I'm planning a trip to Europe this fall, and I've heard some horror stories from coworkers about medical emergencies that occurred on their flights on vacations.
Since I will have submitted a passport, they will be aware of what kinds of people are on the plane, occupationally speaking. (Not that I would hide... I'd help if no one else was willing... but you see where I'm coming from, I'm sure!)
I'm a new nurse, so I haven't really developed my "gut feelings" yet...
I know I need to utilize my BLS (and now ACLS) skills...I know airway comes first....I know that I need to work my way down the ABC's.... but it's so different when you have no equipment, no drugs, no diagnostics, and no help.
Share your stories, pointers, and any helpful hints, so I can relax on my flight to Italy :)
I was on a Transatlantic flight from the UK to USA when a man collapsed whilst going to the loo.
Call came out for a medical personnel, and my husband kindly announced I was a nurse. Turned out the passenger had a long history of mental illness (he had been behaving bizarrely thoughout the journey). He was covered in lice, had not been taking his meds (voices in his head told him to stop taking them), had no luggage, thousands of pounds tied up in an elastic band in his pocket and was wearing 3 sets of clothes!!!
Myself and an off duty policeman got him up and sat him in a seat. I had to sit next to him until we had landed and he was taken off the plane. I think he would probably have been refused admission to the USA. The flight attendants told me he had been searched 3 times by security before being allowed to board.
After scrubbing myself in the loo (lucky I did not catch the lice) I was given free champers all the way to Florida so if they had had another emergency I would have been no help.
Enjoy your holiday. If an emergency happens, it happens.
I'm speaking from a TX law POV...you could be wearing your scrubs with badge stating your name, place of occupation, years experience, SSN, etc. and if you are a CVICU nurse and the person drops from what appears to be a MI you can walk right by as long as you don't do anything to impede his care. If you do help, you are held to the standard of gross negligence (vs. negligence). Lemme give you a funny little analogy.
negligence--you are driving a car in the middle lane on a major highway during rush hour...you see your exit coming, slow down to 10 mph and cut over to get to the exit
gross nedligence--same scenario except you passed your exit so you decide to hit the brakes. throw it in reverse, back up to the exit, and cut over
I don't quite understand.....
Am I legally obligated to help, if the call goes out for "medical personnel" ?
Or are you saying I'm just going to do more harm than good?
(Also, I am taking comfort in the fact that this isn't an everyday occurence... but I'm a "be prepared" kinda gal )
I was on a transatlantic flight (US to UK) when they announced "If there are any medics on board, please make yourself known to the cabin crew" and I thought "Oh please God, let there be a Doctor on board" .....but no, and they asked again, so my conscience wouldn't let me ignore it.
Turned out to be a lady travelling alone who was having seizures. She was totally un-rousable. The flight attendant looked in the passenger's bag and found anti-seizure meds, so she obviously had a history. Although the lady was "out of it" she was very rigid and flailing her arms around, kinda like when somebody has cerebral irritation, know what I mean?
Anyhow, they asked me to sit with her to watch her while they talked to someone (presume it was their medical contact)....then the Captian came to ask me if they should divert the plane to Novia Scotia (we were about 2 hours into the flight and not yet over the Atlantic)
It felt like a massive responsibilty, advising a Captain to divert his plane, but I wasn't gonna take any chances and said yes.
Paramedics were waiting as we landed in Novia Scotia, and they took the lady off the flight.
During my nursing clinicals I got to visit a call center at a level 1 hospital. They were tracking and advising several international flights. Here's how it works. Each plane has a med box with dozens of meds. I was told the vials were labeled and numbered. The highest trained medical person on the plane evaluates the patient and that information is transmitted to an ER doc in the call center. If drugs are needed, they are referenced by name and number. (A side note, the code drugs/procedure may vary depending on which country the flight is over.) Most emergencies just require monitoring until the plane lands and sometimes the plane is diverted.
One of the nurses I work with was on a US flight where they called overhead for medical personell. After the second request she was about to push her call button when a guy across the isle pushed his. When he told the stewardess that he was a doctor, my friend spoke up and said she was a PACU nurse and would assist him. He said, "Thank God, I'm a doctor of Dentistry!" It turned out the patient only needed O2 and monitoring until the plane landed.
Hi, this is my first post. I was searching for other healthcare info and stumbled across this site.
