Reaching New Heights

Mountain climbing nursing professor's goal is to be the first RN to scale the highest mountains on the world's seven continents

Patrick Hickey, DrPH, MSN, MS, BSN, RN, CNOR, a clinical assistant professor at the University of South Carolina College of Nursing, Columbia, SC, sets his goals extremely high — literally.

"It's a part of me, it's my drive," said Hickey, 51, an avid mountaineer who aims to scale the highest mountains on each of the world's seven continents. "My energy level just keeps going and going."

Outside the classroom, Hickey has held a variety of positions at the hospital associated with the school of nursing — Palmetto Health Richland Hospital — including assistant OR nurse manager, director of performance improvement and risk manager.

His interest in mountaineering began in 1993 during a backpacking trip in South America.

"While visiting Baos, Ecuador, I encountered a group of Israelis that needed one more person to complete their climbing party," Hickey recalled. "They turned to me on a whim and said, 'Hey, do you want to go climb a mountain?' I looked at my wife, and then looked at them, and said, 'Sure, why not?'

"About a week later, I was summiting my first 20,000-foot mountain!"

'Holy Grail' Quest
Since then, Hickey has acquired a passion for mountain climbing.

"I did a lot of research into climbing and then began the pursuit of summiting some mountains here in the U.S.," he said. "These experiences thrilled me so much that now I'm going for the 'holy grail' of mountaineering, which involves climbing the seven summits of the world."

The seven summits are the seven highest mountains on the world's seven continents. They include Mt. Aconcagua, Argentina; Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania; Mt. McKinley, Alaska; Mt. Elbrus, Russia; Puncak Jaya, Indonesia; Mt. Vinson Massif, Antarctica; and Mt. Everest, Nepal. Since 2001, Hickey has accomplished a successful summit each year with only Mt. Vinson and Mt. Everest remaining on his to-do list.

Physical preparation is crucial to successfully ascending the summits. A proper diet and consistent exercise are necessary.

As he approaches a climb, Hickey increases his level of daily training. "Within 6 months of a trip, I tend to ramp-up my training a little bit more. I wear a backpack and put weights in it. I don't take elevators. I always try to take the stairs."

Ultimate Quest
The pinnacle of Hickey's quest is Mt. Everest, which he plans to begin climbing in March 2007, after he scales Mt. Vinson in December 2006. Though he will have conquered six of the seven summits by then, Everest will present new difficulties.
The biggest challenge is the area known to climbers as the "death zone" or any altitude above 24,000 feet. In this zone, body functions deteriorate.

"You aren't able to break down food properly. It's not an altitude conducive to life," Hickey explained. "You restrict the amount of time in the death zone as much as possible. Mt. Everest is 29,035 feet, so you're going to be in the death zone. You're going to have to be prepared and have oxygen on or available, and food supplements ready."

To successfully summit such peaks, climbers must acclimatize themselves to thin, oxygen-poor air and other conditions of high-altitude environments faced during the ascent.

"You've probably climbed the mountain several times before you summit, because you go up and down the mountain a lot, getting your body used to the climate and altitude," Hickey explained. "You go from base camp to camp one, spend a day and come back down. Then you go from base camp to camp two, spend a night and come back down. You constantly leapfrog up and down the mountain."

Frightening & Fond Memories
Hickey has had many scary moments "enjoying" his passion. "I could name one for every mountain I've climbed," he said.

His most perilous moment occurred on Mt. McKinley.

"It was my turn to dig the kitchen tent. My guide came to the top of the 10-foot hole and said, 'OK Pat, stop.' I thought he meant there was another replacement to take over shoveling.

"He was pointing down at me. I said, 'What?' and then I looked down. I had uncovered a crevasse as I was shoveling. It was between my legs. I was straddling a crevasse that was bottomless. He said, 'Don't move.'"
Within moments, Hickey recalled, the entire climbing crew gathered around the 10-foot rim above him.

"No one was saying anything, because they understood the severity of the situation. My guide appeared with a rope and he threw it down. I was wearing my harness. I hooked in and I was OK after that."

Despite that incident, Mt. McKinley remains Hickey's favorite mountain climbing experience so far. "The scenery, the mountains — it's just so beautiful," he said. "You fly into base camp on a plane with skis on it. You go from lush green and lakes and rivers and Alaskan countryside to sheer white. It's bitterly cold but strikingly beautiful. It's amazing! It's the best kept secret in United States."

Quid Pro Quo
Hickey said being a nurse has contributed a great deal to the success he's had pursuing his mountaineering goals.
"As a nurse, I have always been able to do my job with less-than-adequate resources and usually under great duress," he explained. "These skill sets and the ability to function in a high-stress environment have more than prepared me for the harsh mountain environment."

Conversely, mountaineering has helped Hickey become a better nurse.
"I've used what I've learned on the mountain to help me interact with people," he explained. "The acute attention to every detail that exists on the mountains, as well as the camaraderie that develops by being in such tense environments, has helped me to function better as a person and as a member of a healthcare team."
As the dates of his last two mountain summits draw near, Hickey has begun plans for what he wants to do after he achieves those goals. Because barely 100 people have successfully climbed the seven summits, Hickey hopes to become a spokesperson for nursing and an inspirational speaker.

Pushing the Limits
"I'm hoping that, through my climb, I may be able to impress upon those seeking a healthcare career that camaraderie, teamwork and safety are the fundamentals of nursing," he said. "I hope that my pushing the limits and challenging myself as an individual can be an exemplar for an indecisive male or female considering nursing as a challenging career.

"Team safety and cohesion on the mountains is crucial to success, as it is in the hospital setting. I applaud [nurses] for their ability to function as team members, effectively communicate with each other, and advocate for safe and quality patient care on a daily basis. It's this daily dedication and compassion for mankind that has made nursing the most widely respected profession in the U.S.," he continued.

"If any nurses do have the desire to climb a mountain, I have no doubt that they will be great team players, as the skills learned in nursing will get them to the top of any mountain they try to summit — whether it be a snow-covered mountain peak in the Himalayas or a challenging patient safety scenario in their workplace setting."