First-class care up high in the sky

By John Brieske

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The phrase “Is there a doctor in the house?” is part of the collective consciousness. But sometimes, “Is there a nurse on the plane?” is more appropriate.

Barry Williams, Special Novlet Smith
, WellStar Kennestone Hospital

Related

• Profiles of the other winners

Novlet Smith, 43, a relief charge nurse at WellStar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, was on a 6 a.m. flight bound for home after spending the Christmas holidays in New York City last year. Shortly after takeoff, Smith noticed a commotion in the aircraft. An unidentified man was sweating and had passed out.

“I could not just sit there. The nurse in you takes over and you want to help,” she said.

Smith identified herself as a nurse and assessed him. The man had a history of cardiac problems and had taken his medicine off schedule due to the early flight time. His blood pressure was low and he felt clammy, so she gave him oxygen and kept him stable for the rest of the flight.

“I was able to reassure him and stay with him until we landed and the parademics took over. I wanted to make sure he was OK,” Smith said.

Even after his ordeal, the patient was reluctant to see a doctor, but Smith would have none of that.

“We eventually talked him into going to the ER and calling his cardiologist,” she said.

Smith’s 21 years of nursing experience — which includes four and a half years in the 7 West Neuroscience Unit at WellStar Kennestone — paid off that day.

“As a nurse, you have to be prepared for just about anything. I’m used to things changing fast,” she said. “You learn to stay calm. It’s something that you do every day.”

After the incident, the man’s wife praised Smith in a letter to her supervisor, Geri Jackson, who nominated the nurse for the award.

“Thanks to her quick response and clinical knowledge, my husband has fully recovered. Ms. Smith is truly a Florence Nightingale, and you are blessed to have her as part of your staff,” she wrote.

Smith, who works on the weekends and goes to school full time in Kennesaw University’s RN-to-BSN nursing program during the week, was overwhelmed by such praise.

“That’s way beyond what I would ever think,” she said. “Florence Nightingale is a legend. It’s tough to think about being compared to her. It’s really touching that they would say that. It was really sweet.”

Smith has been humbled by the attention she’s received since the winners were announced.

“It’s been a pleasant experience. I feel blessed and I am very honored,” she said. “I work with an exceptional group of nurses. There are so many who deserve an award.”