Caledonia Argus

Registered nurse takes quick action to help accident victims

Posted: 3/5/02

By Shannon McKinney
Argus News Reporter

Michelle Borresonís workday started early on Wednesday, February 20.

Borreson of Spring Grove was taking the usual route to work on Hwy. 16 from Spring Grove to Caledonia when she happened upon the scene of an accident at about 8:00 a.m.

She is a registered nurse at the Franciscan Skemp Healthcare Clinic in Caledonia and so when she saw the accident she couldnít just drive by. She was one of the first people on the scene.

A car driven by Terese Solum, had landed in the ditch after being struck by a truck driven by Jennifer Zilly of Spring Grove. There were six people in Solumís car and four were injured. She recalled, ìI could see people were starting to walk out of the ditch.î

Borreson had her 18 month old daughter Hannah with her so she left the van running and took off running down the hill to help.

She could see that there were a couple people that were badly injured. Two girls were trapped Robin Thomas, 16, and Michelle Solum, 15.

When she got to the car, someone was already checking pulses, which were weak and rapid, said Borreson.

Shortly after the ambulances arrived, Borreson was busy running up and down the ditch prepping and administering IVs for those still trapped in the car and helping put neck collars on some of the passengers. As the car started to be torn apart by the Jaws-of-Life, blankets were brought down to keep the victims warm.

When the victims were ready to be transported to the hospital, Borreson learned how quickly the ambulances take off.

ìWhen they load and go, they load and go,î she said.

She explained how she found herself inside an ambulance trying to explain that she couldnít assist on the drive into La Crosse. ìI said, ëWait a second, Iím not going with you.í And they said, ëOh yes you are. We need your help.íî

They let her go after she explained to them that she had been driving by and had to attend to her child.

Thankfully, for the time she was helping, a Spring Grove policeman had been keeping an eye one her daughter. ìI think she was fascinated by the lights (of the ambulances and fire trucks),î she said.

Borreson said she did have a little experience as an EMT when she lived in Iowa, but had not gone through the tests to qualify to become a licensed EMT in Minnesota.

She described how she felt while helping, ìYou just do what you have to do. Youíre adrenaline is pumping.î

She said working on the scene is a lot different, though, than working in the controlled environment of a clinic. When prepping her first IV, Borreson was in such a rush that she forgot the needle. Also, there isnít a convenient garbage disposal for used needles, ìYou stick them in the dashboard,î she said.

Borreson was very impressed, though, with how the Spring Grove and Caledonia ambulances and fire departments, and Houston County Sheriffís office handled the situation. ìThere was four injured people. Everybody was doing something and it all worked well. It was just like clockwork.î

All of the passengers and driver of the Solum vehicle have been released from the hospital except for Robin Thomas, 16. As of Monday, March 4, her condition had been upgraded to fair. A week before that she had spent four to five days listed in critical condition.

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