Children’s doll Paul turns blue, the doctors and nurses at the community hospital have to react. Image: Peter Jülich
Doctors and nurses at a Frankfurt hospital train for emergencies and are digitally monitored. This is not a given in German hospitals.
Seven-year-old Tom’s heart can’t take it anymore: ventricular fibrillation. The oxygen level in his blood drops rapidly. The boy has to be resuscitated, his mother is sitting next to him. A nurse draws up a syringe with adrenaline, a doctor calls for the defibrillator. Meanwhile, nurse Nadia Plöthner steadfastly presses the oxygen mask onto Tom’s face. She works routinely and with great concentration.
Tom’s condition does not improve. The doctor sticks two defibrillator pads on his body. “All hands off,” she calls. A first shock, a short time later a second one. Still no normal heartbeat. A third shock. “We have a rhythm,” says the doctor calmly. The announcement comes from the loudspeakers: “Scenario ended!” The doctors and nurses turn away from Tom, who is just a doll.