'Hero' nursing student used dress to save injured man's life at Ayr Train Station

A student nurse has been hailed as a hero after using her dress to save an injured man’s life at a train station after he took a “severe” fall.

Sarah Randall, from the University of the West of Scotland, was waiting at a platform with her boyfriend at Ayr Train Station following a holiday on Monday evening, when she noticed an elderly man in distress.

Upon checking on him, the 22-year-old discovered he had fallen and sustained a severe open fracture – with both the tibia and fibula bones poking through the skin – causing significant blood loss.

Forced into quick thinking, Sarah applied techniques she had learned just weeks before with a dress from her bag to form a makeshift tourniquet and bandage to control the bleeding and stabilise the injury.

Upon the arrival of the paramedics, Sarah continued to play a crucial role in the man’s care and even helped realign his leg before moving him onto a trolley for transport to hospital.

Sarah said she was just “glad to help” and the experience has reinforced her “passion for nursing”.

“I did what I hope any nurse in training would do in that situation”, she said.

“I was just in the right place at the right time and I’m just glad I could help, and that the gentleman is receiving the care he needs.

“This experience has definitely reinforced my passion for nursing and my desire to make a positive impact in people’s lives.”

Andrew Girvan, the Scottish Ambulance Service worker who arrived at the scene, hailed Sarah’s quick thinking.

He added: “Sarah’s actions at the scene were above and beyond what is expected of a student.

“Her quick thinking and medical knowledge undoubtedly contributed to saving this man’s life. I am deeply grateful for her assistance and confident that she will make an outstanding nurse.”

Sarah, who is from Barrhead, is currently studying the Extended Placement Learning Experience (EPLE) module over the summer as she is entering directly into second year of the BSc Adult Nursing programme.

Julie Edgar, dean of the school of health and life sciences at UWS, said: “Sarah is a shining example of the values and skills we strive to instil in our Nursing students.

“Her quick thinking and even faster actions are a testament to the high quality of our Nursing programme and the incredible potential of our students.

“Sarah acted in a highly professional manner, was calm under pressure and displayed excellent team-working skills. To be able to effectively apply her knowledge to practice and manage this experience whilst still a student is outstanding.

“We are immensely proud of Sarah’s heroism and dedication and want to take this opportunity to extend our deepest gratitude to her for her lifesaving efforts. We wish her success in her nursing studies and future career.”