I was a Flight Attendant (F/A) for a commerical airline before becoming an RN. From a F/A's experience, when medical emergencies arise in mid air, F/A's are trained in basic medical interventions...very basic...However, should the condition not improve or worsen, the flight crew has a responsibility for the safety of all passengers and may request the assistance of a medical/healthcare member.
Also, know that the Federal Air Administration (FAA) requires that all American flag carriers carry firts aid kit(s) (basic supplies i.e. bandages,burn ointment and sciscors). Flight attendants receive basic training on CPR and the use of items in the first aid kit. Depending on the size of the aircraft, more than one first aid kit is avaibale in the cabin. In addition to the first aid kits, one emergency medical kit is supplied in the cockpit with items such as epinephrine, nitro tabs, tylenol (?) and a spighmonemeter with stethescope. More recently per FAA laws, an AED is also available in the cockpit as well. Please know that ALL flight attendants are trained on the use and operation of the AED. However, the flight crew is not allowed to administer the items (meds) in the emergency medical kit. This is when a medical/healthcare individual would be called over the public address system for assistance. Also, several O2 tanks are available throughout the cabin. Should your nursing skills be called upon any inflight medical situation/emergency, i recommend you ask for the f/a to bring you the emergency medical kit and O2 tank. Also, know that the captain will use your medical training and decision skills to advice if landing is necessary. The captain will never risk the saftey of the passengers on board and will divert the airplane to the nearest airport destination where the emergency medical services of ground personnel or hospital is required and necessary.
Althought situations like this are rare, they can occur. In my 5 years of flying both domestic and international, i can recall three ocassions where we had to divert due to medical issues. One i recall very clearly was an imminent delivery. I'll never forget the feeling of joy when i heard the airplane's landing gear touch the runway and the sight of the ambulance standing by. I remainedd with the passenger until the the ambulance deplaned her and remember hearing the emergency medical worker comment that she was "crowning".
Anyway, i hope you find this helpful, but most of all, enjoy your trip to Europe and have fun with your traveling experience. - juliana :icon_roll
Am I legally obligated to help, if the call goes out for "medical personnel" ?
Or are you saying I'm just going to do more harm than good?
(Also, I am taking comfort in the fact that this isn't an everyday occurence... but I'm a "be prepared" kinda gal )
If you are a TX nurse, and you decided not to help a dying person, although it would possibly be an ethical concern, it wouldn't cost you your license. If you are concerned, contact your BON.
HOWEVER, that does not mean an individual couldn't attempt to sue you. And if the incident is overseas, you might have an issue with international law, but I really have no earthly idea.
Maybe I should have shut up as I might have just further complicated a situation that is minimally likely to happen.
Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.
regarding the issue of responding,there is a good samaritan law which protects medical personnel as well as laymen. you will not be sued for 'negligence' or 'gross negligence'
i recently responded to an emergency on an airline, along w/ 2 physicians. the patient was sitting in the aisle pale, diaphoretic,her pulse was thready, one 'family practice' physician was talking away with her. interviewing.... he was in front of me.he kept trying to dismiss me.. i asked the flight attendant for a bp cuff, the "md" kept saying excuse me, i'm trying to talk to her,i'm a physician......mean while i'm telling him we have to lay her down,taking forever, (2nd md just watched).
finally the emerg bag comes,he couldn't get her bp p several tries, then turns to me and asks for my help :icon_roll bp is 70/palp, i lay her down along 3 seats, knees bent, headflat, put on o2. i 'interviewed 'her in 1 minute, hx cabg 10 yrs ago,on htn meds, took them that day, no dm ,ate,no cp,sob,no etoh or anxiety meds,got very hot before almost passing out,(it was very hot in flight) she probably vagaled,but w/her cardiac hx i was extra cautious
i stayed w/the "pt",rechecking her bp, color improved, decision was made not to divert the flight as we were closer to landing. eventually bp was140/90 ( her nl per pt) pulse 70 rrr, paramedics came on and took her off in a stretcher, physician thanked me, and apologized profusely.. airline took my name,address phone #, that was end of nov.,
here's the link to the law.... i think if you can help, you should try..i've helped at 2 car accidents,i will stop if no medical personnel are on the scene, i think it goes beyond whether we have to stop or will be sued,etc. we should help our fellow man out of moral and civil obligation
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XB9S, BSN, MSN, EdD, RN, APN
1 Article; 3,020 Posts
eww, it sounds like you got the nice one CC