By Jackson Taylor & Eugene Kim, News Editor & Contributor
Following an instructional speech on intravenous injection, a student became ill and passedout during an entry level Speech 1110 class on Feb. 10. University of Nebraska at Omaha Health Services and the Communications Department acted quickly on the matter to make sure the student’s health was not in danger.
The event occurred when a student in the class, who is alsoin training to become a medic in the military, gave his required informative speech on “how to insert an IV.” Intravenous therapy is the infusion of liquid substances directly into a vein.The student asked for a volunteer from the class from him to insert the IV on. The student who volunteered allowed the IV to be stuck into her arm, as part of the demonstration.
Minutes later, the student with the IV in her arm passed out and the speech was discontinued. One student said, “Her face went white and her eyes shut.”
Most people who pass out duringan IV insertion or while having blood drawn do so because of a reflex arc in the involuntary
nervous system known as vasovagal reaction, which causes slowing of the heart rate and prohibits oxygen from being delivered to the brain.
Legally, one does not have to be a physician to provide intravenous therapy. However, one must meet some guidelines and only certain healthcare professionals can seek the approved training that is required.
During the following class,the director of UNO School of Communication, Hugh Reilly, visited the class alongside Counseling and Health Service representatives to offer assistance and answer questions that the students might have. The students were also encouraged to contact the Counseling Center if they felt like they needed to talk to someone after the incident. According to ratemyprofessors.com, Carl had students who viewed her in a positive light, and appreciated her teaching style.
“One of the best professors I’ve had yet in college, and one of the best teachers I think I’ve ever had,” said one student. “Shares her life with students in a very applicable way, not in an annoying or distracting way. She is very nice, very sweet, and very helpful. I hate public speaking, but she made it enjoyable.”
The instructor, Suzanne Carl, no longer teaches at UNO for reasons that The Gateway can not confirm. Reilly declined to
comment on the circumstance other than to say, “It was anunfortunate incident all around.”
