Trainee St John Ambulance nurse Cathy John was blessed to have a heart-warming experience of delivering a baby girl while she was on her first day of ride-along duty just three days away from Christmas.
For Nurse Cathy who had previously worked in hospital settings, delivering a baby in a location other than a hospital was an entirely new and breathtaking experience.
“This was my first time delivering a baby in the ambulance, and to do this on the first ride-along is an amazing experience, one that I will never forget in a very long time.”
This extraordinary turn of events occurred on Friday when an emergency call reported a 28-year old woman in labor at the bus stop in front of Gordon’s Secondary School in Port Moresby.
The Brown River Area expectant mother and her husband were in town for Christmas shopping.
She was on the verge of giving birth without knowing the expected due date.
The woman was surrounded by bystanders when the ambulance arrived, but the ambulance crew wasted no time in getting her into the ambulance for examination.
The contractions became more severe on the way to Port Moresby General Hospital, prompting Nurse Cathy to check on the woman.
To everyone’s surprise, the baby’s head was already visible.
The crew made a quick decision to pull over along the road at Hohola, and with the birthing kit in hand, the mother gave birth to a healthy baby.
The baby was cleaned, and the mother and baby were transported to the PMGH labor ward after the birthing procedure was completed.
Upon receiving the handover notes, the hospital’s nursing staff expressed their joy and congratulated the team for successful delivery.
Cathy is one of six nurses who worked with St John Ambulance in 2021 at the Nightingale COVID Care Centre (NGCCC) and have now returned to join the ambulance service on the road.
Her remarkable entry into ambulance service exemplifies the unpredictability of emergency medical work and the dedication of healthcare professionals like Cathy who are prepared to respond to the unexpected with skill and compassion.