Medical equipment on board planes.
Discussion
Prompted by a conservation with a friend, whose wife is a Senior Sister in an Accident & Emergency department...
On a flight earlier this year she helped out a patient who had fallen into a diabetic coma. The budget carrier were able to provide medical equipment in the form of one glove. Not very impressive. They diverted to get assistance, where she was brought round. The passenger recovered with treatment, but the airline abandoned her on a remote island rather than take her back on board.
Please tell me that other airlines try harder to keep passengers whom fall ill on a flight alive?
PS
She did not volunteer to receive a 'reward'. Which was just as well - as they only wanted her details for their insurance....
On a flight earlier this year she helped out a patient who had fallen into a diabetic coma. The budget carrier were able to provide medical equipment in the form of one glove. Not very impressive. They diverted to get assistance, where she was brought round. The passenger recovered with treatment, but the airline abandoned her on a remote island rather than take her back on board.
Please tell me that other airlines try harder to keep passengers whom fall ill on a flight alive?
PS
She did not volunteer to receive a 'reward'. Which was just as well - as they only wanted her details for their insurance....
It varies from Airline to airline; the main carriers such as BA are quite organised with quite a bit of kit on board as well as staff being able to access telemedical advice 24/7 - it does rather depend on the type of emergency and the carrier.
Although the Captain makes the final call as to whether to divert or push on, it will depend on the medical advise given.
There was a very good overview of this subject by an anaesthetist in the British Journal of Anaesthesia around 2013 - I remember it was just after I had assisted in an on board emergency - nowadays BA might send you a thank you letter whereas in the old days ,friends who had helped out on South African Airways got free upgrades, etc - I find the most difficult aspect of dealing with onboard emergencies is not being able to hear through a stethoscope properly because of the ambient noise levels, etc.
Although the Captain makes the final call as to whether to divert or push on, it will depend on the medical advise given.
There was a very good overview of this subject by an anaesthetist in the British Journal of Anaesthesia around 2013 - I remember it was just after I had assisted in an on board emergency - nowadays BA might send you a thank you letter whereas in the old days ,friends who had helped out on South African Airways got free upgrades, etc - I find the most difficult aspect of dealing with onboard emergencies is not being able to hear through a stethoscope properly because of the ambient noise levels, etc.
I've had a medical emergency over the Atlantic.
We had two volunteer paramedics on board, as well as a live link to a company called Medlink in the USA who proved 24 hr support and permit the administration of drugs we carry on board the aircraft.
Along with this, we are patched in to our own medical team and flight operations in London, so we all make a decision as to what to do with the passenger.
In this example, we diverted to the Azores having dumped fuel down to a more sensible landing weight.
I spoke to the medical team a few months after the event and the efforts of all involved undoubtedly saved the life of the passenger in question.
More info here: http://www.medaire.com/business-general-aviation/s...
We had two volunteer paramedics on board, as well as a live link to a company called Medlink in the USA who proved 24 hr support and permit the administration of drugs we carry on board the aircraft.
Along with this, we are patched in to our own medical team and flight operations in London, so we all make a decision as to what to do with the passenger.
In this example, we diverted to the Azores having dumped fuel down to a more sensible landing weight.
I spoke to the medical team a few months after the event and the efforts of all involved undoubtedly saved the life of the passenger in question.
More info here: http://www.medaire.com/business-general-aviation/s...
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