Name: Francesca Delgadillo
Year: Junior
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida
Major: Biology
Relationship Status: Single
Her Campus (HC): What are you currently involved in on campus?
Francesca Delgadillo (FD): I’m on the executive board of the FSU organization H.E.L.P (Helping Every Little Person), serving as the Preschool Coordinator for my second year. I’m also certified as an Emergency Medical Responder and I volunteer with FSU’s Medical Response Unit.
HC: What made you decide to become an Emergency Medical Responder?
FD: I loved volunteering at a local hospital throughout high school and had the opportunity to work in many different departments, but the emergency department was always my favorite. The staff let me observe certain procedures and always answered my questions. I’ve also wanted to work in the medical field for as long as I can remember. When I heard about the unit, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to learn more about my favorite department. I also like how I can directly help the student body while furthering my own education.
HC: What is it like to be an Emergency Medical Responder?
FD: Any time we first hear about a call, I’m always initially anxious. You never know what to expect. The best calls are the ones that are within our scope of practice, where we can help or treat them ourselves. When we have to call for back up, EMS, we hand the patient over to receive treatment that is beyond our training. I always leave those calls wanting to know what became of the patient and wishing we could have done more.
HC: What is one particular call that stands out from the rest?
FD: The craziest call didn’t even involve a student. We had just finished our shift during a football tailgate at the stadium. It was a big game, so ESPN’s Gameday was there. We got a call to a pregnant woman who had passed out by the stadium so we went to her immediately. She didn’t need EMS so we were just sitting with her after she had been evaluated. A man came running to us yelling that a man had gotten his hand stuck in some barricades that were being taken down at the end of ESPN’s pre-game newscast. When we hurried to the patient we saw his hand was covered in blood and my supervisor began to hold pressure while I called our other supervisor and got out more supplies. He suddenly asked me if I wanted to hold pressure, and I obviously said yes. While we switched positions I was able to see the patient had slashed his pinkie open diagonally from the tip to the base. I was surprised at first to see so much blood. I continued to hold pressure until firefighters and EMTs arrived. When they were ready to transport, I could finally let go and saw his entire hand had started to turn blue. I haven’t had a call like that since. That’s another call where I didn’t get to see the outcome.
HC: Being the preschool coordinator for H.E.L.P, how do you come up with activities to do with the children?
FD: I usually look at Pinterest. Sometimes I check with my sister who has young children if I need ideas or help making activities age-appropriate.
HC: Which activity do you think the children enjoy the most?
FD: Anything with paint – the messier the better. The older children also love bingo, especially if I’m giving out prizes.
HC: What shows are you currently watching on Netflix or Hulu?
FD: The Middle, Modern Family, Empire, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder…I probably watch too much TV.
HC: If you were to visit any place in the world, what would it be?
FD: Maybe Calabria, Italy, where my grandfather is from.
HC: What’s the number one thing on your bucket list?
FD: I’d love to take a trip with my sisters somewhere we’ve never been, but with our schedules, it will probably never happen.