Lesly Arroyo Pena’s Community Health class experience at Galen College of Nursing took on a new significance recently when she encountered a scary situation outside of the classroom.

Just weeks after learning about the benefits of Naloxone—commonly provided under the NARCAN brand name—at a community health site to revive a person suffering a drug overdose, the Galen Tampa Bay student was able to put her education into action. It was an eye-opening moment for Arroyo, and one that affirmed her decision to become a nurse.

On her way back to her community health site after lunch, Arroyo suddenly encountered heavy traffic. Cars came to a complete stop, and then moved forward very slowly. When Arroyo got closer, she looked to her left and saw a person lying on the ground in the middle of the road. Another Good Samaritan had already exited their car to try and help the person, but they appeared unresponsive.

“I didn’t know if he was dead,” Arroyo said. “I was scared but I felt a rush of adrenaline in me, so that’s when I was like ‘should I do something?’ So I thought ‘what could happen if I go check?’ I parked at the closest parking spot and ran into the middle of the road and checked the person’s pulse.”

Arroyo found that the person’s eyes were still opening and closing, but he was unable to respond to her question. Based on his symptoms, Arroyo quickly realized she was in a position to help.

Her community health class had learned all about NARCAN while at IDEA Exchange, a nonprofit organization that provides drug users with a needle-exchange program. IDEA Exchange offers free doses of NARCAN to individuals, local healthcare workers, and family members, as well as education on how to use it properly. One dose of NARCAN in each nostril can reverse the effects of a drug overdose after two to three minutes.

“I ran back to my car, I got NARCAN, and I knew that nothing bad will happen if I use it, and I honestly feel like that gave me confidence to go do it,” Arroyo said. “I ran back to the [person] and I was a little bit scared because I had never used it before. I gave one spray in one nostril and in the spur of the moment, I thought maybe it’s not working. But [our NARCAN educators] did say it takes 2–3 minutes to take effect. I sprayed in the other nostril and 2–3 minutes later he did perk up.”

“One of the ladies [at IDEA Exchange] gave me a couple of boxes of NARCAN, and said ‘You never know when you need them, I keep one in my car.’ I never thought I would have to use it, but I kept one in my car and thank God I did.”

While another Good Samaritan called 9-1-1, Arroyo and the first helper were able to get the person to stand up and walk to a bus stop bench on the sidewalk. Arroyo stayed with the person until local EMTs arrived.

“After that I was like ‘woah, I can’t believe I was able to help,’ because even in school, sometimes the thought of ‘one day I’m going to be in charge of taking care of people’ is a lot. I was always the quiet kid growing up, but there’s something about helping people, and I don’t want to stay quiet for someone that needs help. When I see somebody that needs help, I want to forget about everything and just go help them. I was kind of shocked that everything happened so quickly.”

“I feel like everything that the teachers have been telling us is true. I’ve been really inspired by [Galen Tampa Bay faculty member Pamela] Taylor, RN, and what she’s doing for the community, and that’s something later on down the road that I want to do.”

Arroyo wasn’t the only Galen person around this incident. Also driving by just minutes after Arroyo arrived was Galen faculty member Dolores Moncrieffe, MSN, RN, who witnessed Arroyo’s life-saving measures, as well as the important work that Galen students learned in the weeks preceding this experience.

“The students helped to make NARCAN rescue kits during this clinical rotation, and the needle exchange staff has really done a good job educating them on making a difference in people’s lives by carrying these kits for such an occasion,” Moncrieffe said in an email. “I am proud of Lesley and her willingness to stop to help, her assessment and critical thinking skills, and her clinical judgment. She was calm, cool, and collected during this incident.”

For Arroyo, this experience was a great way to close out her quarter and remind her that she’s following her calling to become a nurse. Inspired by nurses she encountered while at the hospital during family emergencies or the birth of her three younger siblings, Arroyo is almost halfway to receiving her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Galen.

“Despite this quarter being one of my hardest, I want to thank God who has helped me keep pushing forward, overcome obstacles I have faced, as he is the reason I am here today,” Arroyo said. “I also want to give a shout-out to all my professors and my academic advisor who have been so supportive and have shared valuable advice and inspiration; Professor White, Professor Moncrieffe, Professor Taylor, Professor Mercado, and Academic Advisor Renee Boullianne. Thank you because my time here at Galen has been so good and I wouldn’t change my decision of coming here.”

At Galen College of Nursing, we prepare students for real-world challenges—because nursing isn’t just a career, it’s a calling. Whether you’re starting your journey with our VN/PN program, pursuing your RN with our two-year ADN, or aiming for a three-year BSN, Galen gives you the confidence, skills, and support to change lives. Start your path to Pure Nursing today.