Respiratory Therapist’s Vigilance Protects Critically Ill Pregnant Patient During Interfacility Transfer
Winnie Wong’s intervention leads to new system-wide transport safety protocol
May 06, 2026
A respiratory therapist at NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx (NCB) has been honored for an act of clinical excellence that protected a critically ill pregnant patient during an interfacility transfer.
The episode, which unfolded during what could have been a routine transfer, became a demonstration of what happens when a culture of continuous learning exists within a healthcare facility.
The patient — eight weeks pregnant with twins and diagnosed with a severe pulmonary embolism — required supplemental oxygen. She was being transferred from North Central Bronx Hospital to NYC Health + Hospital/Jacobi when Wong, assisted by Respiratory Therapist Ketty Seide, moved forward.
“From past experience, I knew that at very high flow, tanks go through oxygen super quickly. So I said, I’m just going to go with you with a full tank and an Ambu bag,” said Winnie Wong, Respiratory Therapist, NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx.
Wong asked the paramedic team a simple but critical question: was there enough oxygen to safely move the patient from the ICU to the ambulance? When the answer was not definitive, she did not hesitate. Drawing on her clinical experience with high-flow oxygen patients, she secured a full backup tank and an Artificial Manual Breathing Unit (Ambu bag) and joined the transport herself.
Inside the elevator, the ventilator alarmed and displayed an immediate warning: “Oxygen not available.”
The patient’s oxygen saturation dropped sharply.
“The paramedic said, ‘Hand me over your tank,’ and I said, ‘I am actually glad I came with you guys,” recalled Wong.
Because Wong was already there with a backup tank, oxygen was restored within moments. The patient’s saturation recovered quickly. Wong stayed with the team until the patient was safely loaded into the ambulance and connected to its onboard supply.
The hospital’s leadership formally recognized Wong and Seide, honoring their professionalism along with the broader lesson their actions offer to the entire healthcare community.
“In high reliable organizations, one of the things that allows people to succeed is when you focus on the possibility of failure, not being complacent. She used her lived experience of what could possibly go wrong. And unbeknownst to her, she taught that EMT something he will never forget,” said Dr. Chinyere Anyaogu, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx.
Thanks to Wong’s intervention, North Central Bronx Hospital has implemented a mandatory checklist for oxygen and equipment for all ICU patients undergoing interfacility transfer.
“Winnie asked such a simple question in such a non-threatening way: ‘Do you have enough oxygen?’ And then she was persistent. She had a gut feeling, and she didn’t let it go. This led to a mandatory checklist for all patients being transported from the ICU. She transformed something that was not so awesome into something very positive,” said Heidi Baer, Patient Safety Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx.
The initiative has been recognized at the system level as a model of how frontline clinical excellence leads to institutional improvement.
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Contact: Rawle Titus, 332-259-2512
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi
NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi is a 457-bed teaching hospital affiliated with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The facility has earned numerous Center of Excellence designations, accreditation, and recognition for its renowned Level 1 Trauma Center, Burn Center, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, regional Stroke Center, Snakebite Treatment Center, Breast Health Center, Bariatric Surgery Center, and Cancer Service. The facility also offers the region’s only multi-person hyperbaric chamber, allowing up to nine patients to dive together at one time. Jacobi’s Ambulatory Care Pavilion is a stunning complement to its inpatient acute care, allowing staff to provide patients with high-quality service in a modern, state-of-the-art environment. For more information visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/jacobi/.
About NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx
NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx is a member facility of the New York City Health + Hospitals system, one of eleven acute care facilities within the City of New York. A 215-bed community hospital, North Central Bronx Hospital specializes in women’s and children’s services. It also provides Behavioral Health acute and ambulatory care. Its busy outpatient department has led the way in community-based care delivered in a compassionate and culturally-appropriate manner. Its Labor and Delivery service safely brings more than 1,000 babies into the world each year. North Central Bronx is committed to providing safe, high-quality medical care for any and all in need. For more information visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/north-central-bronx/.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth —all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.