PTOs proud as Mum-to-be makes an entrance

We know our Patient Transport Officers (PTOs) go above and beyond in their jobs, but Cairns PTOs Rachel and Connie took it one step further in November helping to bring new life into the world, reports Madolyn Sushames.

The PTOs were waiting to pick up a patient from the transit lounge at Cairns Hospital when they heard someone yelling, ‘a lady’s in labour, a baby’s coming!’.

The ladies said they sprang into action, grabbing towels, running after the nurse out the door to find a mum‑ to-be had just arrived at the hospital and was standing in the foyer’s doorway in the late stages of labour.

“Just as we stepped around the corner, the Mum, Caroleena had delivered the baby herself and was lifting him up to her chest,” Rachel said.

Rachel and Connie went to work, covering Caroleena and bub with the towels, helping her into a wheelchair and taking her upstairs to the maternity ward.

It wasn’t until they were in the lift that they stopped to ask what the baby’s gender was.

“It was a little boy!” Rachel exclaimed. “Caroleena was very lucky she made it at that time, everything went so quickly, he was her second baby, and her labour progressed a little bit faster than they thought it would.”

Thankfully, our PTOs were in the right place at the right time and were able to put their training into practice.

“We were the first ones to do our certificate IV in Health Care in Brisbane, …that was our first big job,” Rachel laughed.

Cairns Senior Operations Supervisor Leon Oliveri praised the ladies for their quick thinking and high level of patient care.

“That’s not normal business for our guys but we do appreciate what they did,” he said.

A memorable moment not only for the family, but for our PTOs as well. Congratulations to Caroleena and Luke on the safe arrival on baby Mateo!

Headline Photo: PTOs Connie and Rachel with baby Mateo and proud parents Luke and Caroleena.