This. Especially when a lot of stuff is out of your scope of practice. I would have a hard time explaining how my emergency cric actually ruptured the trachea...when I am a PM&R doc :p

:):)




Prepare to be assimilated....

FAs at Delta are taught CPR, defibrillator use, oxygen use, and basic first aid as part of their FA training. The planes are stocked with two medical kits in addition to a defibrillator and oxygen. One kit which can be used by anyone with basic training (much like a home first aid kit- bandages, BP cuff, stethoscope and other useful, but harmless, stuff) and another that can be used by (licensed) people with advanced medical training. The later includes medical instruments and pharmacueticals. At the DL DO this fall, we saw both kits. I didn't look at them too closely (and not being a trained professional, I didn't even know what it all was), but perhaps SecretSea could comment more on the contents. Secretsea took a longer look than I did and is much better trained than I.

If you are licensed, be sure and ask for BOTH kits should you be called upon to assist.

In addition, they mentioned at the training, and I have witnessed this in flight, that they can patch the medical provider (or flight attendant) through to both the University of Pittsburgh and/or to medically trained staff in the operations control center.

BTW, Dovester received CPR training at the DO. He isn't licensed though, so don't let him jump all over you :D

Also, if you are a medical professional who wants to help in an emergency, they mentioned at the training that you can have delta designate you on the passenger manifests. Apparently they can put something on your record so that you are so designated on the manifest.

The out of hospital survival anywhere with a bad MI is dismal unless you have the emerg defib kit. Makes no differance air or mall

+1. According to the American Heart Association statistics: "The median reported survival to discharge after any [heart attack] is 6.4 percent". If an event on the plane is "real", the outcome isn't going to be any better. However, I suspect a lot of events that occur on airplanes are not cardiac in origin, but rather low blood sugar, anxiety, etc. That's where a physician should be able to help sort out what needs to be done (even with just the basic equipment available on the plane) and hopefully can help avoid unnecessary emergency landings.

Just this past 1873, I was trying to fly around the world in 80 days in a hot air balloon (silly bet, I know), while my colleague developed an ingrown toe nail. We couldn't land, so we threw him overboard over the French Congo. I'm sure he was fine afterwards.

I have yet to be called to the duty, and hope I never have to be. I have heard nothing but bad stories from colleagues that had been caught in these situations. From the limited resources (that goes without saying really), to hardly being thanked, to being thanked with a measly free drink coupon, to paperwork, there really is no upside to being in that situation other than doing your best trying to help someone who is helpless.

I think a lot of these cases are people who have severe anxiety attacks and need a few glasses of wine or other alcohol to calm them down if they did not take their xanax ahead of the flight.

Recently, one flight had a finger pulse ox for a COPD pt who desaturated on takeoff to about 70%. The on board oxygen tank runs about 2 liters/min and pressurization of the plane to 5000' allowed us to continue flying. They can increase pressure and even fly lower if necessary.

On saturday night flight 2484 from LAX to JFK, we had a medical emergency about 2 hours into the flight, the fa got on the pa, and asked if there was a doc on board.

I was sitting on 3A, and I saw a young lady sittin on the floor leaning against the mid galley with an oxygen mask on her face, then later a young man came over, and spoke with the FA.

The young lady stayed on the floor for about 2 hours, and then was moved to 1C, and sat there for another 20 minutes.
I did not find out what the issue was with the young lady.

Worst case
 

I was actually in Dallas Airport Aug 1985 wirh Delta crash. Delta made me Flying Col afterwards as I was first doc on site

I'm an Emergency Medicine doc and have responded to several in-flight situations.

I have almost universally found the flight crews to be great in this situation.

There is limited equipment on the aircraft: oxygen, a first aid kit, and automatic external defibrillator. There is also an advanced medical bag on the aircraft that contains IV's, fluid, a glucometer and some medications used for cardiac arrest. You have to be a licensed healthcare professional to use it and you have to ask for it. I've personally started a few IV's in-flight and have administered glucose to patients with diabetic emergencies.

In every case I've responded to the flight crew deferred to my decision about whether or not to put the plane down. I've only requested it once the the flight deck crew did not bat an eyelash. Plane was landed at the closest appropriate airport.

As an aside, for the last two emergencies I got a very nice thank you letter and gift basket from DL. Not necessary, but nice none the less.

I recently tried to assist a passenger, and was offered a $100 e-cert. Since this was a Good Samaritan act, I didn't feel comfortable accepting anything that could be construed as cash (even though the cert said "this has no cash value"). I would have gladly accepted the basket, and would have donated it.

Sorry you were not on DL 1713 ATL-LAS on 7/11. We had to divert to MEM and then had to stay on the ground for over an hour because of the heavy landing. I hope the lady is OK. First time I've experienced a medical diversion.