During one very busy night, Angie triaged a pediatric patient who had experienced a first time seizure. Through a difficult language barrier, she soon assessed that not just this small baby, but a five year old in the same family group had also experienced a seizure. She had the forethought to know these two incidents were related and proceeded, once again through a heavy language burden, to identify that the family had been grilling indoors. She then was able to admit the entire family, 13 in all, to the unit, have CO levels drawn, placed them on high flow oxygen, and then had 11 family members transferred to Virginia Mason to the hyperbaric chamber. In one night she saved the lives of 13 people. She put the ambulances on standby for transport and THEN called to the fire department to clear out the apartment building to see if any other persons had symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.
I cannot emphasize the height of knowledge, patience and skill it took to deliver this level of care. To save lives and prevent permanent injury is what Angie does. She showed herself to be the very example of caring, commitment and skill that is Northwest Hospital.