Captain opens medical kit without doctor permission in emergency situation.

Attributes
ACN	246037
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pdx
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse tracon : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 850
ASRS Report	246037
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Upon level off over pdx on a flight from sea to lax, the lead flight attendant informed me that we had a baby on board that was having difficulty breathing. An right.north. And third yr medical student were checking out the child and requested a stethoscope. I opened the emergency medical kit to give them the stethoscope, even though our flight operations manual dictates that the kit may only be used with the authorization of an M.D. Or D.O. Under the circumstances, I felt that it was urgent to determine the seriousness of the problem so that an immediate diversion could be made if necessary. Under the circumstances, going through the process of contacting the company and getting a patch through to the mayo clinic for a doctor's authorization to open the medical kit did not make sense. I believe that our procedures should be changed to permit opening the emergency medical kit to use the stethoscope without a doctor's authorization. The ability to do so could aid in determining the need for a landing short of destination or, as in our situation, could prevent making a needless diversion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OPENS MEDICAL KIT WITHOUT DOCTOR PERMISSION IN EMER SIT.

Narrative: UPON LEVEL OFF OVER PDX ON A FLT FROM SEA TO LAX, THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED ME THAT WE HAD A BABY ON BOARD THAT WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY BREATHING. AN R.N. AND THIRD YR MEDICAL STUDENT WERE CHKING OUT THE CHILD AND REQUESTED A STETHOSCOPE. I OPENED THE EMER MEDICAL KIT TO GIVE THEM THE STETHOSCOPE, EVEN THOUGH OUR FLT OPS MANUAL DICTATES THAT THE KIT MAY ONLY BE USED WITH THE AUTHORIZATION OF AN M.D. OR D.O. UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, I FELT THAT IT WAS URGENT TO DETERMINE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROB SO THAT AN IMMEDIATE DIVERSION COULD BE MADE IF NECESSARY. UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING THE COMPANY AND GETTING A PATCH THROUGH TO THE MAYO CLINIC FOR A DOCTOR'S AUTHORIZATION TO OPEN THE MEDICAL KIT DID NOT MAKE SENSE. I BELIEVE THAT OUR PROCS SHOULD BE CHANGED TO PERMIT OPENING THE EMER MEDICAL KIT TO USE THE STETHOSCOPE WITHOUT A DOCTOR'S AUTHORIZATION. THE ABILITY TO DO SO COULD AID IN DETERMINING THE NEED FOR A LNDG SHORT OF DEST OR, AS IN OUR SIT, COULD PREVENT MAKING A NEEDLESS DIVERSION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.