Saving Baby Grace
Glenwood Springs resident Sarah Hassel benefited firsthand from the Rapid Response protocol for obstetrics patients at Valley View Hospital.
When Glenwood Springs resident Sarah Hassel went in for a routine pre-operative appointment with her obstetrician, she was feeling happy and confident about the upcoming birth of her third child. Already 37 weeks into her pregnancy, Sarah was scheduled for a cesarean a week later. She had no complaints and was feeling good.
When physician Mary Glode, MD examined Sarah that morning, everything changed.
“I heard an irregular fetal heart rate that concerned me,” said Dr. Glode, who sent Sarah across the street to Valley View Hospital to have a fetal non-stress test done, just to be sure.
Sarah’s arrival at the hospital set off a series of rapid events. Nurse Irma Starbuck assessed Sarah and discerned that the fetal rate was indeed abnormal.
“This baby was in real trouble,” says Cathy Desautels, RN, Director of Performance Improvement at Valley View. “We were headed toward what could be a catastrophic event.”
Fortunately, a new protocol had recently been put in place at the hospital through the Colorado 100k Lives Campaign, giving nurses authority to activate a Rapid Response Team upon noting any decline in a patient’s condition. Irma called the Rapid Response Team and within minutes, a team of caregivers was around Sarah. She was wheeled into the operating room within 10 minutes, where doctors found that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck and body.
Thankfully, the rapid response protocol for OB patients at Valley View worked just the way it was intended to. Doctors got the baby out in just four minutes. The total time from the decision to give a cesarean to delivery of baby Grace was just 12 minutes.
“I couldn’t believe it happened so fast,” says Sarah. “I know it saved her life.”
Sarah said she and her husband, John had already planned to name their daughter Grace. After this event, she believes they are doubly blessed.
“There is no question that my daughter wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the rapid response of the hospital,” said Sarah. “I will be eternally grateful for what they did that day.”
Dr. Glode agrees. “I can’t predict what would have happened to this baby had all of the pieces not been in place,” she says, “but I really do believe this was an incredible save.”
