Saving a life at 30,000 feet up

Thursday, July 26, 2001 | 11:21 a.m.

A University Medical Center nurse saving someone's life isn't unusual, but Haydee Florentino did it at 30,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean.

Florentino was on a flight back to United States after visiting family in the Philippines when the pilot asked if a doctor was onboard. No one responded, but after the pilot asked a second time Florentino identified herself to a flight attendant as a registered nurse.

An 81-year-old woman was slumped in her seat, barely conscious. She was bleeding internally.

Florentino used the airplane's emergency medical kit to start an IV line and stabilize the ailing passenger. The plane was just two hours from the Philippines and six hours from Hawaii, so the pilot decided to return to the Philippines. An ambulance met the plane, and the woman was rushed to the hospital, where she was recovering this week.

Florentino, a nurse for more than 27 years and the director of case management at UMC, said she was grateful to have the skills to help during the emergency.

"There's just a part of me that said I should do something to help," Florentino said.

The crew of the Philippines Airlines flight presented her with a bottle of champagne and the other passengers praised her quick thinking.

"Haydee exemplifies the true spirit of UMC nurses," said Rick Plummer, spokesman for UMC. "She doesn't think of herself as a hero, but everyone at UMC sure does."