17.1: Medical & First Aid
Cabin crew members are required to hold a first aid certificate, as they are the first responders in the event of passengers becoming ill during the flight. Part of knowing first aid, and being able to administer the best medical assistance in the event of an emergency, begins by being able to identify symptoms of ill health passengers display.
17.2: Minor medical issues can include:
1.Air sickness (most common)
2.Ear pain
3.Sinus Pain
4.Panic Attacks (also common)
5.Fainting
6.Diarrhoea
7.Hyperventilation
8.Minor cuts
9.Scalding
10.Burns
11.Heartburn
12.Dehydration
17.3: More serious medical concerns include:
1.Shock
2.Fractures
3.Asthma Attacks
4.Diabetes Attacks
5.Seizures
6.Hypoxia
7.Heart Attack
8.Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
9.Angina Attack
10.Choking
11.An Emergency Childbirth
12.Death on board the flight
The list above is not exhaustive, as there could be any type of medical emergency during a flight. However, the first aid training cabin crew receive; will train you to deal with the scenarios outlined above.
17.4: Administering First Aid to Passengers
Assessing the situation is the very first thing cabin crew must do, and that's done using the DRABC technique.
1.Danger
2.Response
3.Airway
4.Breathing
5.Compressions
CPR may need to be performed, therefore you will need to know CPR(cardiopulmonary resuscitation), as well as the recovery position, and the use of medical equipment on-board, such as the Automated External Defibrillator (AED), first aid kit (FAK), and how to apply bandages, dressings, splints, and slings in the event of fracture. The most common problem cabin crew face during a flight when first aid needs to be administered is the space restrictions within the cabin, alongside medical equipment restrictions. There's also the issue of often not knowing a passenger's medical history, and in the event of severe health problems, it can take an extended period of time for a flight to divert for an unscheduled landing, to receive medical assistance on the ground.
During emergency situations, the cabin crew may be required to use the PA system to announce a medical emergency and ask the assistance of any registered nurses, doctors, or other medical professional aboard the flight. When there's no-one qualified to assist, another member of the cabin crew would need to be in communication with ground control, receiving medical instructions on how to proceed. The flight crew will also need to be aware of the situation in order to prepare for a diversion, if necessary . There are several different types of medical equipment on-board an aircraft, however not every cabin crew member will be trained, or authorised to use them.
Basic first aid kits (FAKs) are distributed throughout the aircraft. In accordance with legislation, there's one FAK per 100 seats installed.Emergency first aid kits (EFAKs) will also be stored in the galley area, or cabin crew rest area. The emergency medical kit (EMK), sometimes referred to as the doctors' box, will only be used by a qualified doctor, a paramedic, or a registered nurse. The cabin crew are not permitted to use the EMK.
The Resuscitation Mask will be used when mouth-to-mouth resuscitation needs to be administered. An oxygen bottle will be on-board the flight for use when required, however there's also an AED (defibrillator) which is only to be used by trained cabin crew members. In extreme medical situations, ground to air medical assistance will be required, which involves ground services advising cabin crew during the medical assistance period.
Module Summary
In this module you learned that cabin crew members are required to hold a first aid certificate - and for good reason. In the event of a passenger of fellow crew member being taken ill during a flight it will be your responsibility to attend to them . The type of illnesses and conditions that you may face will be varied. You could have to deal with passengers who are suffering minor medical issues through to life-threatening serious medical concerns. You found out about how space restrictions can hamper your efforts and how you may have tosummon any registered doctors or nurses on-board the flight to assist you.
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