Medical Emergiencies aboard an Airplane, what to do differen

[dzmohr]

As far as the Good Sam thing goes, if you accept anything you could be on shaky ground. Here is a wiki reference and another reference to a site that seems to have a good deal of info (admittedly I have not gone through it, but maybe someone can and let us know). I have a feeling it might depend on the mood of the judge the day that you show up in court, but I am basing that on very little information and very little sleep.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Samaritan_law

http://medi-smart.com/gslaw.htm

Good point! The Judge can decide any way he wants to, but the specific verbiage of every Good Sam law I have seen ( 20-25 States and Federal) have language to the effect of "without the expectation of remuneration" or " without anticipating remuneration." While a Judge would have the power to rule the 50 dollar gift certificate your City gave you as part of a citation for bravery in a Good Sam off duty case would be remuneration he would most likely have a problem on appeal explaining how there was an expectation or anticipation when the care was rendered as opposed to an unanticipated, unexpected gift after the fact.

Now if you ASKED for a flight voucher,or a drink related to the provision of care you would not be an employee of the airline, but you WOULD be anticipating or expecting remuneration.

In my mind the relevant reason for not accepting the drink or voucher would be ethics, not legal liability.

[mrt2113]

As far as the Good Sam thing goes, if you accept anything you could be on shaky ground. Here is a wiki reference and another reference to a site that seems to have a good deal of info (admittedly I have not gone through it, but maybe someone can and let us know). I have a feeling it might depend on the mood of the judge the day that you show up in court, but I am basing that on very little information and very little sleep.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Samaritan_law

http://medi-smart.com/gslaw.htm

First of all, wikipedia is the most unreliable source you will ever use. Anyone can put anything there... and i mean anything

I don't know about the other site but I don't identify myself as a medic unless there was an emergency on the plane. I fly between 20 and 30 times a year and the worst I have seen as someone said before a diabetic who needed a cup of orange juice to a little kit crying because he had a paper cut and in both instances I kept watching my movie.

[asrnj77]

I would doubt that, but if so, that is alarming.

not sure why this would be alarming....the FAM (federal air marsal) program is trying to get a lot of FAMs trained as EMT-B's. The problem though is that they don't really want them to blow their cover on a twisted ankle patient...its pretty much for plug and play knife/penetrating trauma wounds to crew/pilot/each other. If that was an air marshal asking its probably just because he is interested and ACLS is a "cool" buzzword

[Dustdevil]

not sure why this would be alarming....the FAM (federal air marsal) program is trying to get a lot of FAMs trained as EMT-B's.

Horrible idea on SO many levels.

But then again, so is the whole FAM programme.

[ERDoc]

First of all, wikipedia is the most unreliable source you will ever use. Anyone can put anything there... and i mean anything

I don't know about the other site but I don't identify myself as a medic unless there was an emergency on the plane. I fly between 20 and 30 times a year and the worst I have seen as someone said before a diabetic who needed a cup of orange juice to a little kit crying because he had a paper cut and in both instances I kept watching my movie.

What are you talking about? I have hardcopies of all Wiki entries right on the shelf next to my copies of Annal of Emergency Medicine. It is the leading authority on everything. Are you trying to tell me that the population of the African Elephant has not tripled over the last 6 months??? I have never identified myself as a doctor when boarding, but if one was asked for during the flight I would step up.

[tniuqs]

Are you trying to tell me that the population of the African Elephant has not tripled over the last 6 months???

Really..... Man o Man I just have to get out more!

[ERDoc]

Really..... Man o Man I just have to get out more!

Sorry. This may have been lost on some people outside of the US. It is a Stephen Colbert reference. Here's the details for those of you who want to know:

http://spring.newsvine.com/_news/2006/08/0...ocked-from-site

[tniuqs]

Sorry. This may have been lost on some people.

Hey in real life I am a Turnip!

To answer this threads query:

When onboard aircraft...if I knew I could get free drinks I would... er .... will in future, thanks for that advice all.

But then if "I was impaired" I would be forced "ethically" to stand back and watch the fictious Air Marshall or some medic earn his wages. I am beginning to wonder just whom would be the "poser" in here.... obviously not "akroeze" even though he does look like an escape from "HULL" ?

Personally getting "put out" by some that would profess to be professional, slamming those with nothing but honorable intentions and despite the fact that proctologists, RN, and EMTs would be of any value in an onboard medical emergency ... sheesh, lord give me strength, and admin give me latitude, to speak my mind, please.

cheers and squinting.

[AnthonyM83]

Identifying oneself as a medic just seems kinda weird to me. I haven't flown since becoming an EMT, but I don't think the idea of identifying myself would even come to mind...even if I was a medic. Mentioning it in conversation with the flight attendants is totally different, though...(hey, were you trying to get into the mile-high club?).

As for the reimbursement for drinks, I would imagine that to be a problem only for the poster who brought it up, because he flies all the time. Once it turns into a custom and starts expecting the drinks under that unspoken understanding, it could be considered employmenet maybe...though who the heck would know? (well, guess they might ask you in court). If you just help out, then later accept drinks, it's not really employment. You did the action without being yet "employed" at that point in time.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Anthony, I never never never ask for free drinks. I was only relaying on the free drinks after assisting in an incident that someone told me.

If you accept any sort of renumeration for assisting be it free drinks or free flights you in essence have accepted payment for what you have done with assisting that a court could consider you an employee of the airline therefore opening up some really bad places we never want to go. The medical kit on a plane in nothing close to your jump kit and has a fraction of what you have.

As for identifying myself as a paramedic - I should have clarified, I fly so much that I only identify myself as a medic to the flight attendants that I know and let me tell you I know quite a few from Delta and Southwest.

I also do not identify myself to get in the mile high club as I don't have any aspirations of becoming a member without my wife gaining membership with me.

I have taken overseas flights and identified myself only if I've seen people who might require assistance such as people on oxygen or someone with a large pill bag.

Sorry for the miscommunication.