News

Contact: Mary Roberts

North Platte, Neb., April 28, 2023 – On two separate occasions in one week, Great Plains Health security guards sprang into action to help patients who arrived at the hospital in distress. Security guards are trained in basic life support (BLS), a type of care that any community member can learn that focuses on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automated external defibrillators (AED) and relieving airway obstructions.

Until these back-to-back instances, GPHealth security guards had never needed to use BLS skills in real time. Regardless, they were prepared when the moment arrived, and their skills helped save lives.

Great Plains Health security guards Terry Alley, John Pettit, Skylar Kendall and Nate Paxton are credited for their quick actions on these two occasions.

Rick Bialek, a 43-year-old father, husband and North Platte resident, is one of the patients that the security guards helped. Bialek woke up at 1:30 a.m. on Monday, April 10, and realized he was having a heart attack. His wife drove him to the emergency department, where he made it to the entrance before collapsing.

Kendall and Paxton were the first to respond.

"Paxton came out with me and he grabbed the AED while registration and I radioed to the nurses," said Kendall. "I checked for a carotid pulse and found none, while observing the patient's neck changing color. I went to start CPR, but nursing advised to get the patient on the bed, so Paxton started CPR while transporting the patient to a trauma room."

"I don't remember any of it, but I want to say, 'Thank you,'" said Bialek, who is remaining positive and appreciative.​ Bialek is thankful for the entire team that saved his life.

Pettit responded to the other instance where a patient needed help before even entering the hospital doors, and says his response was instinct.

"It's important to be trained and know what you're doing," said Pettit. "It's good to know that I am prepared to do CPR. It makes us proud that we could do that for someone."

The entire team at Great Plains Health applauds these lifesaving efforts, and encourages everyone to be prepared with BLS skills.

"These patients are with us today because these four security guards didn't hesitate in a moment of urgency," said Tina Pate, Great Plains Health chief nursing officer. "In an emergency situation, every second counts, so it is essential to have the right skills and judgement. These guards were trained in BLS, which is training that anyone in our community can get. This training is not exclusive to nurses or physicians. They were prepared, and their response is exemplary."

Anyone can be introduced to CPR and important life-saving skills at Friends and Family CPR. Community groups can contact Heather Jensen, outreach coordinator, to schedule a class at 308.568.8640 or jensenh@gphealth.org.

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About Great Plains Health

Based in North Platte, Nebraska, Great Plains Health is a fully accredited, 116-bed acute-care regional medical center serving western and central Nebraska, northern Kansas and southern South Dakota. With 90 physicians representing nearly 30 medical specialties, the Great Plains Health system offers advanced health care, including heart and vascular, cancer, and orthopedic surgery services. Great Plains Health is a Level III trauma center, and all of its emergency department physicians are residency-trained and board-certified in emergency medicine. The system employs approximately 1,200 employees and serves a geographic area spanning more than 67,000 square miles. The hospital is accredited by the Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality (CIHQ) and is home to an American College of Surgeons-accredited cancer center and Level II bariatric surgery program. For more information, visit gphealth.org.