Chris was taking care of a patient on 5H. When the patient got out of bed to ambulate to the bathroom, he went into cardiac arrest and collapsed, wedging the bathroom door into the doorframe, which blocked the patient’s room door from entry. This was a Murphy's law one-in-a-million type of coincidence that has never happened before.

When the monitor room called to alert the nurse of the patient’s decreased oxygen levels and arrhythmia, the staff was unable to enter the room to help the patient. Quickly and calmly, Chris climbed onto a rolling chair, lifted himself over the door, which required him to remove ceiling tiles, and lowered himself back into the room. He was able to remove the barrier, move the patient, and start CPR, saving the patient's life.

This happened in a quick time span, minutes at best. The 5H manager stated that Chris was very humble about the situation and was only concerned about his patient. She emphasized that Chris maintained a calm demeanor and set the tone for the entire floor during a chaotic situation, going above and beyond anything we could ever ask of a nurse at Spartanburg Medical Center. We are very grateful for his quick actions and dedication to patient care.