It was an average day for Todd Christie, a physician assistant in the Heart & Vascular practice, when the automated external defibrillator (AED) alarm went off at Yankee Medical Center. He immediately went to investigate in the orthopedics office, where he found the developing emergency: A retired registered nurse was performing CPR on a man who had collapsed in the waiting room.
Within seconds, Todd identified that an AED had been removed from the wall, signaling the alarm and the understanding that the man was having a heart attack. With no time to waste, Todd hooked up the AED and activated shock treatment, staying to assist until the ambulance arrived.
Todd later learned that the person who collapsed was a family member of a patient in the waiting room. He is recovering well after spending a day in the intensive care unit on a ventilator and nearly a week in the hospital. Leslee Chavez, Kettering Health director of Advanced Practice Providers, said, “We are so thankful for Todd’s leadership, courage, collaboration, and passion to help which led to this man’s survival.”
His co-workers wanted to show their appreciation for Todd’s commitment to living out the mission. Last week he was surprised with the Above and Beyond award, an initiative spearheaded by Kettering Physician Network to recognize advanced practice providers who make a significant difference in the quality of care that Kettering Health patients receive.
In a life-threatening situation, Todd stepped in without thinking twice, demonstrating several of our organizational values: Caring, Competent, and Collaborative. Thank you for going above and beyond, Todd!