The clock ticked monotonously in the otherwise silent clinic, a slow day making each second feel longer than the last. I was stationed with a provider I barely knew – we were both caught in the lull of routine paperwork when suddenly, a frantic burst of energy shattered the quiet.
A woman, breathless and wide-eyed, came running into the clinic, her voice trembling with urgency. “Help, someone's collapsed at Starbucks!” she exclaimed. Instantly, the provider rushed to the emergent situation, their charting forgotten. I began shutting the clinic down – a standard protocol for when the clinic does not have a provider present, but it felt like I was personally shutting down.
I followed the provider, the bright fluorescent lights of the clinic giving way to the afternoon sun. The Starbucks was a mere blur, customers’ faces a mix of concern and curiosity. There, on the cold tile floor, lay an older woman, her face hauntingly still while her eyes were open. The provider was already administering CPR, his movements both swift and precise. I stood there, AED in hand, feeling suddenly useless, a spectator in a scene that was all too real. The provider's hands moved rhythmically, pressing down with a force that seemed to command life itself.
For a moment, everything stood still. The woman, pale and motionless, looked as if she had slipped away from us, her story coming to an abrupt end right there on that Starbucks floor. But then, under the provider's unwavering determination, there was a gasp, a subtle rise of the chest, a flicker of life.
EMS arrived, their arrival a flurry of motion and efficiency. As they took over, whisking the woman away to the nearest hospital, I remained there, amidst the now dissipating crowd, the AED still clutched in my hands.
I never learned if the woman made a full recovery. That day remained with me, not for the outcome, but for the clarity it brought. Amidst the chaos, the desperate fight against the ticking clock of life, I came face to face with a truth I hadn't known about myself: the emotional weight of being a healthcare provider was a burden too heavy for my shoulders.
In the days following the emergency, my admiration for healthcare providers deepened, inspiring me with their dedication and resilience. This experience revealed my limitations in direct patient care but sparked a desire to contribute through my strengths in technology and management. It led me to pursue a master's degree, marking a turning point where my passion for technology met my commitment to healthcare, paving the way for new stories to unfold.
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