JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville brother and sister duo are using their close relationship to help save lives at UF Health.
When Brian Brown is bringing patients into UF Health Jacksonville, he can call his sister for help.
“Probably about six months ago, and he was like, Oh, I had a patient that had like, These signs and symptoms, and I'm like, Yeah, that's signs of a stroke. And he's like, you know, I just had that tunnel vision and wasn't thinking that, but I'm glad that you said that. Because whenever he got him to the hospital, it really was a stroke," Andrea Koller.
Andrea Koller works as an emergency medicine charge nurse at UF Health Jacksonville. Her brother Brian Brown is a firefighter and paramedic for Baker County. The two Jacksonville natives realized that after years of sister-brother-bonding, their communication is quick and direct, a perfect combination when working in healthcare.
“We worked together for St. Vincent’s years ago. I mean, we'd ride on the same unit together. And I mean, we've taken people to Alabama, and you know, out of town out of state, yeah… It’s been a rewarding career," Brown said.
Their smooth working relationship benefits the more than 40,000 inpatients seen annually at UF Health facilities. Both siblings are passionate about healthcare and share their experiences to encourage others to get into the field.
“I feel like, I could always go to him. Like, if I wasn't sure about something, I could always like, bounce it off of him. And he does the same to me," said Koller. "It's just a rewarding career…I learn something new every day. And that's what I love about it."
To read more about their Journey visit UF Health Jacksonville's website here.