So I'm flying home from California last night, and somewhere over the midwest I hear a commotion behind me on the plane. I look back and see a woman collapsed in the aisle with people trying to lift her up into a seat.

Grabbed a pair of gloves and a pocket mask from my carry on and identified myself as an EMT to a flight attendant. I approached a man who was fiddling with a blood pressure cuff from the plane's first aid kit and asked him if he was a doctor. When he said yes, I said "great, I'm an EMT, please let me know how I can assist you." He sheepishly looked at me and said, "I don't really do this kind of medicine. Why don't you take over and let me know how I can help you!" Great.

Doc faded into the background, but as I was taking initial vitals a pediatric nurse practitioner approached and offered to help, but also wanted to follow my lead as she'd not been in the ER or dealt with adults in years. So me, the lowly EMT, was giving directions to the higher medical types. Kind of amusing. Did my assessment and made a report to the pilot, who radioed to the airline’s medical officer for instructions. Pilot and medical officer did not want to divert, and I didn’t argue as she was getting better as time went by.

Anyhow, best guess is the woman had a seizure (when she came to she mentioned something about epilepsy when she was 16). We looked after her until landing when she was removed by paramedics for a ride to the ER.

Morals of the story:

1)Always carry your kit! I was very happy to have gloves when I realized she had lost control of her bladder during the episode.

2)Don’t expect great help in a medical emergency while flying. The nurse’s boyfriend commented that if we had not been there the patient would not have been the only one to soil themselves, as the flight crew seemed totally unprepared for a medical emergency.

3)Contrary to urban legend, I got nothing more than a “thanks” and handshake from the pilot for stepping up and helping. I had always been told they’d give you a free ticket if you treated a fellow passenger (not that this was going through my head when I decided to help, but it sure would have been nice!).

Great work. rule #1, keep your head.

Excellent work, good job and thanks for getting involved.

Good job! I've done the same thing twice myself - once on Southwest, the other I forget. Southwest def. gave me a round trip ticket. I think the other airline gave me a one-way. Either way, kudos!

I was an EMT at the time then too. Now I'm a (internal medicine) doc, but haven't forgotten the streets. But I've also had that situation too (wrong doc, wrong nurse, just me with the confidence and practical knowledge). Don't be afraid to use them, just tell them what you need done.

Nicely done, Jesselp.

Yes, always carry your kit--even if you have to pay extra to have carry-on luggage!

Excellent work. you are a Prepared Man Of Action.

Well done!

That's great jesselp! If I ever find myself on an airplane (not likely), especially during an emergency, I hope someone like you would be on board too!

Wonderful job!

My best friend's son-in-law is a psychiatrist. Shrinks go through regular medical school and then go for their specialty. My friend once asked him why he didn't just do regular medicine, and his response was, "I don't like to get my hands dirty". I guess there's a difference between 'able' and 'willing'.

Which airline was it? Maybe you'll get a little something in the mail when the report gets to management.

Rule #4 (Mom's Rule): Never pass up a reasonable chance to use the restroom (just in case you're the victim).


You would think the airline crews would be trained better than that. All my RR crews are trained in First Aid. When a man jumped off a train and fell under it, cutting his legs off, my guys (before they were 'my' guys) saw him as they passed and stopped the train and went to his aid.

And no, body parts cut off by RR wheels can't be reattached.

Sue

Hey Jesselp, way to step up.

Seems like best practices for emergency response are always changing. So in a situation like that, I'll take a practicing EMT over an ears/nose/throat doc any day. Glad the doc you met had the sense to hand the situation to a specialist.