Hospital staff train to treat preemies on medical flights
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Neonatal flight nurse Ruth Atkins and flight respiratory therapist Dora Cardillo, both with St. Vincent Healthcare, saved the life of a 10-day-old infant girl.
They were in a hangar at Billings Logan International Airport, not on a med flight, and the infant was a high-fidelity mannequin, not a human.
But the success the pair achieved could translate into an actual life saved later on, said Dr. Jeffrey Cooper, a neonatologist at Billings Clinic.
"Our hope is as we practice on high-fidelity mannequins that we can learn these hands-on skills for when we get into the field," Cooper said. "It's a great chance to help us work on a good foundation of skills, to build on that.