Dash 8-400
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury
Human Factors
All cabin preparations and boarding of the passengers seemed to be normal. The main cabin door was closed for departure and pushback commenced. We taxied to the runway for departure; received the ready for takeoff communication from the 'A' flight attendant; and we departed.Once airborne; and through 10;000 feet the flight attendants were chimed and removed from sterile cockpit. The 'B' flight attendant began to make a P.A. announcement; which appeared to be louder than normal from the flight deck; however; not much was thought of it at the time and we continued on. Approximately; 20 minutes into the flight another P.A. announcement was made that caused concern. We called back to the flight attendants to see how things were going and to communicate our aircraft swap and gate information with them. The flight attendant in question answered the interphone. She was talking very loudly and with slurred speech. She did not sound like her normal self. We both were very alarmed by this behavior. We completed that quick conversation with her; waited a few minutes and called back hoping that the 'A' flight attendant would answer the interphone; she did. We obtained her assessment of the 'B' flight attendant; which was that she was acting very strange to include talking loud and slurred speech. The 'A' flight attendant said she was embarrassed by her behavior and concerned that something was wrong. On the flight deck we decided to take action. We coordinated with the controlling dispatcher; requested medical assistance; and discussed a possible diversion. We called back to the cabin again to verify the 'A' flight attendants assessment. Once that was completed at no time did we feel the safety of flight was jeopardized? We talked to the controlling dispatcher and a joint decision was made between the captain; the controlling dispatcher and me to continue to our destination. We coordinated an appropriate gate; medical assistance; and the base manager to be present. I believe this was absolutely the correct decision to continue to our destination. Our destination provided us better passenger handling and a timely resolution of the crewmember in question.
When the flight crew and the lead flight attendant all noted strange behavior; loud talking and slurring by the second flight attendant they elected to have the flight met and have the flight attendant evaluated. No results of that evaluation were included.