The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Nurse who rushed to help collapsed man keen to hear how he is
APPEAL: Newly-qualified Kayla Murray instinctively carried out CPR on the man before an ambulance arrived
A young nurse who gave first aid to a man who collapsed in her street is hoping for answers about his recovery.
Newly-qualified Kayla Murray rushed to help the man, thought to be in his 60s, when she saw him fall ill while she walked her dog near her home in Dundee’s Fountainbleu Drive.
Instinct kicked in and the 22-yearold performed chest compressions on her newfound patient until emergency services arrived.
Thanks to Kayla’s efforts, the man was still alive when he arrived at Ninewells Hospital on Monday afternoon but his current condition is not known.
Kayla said: “I was walking my dog when I saw him at the end of the street so I just went over and started CPR.
“I’ve had a placement in A&E so I knew what I was doing. The adrenaline kicked in and I just knew what to do without even really having to think about it.”
Kayla was giving CPR for around five minutes before a passing police car stopped and officers phoned for help.
The man was taken to accident and emergency before being moved to a coronary care ward but Kayla, who graduated early from Dundee University to help treat coronavirus patients, is anxious to hear how he is now.
“I would love to know how he is, I really hope he is OK,” she said.
“I gave my statement to the police and they said the man wouldn’t have been going into the ambulance alive if it hadn’t been for me and that’s when it really hit home.
“Afterwards I just thought ‘what now’ because I didn’t know what was going to happen to him.
“I was really shaken up after it. My mum wasn’t at home and my dad works offshore so I didn’t really know what to do with myself, I was just in shock.
“I phoned my mum and just said ‘I think I’ve just saved someone’s life’.”
Kayla had been working at the Seven Arches brain injury unit in Monifieth and is now enjoying a break before starting full time work as a nurse.
“I can’t describe how quickly the last five months have passed,” she said.
“We graduated early and it has been so busy so it’s good to get a break before going back to full-time work again.”
I would love to know how he is, I really hope he is OK.
KAYLA MURRAY