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I just returned from a trip out to Arizona, and honestly can't believe this happened. So here goes:
En route to Arizona, about 15 minutes after reaching cruising altitude, the flight attendant comes over the PA and states "Will anyone with medical training please come to the back of the aircraft immediately."
I looked around, and looked around. Not a single person got up.
I got up, went to the back, and saw a man sitting on the floor against the back of the airplane, in the kitchen area. The flight attendant had the AED out, and an amazingly stocked trauma kit.
78 y/o male, C/O Chest Pain:
Onset: 20 minutes ago
Provoke: Can't say
Quality: Heavy feeling, "very painful"
Radiate: Up and down left side
Severity: 8
Pt had no significant or related medical history, and was on no related medications.
At this time a ICU nurse approached and also offered her services. She agreed to push the drugs if required. The plane carried quite a drug box, though I can't say what exactly was in it.
Pt initially presented with the following vitals:
AOX3
BP: 158/90
P: 80
R: 18
Pupils: PERL
Temp: 98.6
Patient sweating
Initially we put him on O2 via the plane's device at 4 LPM (it was 2 or 4), and continued to monitor his vitals. Ten minutes into it I was on the intercom with the pilot relaying vitals. I would give him vitals, he could contact whoever, and I understand they have a contract with the Mayo Clinic for on-line medical control.
Patient then vomited twice while we waited to hear word back. We were ordered to administer 4 MG Nitro tabs x 3 per standard protocol.
The patient then became unresponsive and I lost a pulse. I had a faint carotid pulse. Pt came back to with a sternum rub, and we continued monitoring vitals. Initially (when I first went back there) we were going to continue to Arizona, but then we agreed on Denver. It was then decided that we would do an emergency landing in St. Louis,
During this time the patient became unresponsive several times. For the first time ever I actually grabbed the AED like I was going to use it, but never did.
I was literally sweating bullets.
Pt was turned over to St Louis Paramedics with an abnormal EKG, but I couldn't tell what it was.
I returned to me seat to find out the guy I was sitting next to was a new Emergency Medicine DO resident. We talked for the rest of the flight, damn insecure doctors.
So instead of slumping away as I imagine, I volunteered. And in return I got a few claps, a certificate from the airline, and an extra bag of peanuts.
Another life saved.
En route to Arizona, about 15 minutes after reaching cruising altitude, the flight attendant comes over the PA and states "Will anyone with medical training please come to the back of the aircraft immediately."
I looked around, and looked around. Not a single person got up.
I got up, went to the back, and saw a man sitting on the floor against the back of the airplane, in the kitchen area. The flight attendant had the AED out, and an amazingly stocked trauma kit.
78 y/o male, C/O Chest Pain:
Onset: 20 minutes ago
Provoke: Can't say
Quality: Heavy feeling, "very painful"
Radiate: Up and down left side
Severity: 8
Pt had no significant or related medical history, and was on no related medications.
At this time a ICU nurse approached and also offered her services. She agreed to push the drugs if required. The plane carried quite a drug box, though I can't say what exactly was in it.
Pt initially presented with the following vitals:
AOX3
BP: 158/90
P: 80
R: 18
Pupils: PERL
Temp: 98.6
Patient sweating
Initially we put him on O2 via the plane's device at 4 LPM (it was 2 or 4), and continued to monitor his vitals. Ten minutes into it I was on the intercom with the pilot relaying vitals. I would give him vitals, he could contact whoever, and I understand they have a contract with the Mayo Clinic for on-line medical control.
Patient then vomited twice while we waited to hear word back. We were ordered to administer 4 MG Nitro tabs x 3 per standard protocol.
The patient then became unresponsive and I lost a pulse. I had a faint carotid pulse. Pt came back to with a sternum rub, and we continued monitoring vitals. Initially (when I first went back there) we were going to continue to Arizona, but then we agreed on Denver. It was then decided that we would do an emergency landing in St. Louis,
During this time the patient became unresponsive several times. For the first time ever I actually grabbed the AED like I was going to use it, but never did.
I was literally sweating bullets.
Pt was turned over to St Louis Paramedics with an abnormal EKG, but I couldn't tell what it was.
I returned to me seat to find out the guy I was sitting next to was a new Emergency Medicine DO resident. We talked for the rest of the flight, damn insecure doctors.
So instead of slumping away as I imagine, I volunteered. And in return I got a few claps, a certificate from the airline, and an extra bag of peanuts.
Another life saved.
Its amazing how often or so it seems that those with higher medical care are the slowest to respond. In fact the other day I responded to a diffeculty breathing and the patient was unresponsive and no pulse. I started O2 on her and waited for a BVM as we didn't bring on in oopps. I started Bagging we got her in the rig and hooked her up to the defib I think it is the second time in two years I have had to hook some one up we annalyzed and no shock advised. When we got to the hospital We continued to help bagging and cpr. We also got the nurses to okay for the nurses to use a combi tube on the patient. As our hospital staff trained in this type of air way as we are a level four hospital. Well anyways They handed me the box with the tube and had me set it up and then I got to insert it. This was the first time that I have had to tube a person. 
