State Police Thank UAMS for Saving Officer’s Life
| An Arkansas State Police officer critically injured Jan. 3 in a vehicle accident is alive today because of teams of UAMS physicians, nurses and others who responded in the critical hours and days afterward.
The Arkansas State Police and Lila McWilliams presented plaques to thank the UAMS health care teams.
Those health care professionals were honored with hugs, smiles and plaques April 17 in a ceremony in the UAMS Lobby Gallery attended by the officer’s wife and more than a dozen officers, including State Police Director Bill Bryant.
Cpl. Clayton McWilliams is in rehab and is making progress, said his wife, Lila McWilliams. Recently he walked 15 feet, she said, smiling, comparing it to three months ago when he couldn’t move his body and had a breathing tube in his throat that prevented him from speaking.
“You all put your heart and soul into your job. Arkansas is lucky to have you,” she told the dozens of UAMS health care professionals. She was accompanied by her mother, Deanna Sivley.
Bryant said the state has 547 troopers and every one of them wanted to be there to thank UAMS. He said after McWilliams of Little River County, was injured responding to a crash scene, he was taken to Texarkana, then immediately transferred by ambulance to UAMS because the weather was too bad to have him airlifted.
The nurses who helped care for Cpl. Clayton McWilliams were recognized.
“As soon as we got to the hospital we were treated like family,” Bryant said. “It’s no doubt that the actions taken saved his life. It was a great experience.”
McWilliams suffered brain swelling and had damage to his tibia, fibula, femur and pelvis.
Plaques were presented to the neurology team, vascular surgery team, orthopaedic surgery team, trauma ICU team, neurosurgery team and advanced practice nursing team that had taken care of McWilliams at UAMS.
Bryant praised Ron Robertson, chief of the Division of Trauma, Critical Care and Acute Care Surgery, who led the trauma team the night McWilliams was brought in.
UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson stands with the doctors, nurses, state troopers and Lila McWilliams after the ceremony to thank UAMS.
Bryant also honored Jo Smith, a nurse and director of special projects, for coming in that night even though she wasn’t on duty and staying until early the next morning to make sure family and fellow officers were taken care of as they waited for word of McWilliams’ condition.
UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, thanked all of those on Team UAMS. “This is why we went into our profession.”
Patterson thanked the officers for keeping the public safe. “We know you are here for us and we want you to know we are here for you.”
The complex case also was assisted by the emergency department, interventional radiology, anesthesia, front line nursing teams and medical surgical units.