HSC PA graduate uses Stop the Bleed training to save a life
Anna Winnicki, PA-C, a 2021 graduate of The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth’s Physician Assistant program, is being hailed as a hero after using her Stop the Bleed training to save the life of a motorcyclist involved in a severe accident in Seattle, Washington. The motorcyclist sustained life-threatening injuries, including a near-amputation of his arm, after crashing on a winding road near the city.
Winnicki, now a primary care provider at Baylor Scott & White in McKinney, Texas, was traveling through Washington state with her husband when they encountered the accident scene. “I saw a group of people surrounding a man on the ground, and I knew I had to help,” Winnicki said. “His left arm was practically severed, and he was bleeding profusely.”
Drawing on the Stop the Bleed training she received during her time at HSC, Winnicki quickly took control of the situation. Lacking a tourniquet, she improvised by using a twig and rope until a bystander provided a real tourniquet. “Once we applied the tourniquet and used some BleedStop, a powder for clotting blood, on the wound, the bleeding significantly reduced,” she said. “He never lost consciousness, which was critical.”
Media reports confirm that the motorcyclist is now in stable condition, awake and talking. Doctors are hopeful they will be able to save his arm.
Winnicki credits the Stop the Bleed training she received as part of her PA program for preparing her to act decisively in this high-stakes situation. The training, led by PA Mott, teaches students how to respond to traumatic bleeding by applying direct pressure, packing wounds, and using tourniquets. “I’m so grateful for the training,” Winnicki said. “I didn’t think I’d ever use it, but when I needed it, it all came back to me.”
Stop the Bleed is a national initiative developed by the American College of Surgeons to empower bystanders to take action in emergencies involving severe bleeding. The training emphasizes that in many cases, bystanders are the first to arrive at the scene, and their quick actions can mean the difference between life and death. The program has trained nearly 4 million individuals since 2017, equipping them with life-saving skills akin to CPR.
Reflecting on Winnicki’s actions, Jeffrey Mott, DHSc, PA-C, who teaches Stop the Bleed to HSC’s PA students, expressed his pride.
“Anna’s thinking outside the box by initially creating an improvised tourniquet shows that her PA program Stop the Bleed training kicked in and saved a life,” Mott said. “It is very fortunate she happened up the scene to help.”
“After teaching tactical casualty care for more than 15 years, it is always rewarding to hear back from soldiers and alumni that I have trained, sharing their experiences treating trauma patients in the field,” Mott said. “We often go through the motions of preparing for scenarios that we may never experience — until we do.”
The PA program at HSC, housed within the College of Health Professions, is committed to producing highly skilled, compassionate health care providers like Winnicki. By incorporating life-saving courses such as Stop the Bleed into its curriculum, the program ensures that graduates are prepared for unexpected emergencies.
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