Paramedic manoeuvre knocked me out – nurse
A STUDENT nurse has alleged in a court a HSE paramedic knocked her out when he placed his arm around her neck during a first-aid class.
Mary Nihill yesterday said Andrew Long, 35, allegedly rendered her unconscious when practising a manoeuvre on her.
Ms Nihill said: ‘I thought I was in safe hands with a professional paramedic. He tried to knock me out – he did knock me out.’
Mr Long of Tobertaosceain, Ennis, Co. Clare, denies causing harm to Ms Nihill and to Elise McMahon, who was then seven months pregnant
Ms Nihill told Ennis Circuit Court how after the class Mr Long called her to a corridor and he said he wanted to perform a manoeuvre on her. She said: ‘I got very nervous when he said that he didn’t practice the manoeuvre in his profession. He called it “Prodrum”.’
She said she was sitting and, from behind, Mr Long placed his left arm around her neck and applied force with his other arm. She said: ‘I was choking and slipping on the chair and telling him to stop. I wanted to go out, but I couldn’t escape.’
Ms Nihill said: ‘At no time did I consent to him putting his hands around my neck.’ She said he then sat in front of her and placed his arms on her knees. She said Mr Long went behind her again and performed the same manoeuvre ‘after me telling him, “No, leave me alone”.’ The Tulla woman lost consciousness due to the pressure on her airways in the second manoeuvre, the court heard.
Ms Nihill said that after regaining consciousness ‘I ran out the door. My legs were like jelly’. Bernard Madden SC, defending, said Mr Long says what Ms Nihill described did not happen. The barrister said: ‘He didn’t put his arm around your neck in the way you have said.’
Elise McMahon, who was pregnant at the time, said Mr Long told her after class he wanted to carry out the Prodrum manoeuvre.
She said: ‘I was afraid that it might harm me or my baby but, very reluctantly, I said yes. He told me I was safe as he was a paramedic.’
Ms McMahon said Mr Long put his arm around her neck from behind. She said: ‘My airwaves were cut off. I was conscious, but literally I couldn’t talk. It was the weirdest feeling.’
Mr Madden, defending, said Mr Long says he was instructing her in relation to a breathing technique.
The trial continues.
‘Afraid it might harm by baby’