Identifying yourself as an RN when flying commercial

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Do you identify yourself as an RN when you book for your flights? Like when you use your frequent flyer card? Does your frequent flyer card bear your "RN" title?

Just curious though because I see a lot (actually oversee through shoulders [Yeah I'm a bit tall] ) use their "Dr." title in these cards. How about for RN's?

Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

No. No reason to. I would help in an emergency if I could however.

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pretty much all companies have a medical liason (e.g. MD) in radio contact with whom you can speak to and receive orders from to cover yourself legally if you need to intervene.

This just made me curious, how does this work legally if I'm licensed in one state and taking orders from an MD who is who knows where and I'm somewhere above a different state or country? How does the emergency situation supercede my license to a particular state BON?

(After reading all the posts I now know the MD is in AZ)

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Specializes in Critical Care.
This just made me curious, how does this work legally if I'm licensed in one state and taking orders from an MD who is who knows where and I'm somewhere above a different state or country? How does the emergency situation supercede my license to a particular state BON?

(After reading all the posts I now know the MD is in AZ)

Dunno. If I were placed in such a situation, I'd rather ask forgiveness than permission, though.

I do know that AZ is a compact state as is TX where my license is, but I dunno if taking an order from a doc in AZ means I'm practicing in AZ as well. Doubtful, actually.

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I'm not willing to "take orders" from a physician with whom I do not have an established professional relationship -- e.g., I know that physicians who practice at my hospital have been granted practice privileges through a formal process that includes verifying their education, licensure, and credentials; I don't know anything of the kind about physicians I encounter in other settings. If a physician walked up to me in a grocery store or Walmart, for instance, and tried to tell me to do something, that and 50 cents would get you a cup of coffee -- so why would I be willing to take orders from a voice on the other end of a radio? From a physician who knows nothing about the "patient's" background or history, and hasn't examined the person?

If the airlines and the flying public want advanced medical treatment/interventions to be available on airplanes, then the airlines should provide them (trained, licensed personnel), not expect and depend on passengers to step forward and volunteer their services.

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Specializes in ER.

I think when you don't know the doc you'd have to have a pretty good idea yourself of what is appropriate in the situation. So if someone was having chest pain I'd be fine with ASA and nitro orders, but if they wanted me to give something I wouldn't usually use for the situation he'd have to explain the benefits to me before I'd go there. There would be a problem with the flight attendant relaying orders from the radio on the flight deck to me in the passenger area too. How would you know if they got back to you accurately? Well you wouldn't, but if I recognized the order as a reasonable and effective treatment, and an appropriate dose I'd do it.

If you call a doc you haven't spoken to before how do you know they are competent, or even the right guy when they answer the phone? When they ask intelligent questions and give appropriate instructions.

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I have worked as an international airline captain (whoohoo) for the past 30 years. If you are a nurse on one of my flights, feel free (or not) to identify yourself as a nurse. Space permitting, I will have my crew upgrade you and yours to first class. And you don't have to do anything. If we have a medical emergency, my crew will ask for your help or advice. If you are uncomfortable doing so, no problem you still get first cabin treatment. Back in the stone age (1940's) flight attendants were required to be RN's on some flag carriers (the late,great Pan Am). In flight medicall emergencies are really rare, but I like to know if a nurse is on board, just in case. Nobody is pressured to help. Usually it's someone with anxiety or claustrophobia and pretty uncomplicated. I'll never forget my first flicht (as first-officer) out of NY to London. We were at the 1/2 way point and a passanger was having a heart attack. I got on the intercom and asked if any doctors were on board. Dead silence. My captain, an older somewhat gruff irishman got out of his seat and told me: "Ill show you how to find a doctor". He told me to stand facing the rear of the aircraft, watching the heads of the first-class passangers as I announced that we needed a doctor. Sure enough, one guy remained silent and slunk down in his seat. The flight attendant grabbed him and said: "doctor, we need you help". My captain said that since we just took off from NY that there HAD to be at least one doc in first class. Sort of "profiling", but it worked. Now that I'm an international captain, I would hope that any medical personnel identify themselves as such and I will do what I can to give you the best service. Nurses are very useful, but paramedics, pharmacists, student nurses, physicians...you can all help. at 32,000 feet on a trip that I may not be able to about for 4 hours, your help may be lifesaving. thanks

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My former first officer (copilot) just sent me an email regarding a flight that she flew from NY to Paris; she's fairly young but in her spare time she flies fighters (F16/F15) in the reserves as well as most commercial airliners, so she's a very well-qualified pilot despite being about 1/2 my age. Anyway, 1/2 wat to Paris she had a medical emergency: a traveler started to "freak out" and demanded to deplane....not an easy task at 32,000 feet..the cabin crew did their best to calm the person, but nothing worked. Not evenfree drinks; in fact alcohol made the situation worse. We have an awesome emergency medical kit with everything thta is normally in a "crash cart" in the cockpit (we contact an emergency room via flightphone for advice); but none of us know squat about any medical stuff.....as luck would have it, my formerstudent (now an airline captain) upgraded 2 nurses becaue that's what she saw me do many times..when conservative measures faile it was great to have 1 RN help to sedate the traveler with midazolam nasap spray (we have it in the emergency kit, I don't think that it's used in the US)...the combatitive person was immediately calmed and totally forgot the danger that he put the entire flight in (He wanted to exit via an emergency door at 32,000 feet.)...so a really scary situation was averted by having a RN on board......laugh if you want, but I always upgrade RN's...........I have flown in 3 wars and know professionalism when I see it..........

