How senior Mercy Bustamante’s fast action made a critical difference
For Belmont nursing student Mercy Bustamante, a typical morning at TriStar Centennial Medical Center quickly became a life-or-death situation — one that would test her training, composure and calling as a future nurse.
Bustamante, a senior, was completing her clinical rotation on the hospital’s cardiac floor when a Code Blue alarm sounded across the hall. What happened next, she says, reaffirmed everything she’s learned in the program and reminded her why she chose Belmont in the first place.
Quick Thinking in a Critical Moment
“It was a normal day,” Bustamante recalled. “We were meeting our patients, performing morning assessments, nothing out of the ordinary. Then suddenly, the Code Blue alarm went off.”
Her clinical instructor, Josh Mitchell, a Belmont nursing alumnus and ICU nurse at Centennial, immediately called his students to respond. Within seconds, they crossed the hall to assist the medical team already gathered in the patient’s room.
Mitchell quickly organized his students along the wall to avoid crowding the scene, then turned to Bustamante.
“He asked if I’d ever performed CPR before,” Bustamante said. “I didn’t hesitate. I said yes and stepped forward to assist.”
Moments later, Bustamante began performing chest compressions on the patient while a team of nurses and physicians worked around her. Her heart raced, but she relied on her Belmont training to guide her.
“All my fight-or-flight instincts were going off,” she said. “But my instructor was right beside me, encouraging me, saying, ‘You’re doing great. Your compressions look good.’ Having that reassurance helped me stay focused.”
After about two minutes of CPR, the patient regained a pulse.
“Seeing that the patient came back... it was incredible,” she said. “It showed me how powerful our skills can be when we stay calm and trust our training.”
Preparation Meets Purpose
Bustamante credits Belmont’s nursing program for giving her the confidence and practical foundation to respond effectively under pressure.
“Even though we haven’t reached our critical care semester yet, our classes and simulation labs have taught us the steps to take in an emergency — clearing the room, getting the defibrillator, maintaining a safe airway,” she said. “Our pharmacology course also talked about the medications used during a Code Blue, so I understood what was happening around me.”
At Belmont, students maintain their Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the Center for Interprofessional Engagement and Simulation, which allows them to practice life-saving skills in a controlled environment before ever entering a hospital setting.
“Nothing really prepares you for a Code Blue until you experience one,” Bustamante said. “But Belmont prepared me to know what to do first, and to do it with confidence.”
She also credits Mitchell’s mentorship for helping her stay composed in the moment.
“Having a mentor who’s been in our shoes, who’s a Belmont grad himself, made a huge difference,” she said. “He trusted us, advocated for us and made sure we were learning while helping.”
A Defining Moment for a Future Nurse
The experience, Bustamante said, strengthened her resolve to pursue a career in intensive care nursing after graduation.
“It reminded me that nursing is about working together as a team to save lives,” she said. “Sometimes it doesn’t go the way you hope, but every experience teaches you something new.”
As she approaches her final semester, Bustamante hopes to stay in Nashville, close to her family and the Belmont community that shaped her. She also plans to continue her education.
As she looks ahead to graduation, Bustamante reflects on how her years at Belmont have prepared her — not just with clinical skills, but with the confidence, compassion and calm needed to care for others.
“My biggest takeaway is that I have the skills and knowledge to perform when it matters most,” she said. “That’s something I’ll carry with me throughout my career.”
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Learn more about the program in this story