Newly qualified Warwick nurse who saved man’s life during flight up for top award

A man whose life was saved at 38,00ft by a nurse who had yet to graduate has nominated her for a prestigious award.

James Birch suffered a cardiac arrest on the long-haul flight but Isobel Corrie answered the call for help despite having just finished her nursing degree.

Flying home from a two-week holiday in Thailand, Isobel was looking forward to her graduation from Oxford Brookes University the following week and then starting her first role as a qualified nurse at Warwick Hospital.

She was fast asleep but was woken by the person sitting next her, who told her there was an emergency on board and there had been a call over the tannoy asking for anyone with medical experience.

Fellow passenger James, who was also travelling home after a holiday with his partner, had gone into sudden cardiac arrest three and a half hours into the flight.

‘Despite only recently having qualified, an amazing young lady stepped forward when the call for help was made, and pulled me back from a flat-line cardiac arrest,’ says Mr Birch.

‘In the cramped environment of a long-haul aircraft at 38,000 feet she managed the small cabin crew team for 45 minutes until we could divert to a suitable airport with a hospital close by. Thanks to the CPR she administered, and the use of the onboard defibrillator, my life was saved,’ he says.

‘The emergency care she supervised was so thorough that despite the length of time that the event continued for, I have suffered very little in health consequences as a result.’

‘If she had not stepped forward I would not be here to tell the story’

Mr Birch has nominated Ms Corrie for the Patient’s Choice category of the RCNi

He adds that, as a fellow passenger, Ms Corrie was ‘under no obligation to put herself into this stressful and high-pressure situation’.

‘Very few people would have done the same, or with such efficiency and professionalism,’ he says. ‘This brave young lady saved my life when it would have been easier to sit quietly and do nothing.

‘I am in no doubt whatsoever that had she not stepped forward I would not be here to recount the story today. As much as I genuinely believe she deserves this award more than anyone else on earth, it would not be anywhere near enough to express our eternal gratitude for what she did.’

Ms Corrie, who now works in the gastrointestinal surgery department at Warwick Hospital, says she is shocked to have been nominated.

‘My first year as a nurse has been a rollercoaster – lots of highs and lows and valuable learning experiences, but this is a real high. I am in such a supportive team and I am enjoying being a nurse so much.’

She says of the incident: ‘I was a bit disorientated from sleep and had only experienced a peri-arrest situation during my training, but I started thinking about my ABCDE [approach to assess the deteriorating patient].

‘Doing compressions for the first time cramped into an aisle was surreal and when you are a student you always have someone watching over you to make sure you are doing it right. I told myself that I was all this man had and I was going to do my best, and that nobody was watching and I was not being judged.’

Later, she contacted Mr Birch via social media to see how he was.

‘I was finding it hard to process,’ she says. ‘James and his partner could not remember much and were finding it difficult to process too, so we helped each other – it has been our debrief and we remain in contact.’

Fiona Burton, Director of Nursing at South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, says: ‘I am unbelievable proud of Isobel. Her bravery and compassion is exactly what the nursing profession is all about.

‘Even at the start of her career she has demonstrated what a dedicated nurse she is. Isobel is an asset to our trust so I am delighted she has been recognised for her courageous actions that saved a man’s life. Simply being nominated in the Patient’s Choice award is a fantastic achievement, but I strongly believe Isobel deserves to win so would encourage everyone to vote for her.’

Gary Bell, editorial director of RCNi, which publishes Nursing Standard, was on the panel that shortlisted the finalists.

He said: ‘The commitment and dedication of nurses during the pandemic has been publicly recognised, but these finalists demonstrate the diversity of modern nursing and the impact the profession has on the lives of people of all ages and from all walks of life and in a wide range of settings.

Isobel, who works for South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, is one of six exceptional nurses who have been nominated for the Patient’s Choice category of the RCNi Nurse Awards. The award enables members of the public to thank a nurse, midwife, health visitor, healthcare assistant or assistant practitioner who has provided exceptional care.

A public vote has opened to choose the winner of the award, which is sponsored by the profession’s leading journal Nursing Standard. This year the awards are even more prestigious as it is the International Nurse of the Year and Midwife.

The winner will be announced at a virtual ceremony later in the year.

‘Nursing Standard is delighted to be showcasing the profession's reach and the difference it makes to individuals, families and entire communities in the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.’

Vote at www.rcni.com/patients-choice-vote

« Return to News