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Air carrier flight attendant reported that items were missing from the aircraft's medical kit. In addition; it was noted that some commonly used medical testing devices were not included in the air carrier's medical kit inventory.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1473485 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201708 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | A321 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | First Aid Equipment with Medical Kit & Defibrillator |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Flight Attendant (On Duty) |
| Qualification | Flight Attendant Current |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness |
Narrative:
During inflight medical emergency; tourniquet discovered missing from sealed imk (inflight medical kit). Additionally; no red biohazard bag packed in sealed grab-n-go bag.medical professional requested blood glucose monitor; informed not part of basic imk contents. Third request this year for similar device during medical emergencies. I recall this being a request during my previous time as analyst. Request this device be added to kit since it offers medical health care provided a greater understanding of ill passenger's condition. Nurse practitioner was very surprised to learn that [the company] doesn't carry such an inexpensive device in our medical kits.related to same event; delay incurred in rendering necessary care for ill passenger due to basic information regarding passenger not being relayed by poc (physician on call) during initial notification of illness (see suggestions below).it's still unclear if flight deck crew failed to provide initial info in a timely manner; transmission was not received by dispatcher; or poc's response was simply untimely. Regardless; this lapse delayed necessary and sound medical care to an ill passenger. [Medical emergency info] was provided to flight deck crew during initial notification (45 minutes after takeoff). Passenger stabilized and didn't require additional care until 1.5 hours prior to landing. It was during that time frame that nurse requested to start iv in order to hydrate and establish a line should additional drugs be required due to heart condition. Requested authorization from flight deck (through poc) and was told (by first officer) that dispatcher/poc was delaying approval since they requested information previously sent immediately after take-off (age; sex; basic health condition; etc.) after a 20-25 minute delay; I called the flight deck informing this passenger could wait no longer; thus requesting 'captain's authority' to override the poc and give the nurse practitioner approval to start I.V. For ill the passenger. Captain approved my request. However; the delay (and haphazard line of communication) was unnecessary and bordered irresponsible on [the company's] behalf.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Air carrier flight attendant reported that items were missing from the aircraft's medical kit. In addition; it was noted that some commonly used medical testing devices were not included in the air carrier's medical kit inventory.
Narrative: During inflight medical emergency; tourniquet discovered missing from sealed IMK (Inflight Medical Kit). Additionally; no red biohazard bag packed in sealed Grab-n-Go bag.Medical professional requested blood glucose monitor; informed not part of basic IMK contents. Third request this year for similar device during medical emergencies. I recall this being a request during my previous time as analyst. Request this device be added to kit since it offers medical health care provided a greater understanding of ill passenger's condition. Nurse Practitioner was very surprised to learn that [the company] doesn't carry such an inexpensive device in our medical kits.Related to same event; delay incurred in rendering necessary care for ill passenger due to basic information regarding passenger not being relayed by POC (Physician on Call) during initial notification of illness (see suggestions below).It's still unclear if flight deck crew failed to provide initial info in a timely manner; transmission was not received by dispatcher; or POC's response was simply untimely. Regardless; this lapse delayed necessary and sound medical care to an ill passenger. [Medical emergency info] was provided to flight deck crew during initial notification (45 minutes after takeoff). Passenger stabilized and didn't require additional care until 1.5 hours prior to landing. It was during that time frame that nurse requested to start IV in order to hydrate and establish a line should additional drugs be required due to heart condition. Requested authorization from flight deck (through POC) and was told (by FO) that dispatcher/POC was delaying approval since they requested information previously sent immediately after take-off (age; sex; basic health condition; etc.) After a 20-25 minute delay; I called the flight deck informing this passenger could wait no longer; thus requesting 'captain's authority' to override the POC and give the Nurse Practitioner approval to start I.V. for ill the passenger. Captain approved my request. However; the delay (and haphazard line of communication) was unnecessary and bordered irresponsible on [the company's] behalf.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.