A community maternity support worker at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) has been recognised for her heroic actions after saving two lives in separate incidents just months apart.
Megan Brown, who has worked at NUH for 10 years, has gone above and beyond her role on two occasions in the past few months, when routine working days suddenly became lifesaving emergencies.
Earlier this year, while out on community visits, Megan spotted a man who had collapsed in a street in Arnold, Nottingham. She immediately stopped her car and ran to help. The 47-year-old man was purple and unresponsive.
Megan began CPR and continued for around 14 minutes with the help of a bystander. She had no idea how hard giving CPR was, having never done it before.
She said: “I was on gravel, so I had no padding and had scuffed both my knees completely, and I had already done two rounds, and I was already sweating and struggling to breathe.”
Despite initial difficulties locating a defibrillator, Megan managed to obtain one and followed its instructions, delivering a shock when advised, despite never having used a defibrillator before.
Megan said: “We were extremely lucky that we managed to get the gentleman’s pulse back before the ambulance arrived.”
The man was taken by ambulance to Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC). Thankfully, he survived, and subsequent scans showed no brain or heart damage.
But this wasn’t the first time Megan’s quick thinking saved a life.
Last year, in November, during a routine day five home visit, Megan was greeted by a distressed father who explained that his baby was “shaking”. Megan quickly recognised that the baby was having a seizure while being held by their mother.
She immediately alerted colleagues and ensured the baby was transferred to hospital without delay. The baby was diagnosed with a serious calcium imbalance, hypercalcaemia, and required urgent treatment within a matter of hours. Thanks to Megan’s swift response, the baby made a full recovery.
Megan said she was very well supported by colleagues straight after the incident. She said: “I had a wonderful coordinator who made sure I had a full debrief after it and, on my way home, she called me to tell me the baby had been diagnosed as hypercalcaemic and was now receiving treatment, which was great news.
“You start second-guessing yourself in this job and wondering if you’ve missed something, so to know it was a legitimate condition and I had done the right thing was a relief, so I got home and snuggled my dog!”
Megan was later nominated by a colleague for an NUH Tulip Award in recognition of her actions, with midwifery colleagues highlighting how difficult it can be, even for experienced staff, to identify a baby in distress.
Megan’s line manager, Clare Rahilly, said: “We are so proud to have Megan in our team. As her line manager, I see every day the compassion and dedication she brings to her role, but what she has shown in these two emergency situations is truly exceptional. Faced with a life-or-death situation, she didn’t hesitate and acted quickly to save a life.
Megan embodies the very best of our team. She consistently goes above and beyond for the people she cares for, and her calmness under pressure and selflessness in those critical moments are remarkable. She is a credit to the team.”
In recognition of her exceptional actions and commitment to NUH values, Megan has now been presented with a Values in Practice Special Recognition Award.
Megan Brown
NUH Chief Executive Officer, Anthony May, presented the surprise award and said:
“Megan’s actions are truly inspiring. In moments where others might hesitate, she stepped forward with courage, determination, and an unwavering commitment to saving lives. Her instinct to act, despite never having performed CPR before, speaks volumes about her character and the values we hold at NUH.
“We are incredibly proud of Megan for going above and beyond to care for others, even in the most challenging and unexpected of circumstances. We are grateful for the compassion and bravery she has shown, not just once, but on two separate occasions. She is an inspiration to colleagues and our wider community alike.”
Megan Brown and Anthony May
