Temi Elegbede, BSN, RN
Najma Jean, Front End Supervisor, Clinical Neurosciences at Mount Sinai-Union Square, was working in her office when she heard a strange sound in the adjoining waiting room, like someone gasping for air. She ran out, and her instincts proved correct: a patient was choking on something they ate. Najma ran back to the office suite and notified Temi Elegbede, BSN, RN, Manager, Patient Care Services.
“Temi immediately sprang into action, running out to the patient,” Najma recounts. “This was a terrifying situation for most of us, as the patient clearly was having difficulty breathing and speaking, but Temi took over with incredible ease and care, calming our team. He performed a successful Heimlich maneuver, and everything was instantly okay.”
Eumenide Vernet, MSN, RN, Senior Director of Nursing for Ambulatory Services, Mount Sinai-Union Square, is Temi’s supervisor. “Temi is known for doing the right thing, at the right time, right where he is,” she says. “All his training and experience kicked in when he came to this patient’s side. Always cool and collected, he intervened decisively with lifesaving results. We all think it’s a huge deal that he saved a person’s life, but to him, he did what he was supposed to do and is wondering what the fuss is all about.”
Temi, a Mount Sinai nurse since 2019, is indeed humble. “This is what I am trained to do,” he explains, “and I take my education seriously. In situations like these, you have to remind yourself that you have been equipped with the necessary problem-solving skills and be confident you can resolve even the most serious issues facing patients.”