Bunbury Catholic College School Nurse Miranda McKee has been nominated for a Pride of Australia award after saving the life of a teenage student.
When Wyatt Hancock’s heart suddenly stopped during a morning maths class at Bunbury Catholic College in April, it was up to Ms McKee to keep him alive until paramedics arrived.
Ms McKee told Perth Now she started CPR as soon as she got to the classroom.
“I just knew that if I hadn’t started something that he was not going to recover,” she said.
“I had to give him the best possible chance.”
When ambulance officers arrived eight minutes after she started CPR, they had to give multiple electric shocks to Wyatt’s heart before it would beat again on its own.
Wyatt, who had no pre-existing medical conditions, spent four days in an induced coma at Fiona Stanley Hospital. He has recovered well but with no memory of the incident.
Ms McKee, who has been nominated in the Care and Compassion category of this year’s Pride of Australia awards, urged more West Australians to learn basic CPR.