Yakov Skolnick, a Nursing major, who had just taken his CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) course less than a month ago, put it to good use to save an 85 year-old man from cardiac arrest.
Skolnick, a 25 year-old immigrant from Israel with some paramedic experience with the Israel Defense Force (IDF), he credits his recent accreditation in CPR at the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center for his ability to respond quickly and with calm in the resuscitation of the elderly gentleman.
According to reports from the doctors at Gouverneur Healthcare Services, located on Madison Avenue, Yakov was about to leave the center after taking his required immunizations for nursing when he saw a man crumple and fall to the ground. While people were mingling around, Skolnick raced from the exit toward the man. Before the security staff was able to cordon off the area where the elderly gentleman had been apparently unconscious, Skolnick took the man’s pulse, found none, and immediately started CPR fearing that man had been in cardiac arrest. As Yakov cleaned the man’s throat from vomit, initiated oxygen compression, he gently but firmly requested a defibrillator and a CPR mask. With all this going on, he had the presence of mind to immediately call for emergency medical service.
In a letter to Mr. Skolnick, Dr. Christopher Vinnard, who immediately appeared at the scene, wrote, “Mr. Skolnick played a key role in the successful resuscitation of an 85 year-old man who had no pulse. Based on his performance, I actually thought he was part of our staff. The patient and we are indebted to his service.”
The Office of Public Affairs thanks Ting Lei, Associate Professor of Psychology, for sharing this story with us and, of course, Mr. Yakov Skolnick for his willingness to talk to us about his heroic act.
