Olivia Smoak, a native New Yorker and former Navy nurse, moved to San Diego with her husband while pregnant with their first child. Olivia was healthy and active, but as she neared the end of her pregnancy, her blood pressure began to rise. At 39 weeks, her doctors induced labor. Her son, Theo, was delivered safely, but Olivia suffered an amniotic fluid embolism and heart failure. She was connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine, then was transferred to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla via Scripps’ ECMO-enabled ambulance. For the next several days, doctors worked around-the-clock to save her life. Olivia was so inspired by her Scripps caregivers that she decided to continue her education with the goal of returning to becoming a nurse. Read more about Olivia’s incredible journey here.
Scripps’ Critical Care Transport Team was integral to Olivia’s care. It operates an ambulance that’s equipped with an ECMO machine to safely transport patients like Olivia to and from Scripps facilities. Previously, it was considered too risky to transport certain critically ill patients before they were stabilized. Now, the ambulance essentially functions as a mobile ICU, and patients can be rushed to a hospital for immediate care. Learn more here.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
