Cabin attendant report, B757, aua-mia. Boy had severe abdominal pain. Passenger rn monitored, decisi...

Attributes
ACN	481256
Time
Date	200008
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zma.artcc
State Reference	FL
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 7
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 8.50 flight attendant time total : 10.5 flight attendant time type : 50
ASRS Report	481256
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness
Independent Detector	other other : cab #1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to alternate flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

We began the beverage service in first class, when I was informed of a child with severe abdominal discomfort. A PA was made requesting the assistance of a volunteer md, do, rn, lpn or emt. An rn responded. From what the rn said, the decision was made to return to aua, so that the boy could get immediate medical attention. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that they had just taken off from aruba and had leveled off, when a woman flagged the reporter down to help her boy. After the nurse recommended that they get medical assistance and they were on their way back to aruba, a doctor (md) idented himself and said that the boy's abdominal pain was 'benign,' and they shouldn't have to return to aruba. The reporter asked why he hadn't idented himself earlier, and he replied that he didn't want to get involved. From the reporter's experience, most established doctors don't identify themselves in a case of a medical emergency. It is only the younger, less established doctors who are willing to help. The boy and his mother went to a local hospital after they landed. The reporter doesn't know the outcome.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT RPT, B757, AUA-MIA. BOY HAD SEVERE ABDOMINAL PAIN. PAX RN MONITORED, DECISION TO RETURN TO AUA FOR MEDICAL ATTN.

Narrative: WE BEGAN THE BEVERAGE SVC IN FIRST CLASS, WHEN I WAS INFORMED OF A CHILD WITH SEVERE ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT. A PA WAS MADE REQUESTING THE ASSISTANCE OF A VOLUNTEER MD, DO, RN, LPN OR EMT. AN RN RESPONDED. FROM WHAT THE RN SAID, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO RETURN TO AUA, SO THAT THE BOY COULD GET IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THEY HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM ARUBA AND HAD LEVELED OFF, WHEN A WOMAN FLAGGED THE RPTR DOWN TO HELP HER BOY. AFTER THE NURSE RECOMMENDED THAT THEY GET MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND THEY WERE ON THEIR WAY BACK TO ARUBA, A DOCTOR (MD) IDENTED HIMSELF AND SAID THAT THE BOY'S ABDOMINAL PAIN WAS 'BENIGN,' AND THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO RETURN TO ARUBA. THE RPTR ASKED WHY HE HADN'T IDENTED HIMSELF EARLIER, AND HE REPLIED THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED. FROM THE RPTR'S EXPERIENCE, MOST ESTABLISHED DOCTORS DON'T IDENT THEMSELVES IN A CASE OF A MEDICAL EMER. IT IS ONLY THE YOUNGER, LESS ESTABLISHED DOCTORS WHO ARE WILLING TO HELP. THE BOY AND HIS MOTHER WENT TO A LCL HOSPITAL AFTER THEY LANDED. THE RPTR DOESN'T KNOW THE OUTCOME.

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.

Cabin attendant report, B757, aua-mia. Boy had severe abdominal pain. Passenger rn monitored, decision to return to aua for medical attention.