to complete, and we just got it done."
"I think Robinson and Howard being the initial points of contact for this soldier played a crucial role in saving their life," exclaimed Thompson.
The team quickly got the word out to range control, who oversees contacting off-site emergency personnel, that they needed immediate medical transport for a patient.
"Working on this base poses a little bit of a unique situation with trying to get emergency medical services involved. We have a number to call range control, and they become our conduit to contact EMS," explained Thompson.
With the EKG complete, EMS personnel response rendered, and the patient transported to the hospital for further treatment, the events of the day ultimately led to the saving of a soldier's life. Afterward, Thompson discussed how heart attacks are sometimes predictable and sometimes not. If you've got risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, a family history of heart disease, or if you live a sedentary lifestyle, don't ignore the signs. Sometimes that chest pain might be something as simple as acid reflux or a little bit of soreness from a workout, but without knowing for certain, it is better to be cautious. If something feels wrong, don't hesitate to reach out to a medical provider.
"Looking back, I skipped lunch that day, and someone knocked on the door for help and we were there. I'm not sure what would have been the outcome if we had gone to lunch that day."
| Date Taken: | 10.21.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 10.29.2021 18:22 |
| Story ID: | 408332 |
| Location: | CAMP ATTERBURY, INDIANA, US |
| Hometown: | FORT CAVAZOS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 745 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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