Flight Attendant Current
Physiological - Other; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury
Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Declared Emergency; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Human Factors
Reporting and inflight medical emergency that resulted in a diversion. About 2/3 into fight; Flight Attendant A noticed that a passenger was having serious difficulty breathing. She pressed the flight attendant call button and waived Flight Attendant B forward while accessing POB; tubing removed so passenger air was available. Flight Attendant B contacted Flight Deck with initial assessment while Flight Attendant B administered oxygen. Flight Attendant A asked passenger questions to further assess condition. The passenger mentioned that she had a double mastectomy; had just rec'd chemo (her left arm was heavily bandaged); and she was also experienced acute chest pain and nausea. Flight Attendant A alerted the flight deck to clarify condition of passenger and she had nausea prescription in her purse. Flight Attendant B pulled anti-nausea pill out of bottle and checked dosage before administering. While Flight Attendant A was communicating with the flight deck (decision to divert and Commercial Medical Consultant directive [us] to administer 4 baby aspirin or 1 adult). Flight Attendant A removed scarf; shawl; jacket and long necklace to help the passenger cool down and prevent tangling with POB lines. The passenger was clearly distressed (tears flowing from eyes; very warm). Initially; Flight Attendant B had made request for medical personnel on board; with no response. About 5 minutes into our response a larger man came forward but initially didn't say anything. Flight Attendant A asked him to return to his seat; he than casually said that he was a firefighter but did not show urgent consideration and we were in control of the situation by that time as the decision to divert had been made. Passenger did seem to get better with oxygen; Flight Attendant A secured POB to rail under-seat; and filled out medical assistance form while Flight Attendant B continued to assist and monitor the passenger's condition. She had said that her pain initially was at a 9 or 10 but had lessened to about 6 after anti-nausea and aspirin as well as oxygen. The flight deck was superb in decisiveness and support; Flight Attendant B was calm and her CRM between flight deck and Flight Attendant A (myself) was clear. We were able to assist the passenger without drawing undo attention; securing her safety and comforting her in a difficult time. The medical assistance form was given to paramedics. Just a recommendation; that is the second time; I have had to locate an item in the emergency medical kit (EEMK). Because I remembered that things are tightly packed and can be difficult to locate (I was able to remember where the aspirin was located) it reminded me that; I think it would be good for initial/recurrent training to actually view the open EEMK to not have to scramble and locate items. Particularly to note that it is important to calmly find and confirm the right items. Also; after the fact; Flight Attendant B and myself discussed the nature of the man who came forward from the back of the aircraft. He did not ring his flight attendant call button to identify himself and did not express serious concern; effort; willingness or credentials. We acknowledged that this could have been someone whose help may have been more of an interference; as well as a security threat under different circumstances. We were in front of the cabin and passengers.
A CRJ-700 Flight Attendant described the events following a passenger becoming seriously ill during flight which resulted in a diversion.