Is there a doctor or nurse on board?
Dec 31, 2011, 5:36 am
#16
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: DCA
Programs: DL DM 2MM; EK Silver; HH Gold
Posts: 927
I'm glad your travel partner was able to help. I was on two TPAC flights in 2011 with (what looked to be) serious medical emergencies and was impressed by the willingness of fellow passengers to help, the competence of the FAs, and the speed and calm with which the ground EMT crews did their jobs. Kudos to them all.
This said, to return to the OP's point, I agree that it would be a nice practice for DL to send a thank you note. A small thing to do but one that would engender considerable goodwill on the part of the recipient. Seems like smart business (if nothing else) to me.
This said, to return to the OP's point, I agree that it would be a nice practice for DL to send a thank you note. A small thing to do but one that would engender considerable goodwill on the part of the recipient. Seems like smart business (if nothing else) to me.
Dec 31, 2011, 9:09 am
#18
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: MA
Programs: DL DM/2MM Marriott Platinum, HH Diamond,
Posts: 8,907
I am a physician who has been involved with many in-flight medical issues over the years including a diversion of a BOS-SLC 767-200 to DTW. In almost every instance, the FAs take down my name for their report. After one such episode, I received a huge gift basket from DL corporate about a week later. On another
occasion, one of the FAs wrapped an unopened bottle of wine in a gray DL garbage bag and slipped it to my wife.
The issues facing the medical assist person (MD, RN, EMT) is that we have little information other than our experience and instinct. More than once, I have been told by the FA and by the pilots via the FA "if you think we need to land, we'll land." The course of action depends on what the medical situation is onboard, the potential of deterioration, and the time remaining to the destination.
One thing... whenever they ask if there is a doctor on board, I turn to my wife and jokingly ask: "You didn't see any pregnant women boarding, did you?" Because in the immortal words of the maid in "Gone With the Wind", "I don't know nothing about birthing no babies!"
occasion, one of the FAs wrapped an unopened bottle of wine in a gray DL garbage bag and slipped it to my wife.
The issues facing the medical assist person (MD, RN, EMT) is that we have little information other than our experience and instinct. More than once, I have been told by the FA and by the pilots via the FA "if you think we need to land, we'll land." The course of action depends on what the medical situation is onboard, the potential of deterioration, and the time remaining to the destination.
One thing... whenever they ask if there is a doctor on board, I turn to my wife and jokingly ask: "You didn't see any pregnant women boarding, did you?" Because in the immortal words of the maid in "Gone With the Wind", "I don't know nothing about birthing no babies!"
Dec 31, 2011, 10:34 am
#19
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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Posts: 100,417
In the medical diversion case that I witnessed, the decision to land in Canada rather than continue on AMS-MSP was made jointly between the doctor on board, the pilot, ground medical support, and the airline's ops center manager on duty. It turned out to raise some interesting issues because the patient would normally have needed a visa for Canada. It was also a student who might have been too young to legally make medical decisions, although the good news was that as a foreign student enrolled in a USA institution of higher education, the student surely had decent medical insurance coverage.
Dec 31, 2011, 10:57 am
#21
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: MA
Programs: DL DM/2MM Marriott Platinum, HH Diamond,
Posts: 8,907
There are times when a medical diversion to a remote station makes little sense. Back in May 1996, a Virgin Atlantic 747 LHR-LAX diverted to YFB (Iqaluit) in northern Canada. The landing was uneventful, but the outer engine hit a fuel pump while taxiing. Plane was grounded for several days with multiple smaller aircraft chartered to get the 300+ pax out.
The heart attack victim which caused the diversion was airlifted out to a place with better facilities!
The heart attack victim which caused the diversion was airlifted out to a place with better facilities!
Dec 31, 2011, 12:38 pm
#22
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: BDL
Programs: Delta GM
Posts: 84
As a physician, I am always waiting for the overhead call, mostly when flying overseas. Over mainland US, you can land in a moments notice if need be. Over the north Atlantic, your options are a bit limited (and I'm usually a few beers/wines deep by then so I'm useless to be a medical expert). I've been a MD for 7 years now and have yet to be called. If I get to help, I'd love a SWU for TATL BE on a T fare please! 
In medical school one of our professors was a private pilot. He used to tell a story how the hardest decision he made in his professional career was to make the call to have a jet make a landing for a medical emergency. He also used say that if you don't have an oxygen tank for a sick patient, have the pilot bring the jet to 10000 ft. The pressurized cabin would have an oxygen percentage just better than 21% at 10K ft. He said that even with a pressurized cabin, at 35K ft, the O2 is about 18-19% (don't quote me on these numbers, I haven't confirmed them).
