Vegas shooting teaches lessons to local health care professionals

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Leaders from the Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas came to the Port City Saturday to talk about what they learned from the mass shooting they experienced last October.

“A mass casualty is never something you want to go through. It was very difficult. It stays with me today,” Chief Medical Officer of Sunrise Hospital Jeffrey Murawsky said.

Murawsky witnessed the Vegas shooting first hand, treating patients and working to save victims’ lives. Now he hopes to teach what he learned from the mass shooting to other health care professionals.

“Our opportunity to share that and really give the details, answer the questions I think will help every community prepare for something they just don’t want to have happen,” Murawsky said.

As the country sees another mass shooting in Florida, Murawsky said it is critical for every hospital to have a plan and be prepared for the worst. This is something New Hanover  Regional Medical Center said it has.

“Our hospital has a mass casualty plan, but I would qualify that by saying no hospital is perfectly ready for a flawless response to 200 gun shot wound victims,” Medical Director of NHRMC Trauma Center Tom Clancy said.

Dorita Sondereker who also works at the hospital that treated victims of the Vegas shooting said mental health plays a role in mass casualties.

“I think nationwide, part of the equation is dealing with mental health disorders and making sure we can recognize people in distress, but take care [of them] before they go into a crisis mode,” Sondereker said.

Meanwhile the Vegas hospital tries to reflect on the things they did well.

“There’s a lot of lessons in the care we provide we can take away, but mostly I take away the positives of the peoples’ lives we were able to help that went home and come back to say hi. It’s really a great thing to say you’ve done that,” Murawsky said.

Murawsky said he wishes he had the answer to put a stop to the mass shootings, but right now as a medical professional he said people have to be better at responding when they do happen.

Both of the leaders from the Vegas hospital said they are sending a banner to the hospital in Parkland, Florida to tell them they will get through this as both a staff and community. As well as for them to heal and also share what they have learned.