Medical Emergency onboard at the gate protocol
Jul 13, 2015, 1:52 pm
#31
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 3,457
Jul 13, 2015, 8:48 pm
#32
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: South Central US
Programs: UA Lifetime GS, AA EXP 1 MM, Delta Diamond, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat, Hyatt Gold, Hertz 5Star PC
Posts: 181
I believe standard of care is that you can transfer care of a patient to a qualified individual. For example, if someone suffered cardiac arrest and you defibrillated them via AICD in the airport, you don't have an obligation to transport them to a hospital with the paramedics. I believe you do have an obligation to ensure you transfer care to a qualified individual with complete report. I've assisted in at least a dozen out of hospital emergencies and this is what I've always done.
I graduated medical school in 1998, so I'm neither old nor young.
I graduated medical school in 1998, so I'm neither old nor young.
Thanks for making that clear. I didn't know what the current standard was.
Jul 13, 2015, 10:51 pm
#33
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Neither here nor there
Programs: UA Slvr, DL Slvr, AA plt, HH LTD, MR tit/LTP at least two of those buy 10 get 1 free coffee cards
Posts: 3,447
Just a thought for you docs, nurses and other health care types: If you fly a lot, for whatever reason, take some Flight Physiology CME/CEU sessions.
I'm a RN, boarded as a CFRN and am amazed everyday by the amount of cool stuff there is to learn about Flight Phys that isn't taught in A&P.
I'm a RN, boarded as a CFRN and am amazed everyday by the amount of cool stuff there is to learn about Flight Phys that isn't taught in A&P.
Jul 14, 2015, 6:03 am
#34
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Midwest
Programs: Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 176
Jul 14, 2015, 12:14 pm
#35
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Tulsa OK USA
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 620
I am a physician and have had to assist in several inflight emergencies. I don't think the time elapsed in this situation sounds unusual at all. They probably called for the paramedics at the same time that they paged for a doctor on board. Obviously the paramedics aren't just standing at the gate, so it is going to take a while for them to arrive. Sort of like when a lady at my church had a stroke during services. They called the ambulance at exactly the same time that I was summoned to assist. It took several minutes for the ambulance to arrive.
The medical kits I have had to use on board planes are highly varible. Best on was on an AA trans-Atlantic flight. It had everything including drugs to run a cold blue, an AED, a delivery kit. Worst was on Fiji Airways. A paltry supply of drugs and a stethoscope with no bell. I had to palpate blood pressure. Most helpful FA's in a medical emergency would be a tie between AA and Qatar Airways. I think one of the Qatar Airways FA's I dealt with was a trained nurse.
The other issue as someone pointed out is that the person who was having the emergency could well have not wanted to be removed from the flight, so they were having to argue with that person. Then their luggage has to be found and off loaded. I have seen this situation once, and it did take at least an hour to take off afterward.
The medical kits I have had to use on board planes are highly varible. Best on was on an AA trans-Atlantic flight. It had everything including drugs to run a cold blue, an AED, a delivery kit. Worst was on Fiji Airways. A paltry supply of drugs and a stethoscope with no bell. I had to palpate blood pressure. Most helpful FA's in a medical emergency would be a tie between AA and Qatar Airways. I think one of the Qatar Airways FA's I dealt with was a trained nurse.
The other issue as someone pointed out is that the person who was having the emergency could well have not wanted to be removed from the flight, so they were having to argue with that person. Then their luggage has to be found and off loaded. I have seen this situation once, and it did take at least an hour to take off afterward.