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Once the doors to an aircraft manifested to the United States close it falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Aviation Administration and not the state the plane is located in. In other words, it belongs to the Feds.

That's why a hijacking in the US is a Federal crime and not a state one. That's also why some idiot who's dumb enough to become unruly on an aircraft for any reason is hauled in by the Feds and not the local cops.

I can't speak for a US aircraft taking off in a foreign country. I know that according to the Tokyo Convention of whenever that was the jurisdictional practice does not extend to nor does it mention foreign aircraft or who's responsible for them - BUT, in the US, we don't have that problem because we prosecute according to the Federal jurisdiction and don't care where the aircraft is manifested. We consider the act as a hostile act committed on foreign soil - so it falls under the Feds regardless.

(In case you're wondering, when I was military enlisted I wanted to be a pilot in the worst way. And I read - A LOT.)

So with that said, my guess is when you're onboard an aircraft during flight and that aircraft is under the jurisdiction of the FAA, it's sort of like when you work at a Federal health care institution - as long as you're legally licensed in a US state or territory, you're covered. And our guest pilot can correct me :), but I seem to remember a sort of "Good Samaritan" cover extended by the FAA to cover inflight medical emergencies, and this would cover, say, a foreign MD/DO (properly licensed) or foreign RN (also properly licensed) for doing what a "prudent individual" would do in that situation.

While I would never ID myself as an RN at the desk, I WILL ID myself if asked in an emergency in flight. And if I don't know what to do, I will say, "I don't know what to do" (I'm in oncology, not cardiac, and not trauma) - and I'm covered. But I know the basics of life support, and I'm ACLS certified (and now taking my ACLS cards seems like a pretty good idea), and I would be more than comfortable taking direction from the folks at the next tower, because it would be like taking direction from a 911 operator.

In short, I would do what I could.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

I would be afraid to identify myself as a nurse at the gate in hopes of an upgrade. Afraid they would laugh in my face for being presumptious!:smokin:

However, I would try to help in any emergency within the scope of what I felt I could safely do and I would do that in cooperation with whatever physician they were able to provide.

While i would never take unneeded chances with my license I also feel the need to help others when they need it if there is no other alternative and I am the most qualified person available. I am pretty sure I would "do no har" and hopefully make things better.

If that resulted ultimately in the loss of my license that would be very unfair, but i would suck it up and deal with it.

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Specializes in Medical.

I always fly with my annual registration card, in case of emergency, but have never been on a flight with a declared need nor announced myself ahead of time - but after reading gary130's posts I'm sorely tempted to when I check in for my Singapore/UK flights at the end of the month :)

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This might sound like a stupid question, but I was just curious, what happens if someone was having a heart attack on the plane and an RN comes forward to help, does the RN just function on her own? Like decide on her own and give meds on her own or does she get orders from a doctor from somewhere (through radio contact perhaps) ? What is the protocol? What actually happens?

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This might sound like a stupid question, but I was just curious, what happens if someone was having a heart attack on the plane and an RN comes forward to help, does the RN just function on her own? Like decide on her own and give meds on her own or does she get orders from a doctor from somewhere (through radio contact perhaps) ? What is the protocol? What actually happens?

It is not a stupid question at all. The nurse needs to know at what level he/she can practice and be able to justify any actions taken. There was no "radio contact" on the plane I was on, except with the pilot who simply needed to know if he should to land immediately or whether we could safely continue to our destination. I felt comfortable in answering but that was a matter of knowledge, experience, and critical thinking. I found that there is little available on the plane to assist, apart from the defibrillator. The "oxygen" is actually room air which has a higher oxygen content than the air we usually breathe on the plane.

One important thing I learned...I had always assumed that if CPR was needed I would just move the individual to the aisle. I discovered only after we landed that it may not be that simple. It took 20 full minutes for the parametics (3 strong men) to lift my "patient" from his seat to put hm on the stretcher. He was conscious but unable to help them. It never occurred to me that it may be so difficult. The space on most planes to so small that maneuvering is difficult. So, be thinking ahead and, if possible have the individual near the aisle seat.

If you are not licensed to prescribe meds then you should not prescribe meds - except as OTC. In your example, the patient having a presumed MI would be asked if they have any allergies or, specifically if they can take ASA and you would try to find one for them to take. The protocol is for you to assist safely but always within the limits of the law. Also remember that nursing is holistic. You will be assisting the crew as they are likely in panic mode and your calm reassuring tones will be helpful. The individual may have family that need to be included so be sure to ask about the medical and surgical history of the individual. Ask whether anything like this has ever happened before. Ask about medications, etc. Even in an MI situation slow deep breathing is helpful.

Above all, don't panic. Offer yourself, your experience, your knowledge, and your calmness. You don't need to be more than you are.

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