Two medical students on a flight to Greece, leaped straight into action when a medical emergency occurred on their flight while in midair. These young women from Louisiana State University demonstrated cool heads, massive professionalism, and great courage. Heather Duplessis and Lauren Bagneris have since been praised by The LSU Health Sciences Center for their amazing effort.
According to NOLA.com, a woman on the flight was suffering for low blood sugar and heat exhaustion and had become lightheaded.
“Greece has been like a bucket list thing,” Duplessis said.
“I was really just excited to relax with my sisters and with Heather, of course, so we could have a great time and see a beautiful country,” Bagneris said.
“I was really just excited to relax with my sisters and with Heather, of course, so we could have a great time and see a beautiful country,” Bagneris said. Here’s their story:
Is There A Doctor On The Plane?!? It’s An Emergency!
The LSU Facebook page told the tale:
“Two LSU Health New Orleans medical students on a flight to Greece were sure in the right place at the right time. There was a medical emergency on board, and a call went out for medical professionals.
No one responded, so Heather Duplessis and Lauren Bagneris identified themselves as medical students. A female passenger had become lightheaded and fell due to low blood sugar and being overheated. They calmed the patient and got her to take some juice and food, and also cooled her off.
Heather and Lauren communicated with a doctor on the ground and took her BP, pulse and blood sugar. The patient ended up feeling much better thanks to these two talented doctors in the making and their LSU medical education. Way to Geaux Tigers! You do us proud!!!”
“Once we realized there were no medical professionals on board, you go into ‘fight or flight’ and you’re jumping into action,” Bagneris said. “We were called to do this. We assessed the situation to make sure we had the scope of knowledge in the situation.”
The two students by keeping cool heads and working with medical personnel on the ground were able to take a situation that can quickly spiral out of control if panic set in and through their training and skill help someone’s mother, sister, or grandmother. What may seem to be a relatively minor medical difficulty on the ground can quickly become a life-threatening emergency at 35,000 feet. This is especially true above the ocean with 2,500 miles of empty water between you and help.
