Student uses classroom skills in real-life situation
Acts quick in near death experience
Rikki Saldivar
Issue date: 4/27/09 Section: Entertainment
"I knew this guy is going to be dead in an hour and a half, there's no way," Stroumpos said. "I told them, you need to land now and call an ambulance."
The man's blood sugar level continued to rise forcing Stroumpos to make a crucial judgment call in administering the man his insulin while not familiar with his medical history.
"I gave him very little insulin because I knew that it would bring (the blood sugar level) down and because I didn't know his sensitivity to it," Stroumpos said. "We had glucose on board. We had lower glucose, which you can administer rectally if the patient is conscious because (becoming unconscious) is the real risk. They may start seizing or become unconscious, and then you really don't know what's going to happen."
The man's blood sugar level came down to 310, a significant decrease from 480. Ten minutes later when Stroumpos took the readings again, it rose back up to 350 Stroumpos administered a little more insulin to the man. The plane landed shortly after in which the paramedics came on board and assisted the man out of the plane.
"I think his blood sugar level had been off for a while because he had a hospital band, and I know that they didn't tell him he could get on a plane, but he probably just thought, 'I need to get home and I'll be fine when I get home.' He was very out of it, and when your in that state, it's almost like your drunk or you can be very combative, which was another risk."
Stroumpos was able to take control of the situation and handle the man's unstable state of mind without hesitation or confusion. He attributes this to what he learned in his courses at the college.
"It was because of what I've done here in the San Jacinto College EMT department," Stroumpos said. "As a dentist, I have some training, but that's mainly why I took these classes, for exactly what happened. I'd expect it to happen in my office and not on an airplane. The only way I knew what to do is because of the training."
The man's blood sugar level continued to rise forcing Stroumpos to make a crucial judgment call in administering the man his insulin while not familiar with his medical history.
"I gave him very little insulin because I knew that it would bring (the blood sugar level) down and because I didn't know his sensitivity to it," Stroumpos said. "We had glucose on board. We had lower glucose, which you can administer rectally if the patient is conscious because (becoming unconscious) is the real risk. They may start seizing or become unconscious, and then you really don't know what's going to happen."
The man's blood sugar level came down to 310, a significant decrease from 480. Ten minutes later when Stroumpos took the readings again, it rose back up to 350 Stroumpos administered a little more insulin to the man. The plane landed shortly after in which the paramedics came on board and assisted the man out of the plane.
"I think his blood sugar level had been off for a while because he had a hospital band, and I know that they didn't tell him he could get on a plane, but he probably just thought, 'I need to get home and I'll be fine when I get home.' He was very out of it, and when your in that state, it's almost like your drunk or you can be very combative, which was another risk."
Stroumpos was able to take control of the situation and handle the man's unstable state of mind without hesitation or confusion. He attributes this to what he learned in his courses at the college.
"It was because of what I've done here in the San Jacinto College EMT department," Stroumpos said. "As a dentist, I have some training, but that's mainly why I took these classes, for exactly what happened. I'd expect it to happen in my office and not on an airplane. The only way I knew what to do is because of the training."
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