The Clinician’s Guide to In-Flight Emergencies

Table 2: Suggested Responses to In-Flight Medical Emergencies

Medical providers responding to in-flight medical emergencies should:

Introduce themselves and state their medical qualifications Ask the passenger for permission to treat, if feasible Request access to the medical kit or AED, as needed Use a language interpreter if necessary, while remaining aware of patient privacy Take a patient history, perform a focused physical examination, and obtain vital signs Administer treatment within the scope of their qualifications, with the patient remaining seated when possible Recommend diversion of the flight if the patient’s condition is critical Communicate and coordinate with ground-based medical resources Continue to provide care until the emergency medical condition is stabilized or care is transferred to other qualified medical personnel Document the patient encounter

AED=automated external defibrillator

Source: Nable et al. N Engl J Med. 2015;373:939-945.