A passenger illness at top of descent successfully handled.

Attributes
ACN	538480
Time
Date	200202
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	538480
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness
Independent Detector	other other : person 6
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

At the top of our descent into chicago, we were notified of a passenger who had lost consciousness and was on the floor. A deadheading physician was on board and assisted our flight attendants with the passenger. Using the medical kit for the aspirin, a portable oxygen bottle, and the defibrillator standing by for us, if needed. While this was underway, a deadheading crew member in uniform kept me updated with the status of the apparently gravely ill passenger over the cockpit interphone at the forward galley area. Recommendations for immediate landing were being followed, and an emergency was declared for expeditious handling by ord approach. Ambulance and emt met the airplane at the gate and the now revived passenger departed with the assistance of paramedics. Thanks and a commendation for a job well done should be extended to all 3 of our professional bos flight attendants, the doctor, and the unknown deadheading captain in uniform for making this event pass with a successful conclusion for all concerned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PAX ILLNESS AT TOP OF DSCNT SUCCESSFULLY HANDLED.

Narrative: AT THE TOP OF OUR DSCNT INTO CHICAGO, WE WERE NOTIFIED OF A PAX WHO HAD LOST CONSCIOUSNESS AND WAS ON THE FLOOR. A DEADHEADING PHYSICIAN WAS ON BOARD AND ASSISTED OUR FLT ATTENDANTS WITH THE PAX. USING THE MEDICAL KIT FOR THE ASPIRIN, A PORTABLE OXYGEN BOTTLE, AND THE DEFIBRILLATOR STANDING BY FOR US, IF NEEDED. WHILE THIS WAS UNDERWAY, A DEADHEADING CREW MEMBER IN UNIFORM KEPT ME UPDATED WITH THE STATUS OF THE APPARENTLY GRAVELY ILL PAX OVER THE COCKPIT INTERPHONE AT THE FORWARD GALLEY AREA. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMMEDIATE LNDG WERE BEING FOLLOWED, AND AN EMER WAS DECLARED FOR EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING BY ORD APCH. AMBULANCE AND EMT MET THE AIRPLANE AT THE GATE AND THE NOW REVIVED PAX DEPARTED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF PARAMEDICS. THANKS AND A COMMENDATION FOR A JOB WELL DONE SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL 3 OF OUR PROFESSIONAL BOS FLT ATTENDANTS, THE DOCTOR, AND THE UNKNOWN DEADHEADING CAPT IN UNIFORM FOR MAKING THIS EVENT PASS WITH A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION FOR ALL CONCERNED.

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.