For a major heart attack, unless you have a cath lab in the sky, you're limited to what you can do. I don't deal with chest pain much since I'm an ENT surgeon but I still remember from my medical school lectures.... for any chest pain patient, "MONA" greats them at the door of the Emergency Room. "MONA" stands for.... Morphine, Oxygen, Nitroglycerin, Aspirin. So for the non medical professionals here on FT, that's all you need to know
The best person to have on a plane for emergencies really would be an experienced Emer. Dept. RN. They know dosages of medicine off the top of their heads and in real life ER situations, they give most urgent medicines in a stat situation before the MD even has time to order the meds.
In medical school one of our professors was a private pilot. He used to tell a story how the hardest decision he made in his professional career was to make the call to have a jet make a landing for a medical emergency. He also used say that if you don't have an oxygen tank for a sick patient, have the pilot bring the jet to 10000 ft. The pressurized cabin would have an oxygen percentage just better than 21% at 10K ft. He said that even with a pressurized cabin, at 35K ft, the O2 is about 18-19% (don't quote me on these numbers, I haven't confirmed them).
For a major heart attack, unless you have a cath lab in the sky, you're limited to what you can do. I don't deal with chest pain much since I'm an ENT surgeon but I still remember from my medical school lectures.... for any chest pain patient, "MONA" greats them at the door of the Emergency Room. "MONA" stands for.... Morphine, Oxygen, Nitroglycerin, Aspirin. So for the non medical professionals here on FT, that's all you need to know
The best person to have on a plane for emergencies really would be an experienced Emer. Dept. RN. They know dosages of medicine off the top of their heads and in real life ER situations, they give most urgent medicines in a stat situation before the MD even has time to order the meds.
Dec 31, 2011, 12:46 pm
#23
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I would think a qualified and experienced EMT might be the best medical professional in an emergency situation on board. The ER nurse is accustomed to having facilities and equipment, as well as support staff to help.
Dec 31, 2011, 12:47 pm
#24
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta Gold Medallion, Sky Club
Posts: 589
I was on an MSP-EWR Thanksgiving flight that diverted to Grand Rapids due to a medical emergency. Fortunately, there was a doctor on board our half full regional jet. He stayed with the passenger the whole time and walked off with him to brief the EMT's. I wrote to delta asking that they send a hand written note or other form of gratitude to the doctor. I received a nice (not canned) response stating they would do so.
From me: Thank you to all medical folks who have helped others. ^
From me: Thank you to all medical folks who have helped others. ^
Dec 31, 2011, 1:13 pm
#25
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
Programs: CX, DL, Nexus/GE, APEC
Posts: 10,689
My brother assisted a cardiac case CX828 YYZ HKG on his bi-annual in-law visit to HKG in 2002. He stabilized the patient and stayed with him for 8 hours (moved to F) until handing him over to medics on the tarmac in HKG.
He has been flying in F to HKG and back every two years since then.
He has been flying in F to HKG and back every two years since then.
Dec 31, 2011, 4:51 pm
#26
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: New York
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Delta Skymiles Platinum
Posts: 650
I was on an MSP-EWR Thanksgiving flight that diverted to Grand Rapids due to a medical emergency. Fortunately, there was a doctor on board our half full regional jet. He stayed with the passenger the whole time and walked off with him to brief the EMT's. I wrote to delta asking that they send a hand written note or other form of gratitude to the doctor. I received a nice (not canned) response stating they would do so.
From me: Thank you to all medical folks who have helped others. ^
From me: Thank you to all medical folks who have helped others. ^
Dec 31, 2011, 6:27 pm
#28
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: BWI
Programs: HHonors Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 767
Dec 31, 2011, 7:44 pm
#29
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: CHA, MAN;
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You have me intrigued. Please explain. I recently had a kidney stone blasted. I am seriously interested though the mods may be pi---d at me as it is off-topic.
Dec 31, 2011, 7:58 pm
#30
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: BDL
Programs: Delta GM
Posts: 84
The hippocratic oath (original version) spoke of not performing any form of surgery on patients. Obviously this was because people would die from post op infections and there was no anesthesia back then. I believe the previous poster was mentioning the hippocratic oath because it's the spirit of using your knowledge and skill to help those in medical need regardless of the situation.