Narrative:

The first officer received a call from the cabin requesting that the cabin be cooled down because a passenger was feeling ill. Approx 5 min later first officer received a call from the cabin that the passenger passed out in the flight attendant's arms and that they were searching for medical professional on board. Before the first officer was able to get any additional information the flight attendant that called hung up. The first officer briefed me on the current situation. I instructed him to prepare for a possible diversion. I got the ops freq for him and we set the FMS for the diversion. I then took over ATC comm and instructed the first officer to get more information from the flight attendants on the age/sex of passenger name or seat assignment etc in case we needed to make a medical phone patch call. While he was talking to the flight attendant I informed ATC of our situation and the possibility of diverting for an unknown medical situation with a passenger that has passed out in the cabin. The first officer got in touch with one of the flight attendant and received some basic information that the passenger was female; non english speaking; vomiting and abdominal pains with two rn's evaluating her. The flight attendant then hung up on the first officer again. The first officer briefed me on the information he received and informed me that in his opinion that both flight attendants were in a panic. The first officer and I discussed the situation and I instructed him that we were 45 min from landing in ZZZ2 or 10 min from ZZZ. We both agreed we needed more info from the flight attendants and rn before beginning our diversion. I received instruction from ATC to descend to FL320 and switch to another ATC controller. I checked in with that ATC controller and advised him of the situation of a possible diversion to ZZZ after we received additional information from the cabin on the condition of the passenger. During my conversation with ATC I heard the first officer inform the flight attendant that she needed to ask the rns for more information on the condition of the passenger; needed a seat assignment at least; and to tell the rn's that we needed a decision whether to continue to ZZZ2 that will take 40 min or divert to ZZZ that will take 10 min. When the first officer got off with the flight attendant I informed him of our decent to fl 320 and switched to another center freq. We again discussed the situation with the flight attendant and finished preparations for diversion to ZZZ. First officer got ATIS and we set up for landing on runway 23 in ZZZ. First officer then received a call from the flight attendant with seat assignment of passenger and that the rn's agreed that it would be best to divert to ZZZ. When I heard that on the interphone I informed ATC of or need to divert to ZZZ for a medical emergency. ATC gave us a left descending turn to direct ZZZ. I informed ATC that we wanted paramedics; ambulance to meet the aircraft for a female passenger in her mid 30's with abdominal pains and vomiting. After the first officer got off with the flight attendant. I brief him of our ATC instructions; asked him to call the company and instruct them that we will be diverting to ZZZ for a medical emergency and to pass on the information to our dispatcher and that we will call him on the ground in ZZZ. We then completed all checklist and when we contacted ZZZ approach control were given straight in to rwy xx. We landed 10 min after beginning our descent on rwy xx and in the gate; 2 min after landing. Paramedics took the passenger off the plane and she was transported to a local hospital. The first officer suggested that he talk to the flight attendant's on the situation to evaluate whether we should continue the flight to ZZZ2 with them. I agreed. (First officer is a certified paramedic) I contacted dispatch and gave him all the information I had and while I was on the phone with him I was handed thepassenger boarding stub with the passenger's name and passed it onto dispatch. After I finished my call with dispatch a flight attendant came up to the cockpit. I asked her if there was anything used as far as emergency equip the passenger. She informed me that just the stethoscope and blood pressure cuff out of the eemk [enhanced emergency medical kit] were used and replaced into the kit. The first officer returned to the cockpit and informed me that he talked to both the flight attendants and they were more relaxed and he felt that they were capable to continue the flight to ZZZ2 and back to ZZZ. A few min later flight attendant 1 brought up one of the flight attendant O2 bottles and informed me that they had to give the passenger O2 and that the bottle pressure was below 1500 psi. I was a little disgusted and informed her that it needed to be replaced or serviced before we can leave ZZZ. I told her that I needed to know all the equipment that was used for this passenger; and should have be told of this when I asked the first time. (Note at this time the paramedics had already removed the passenger and we had been on the ground for about 15 min.) I called maintenance control about the O2 bottle and later discussed swapping the O2 bottle with the other CRJ9 that was overnighting. Contract maintenance did show up at the aircraft and serviced the O2 bottle. After contract maintenance had finished the servicing of the O2 bottle and took the maintenance logbook to sign off the writeup the first officer and I prepared the aircraft for departure. The next two flights were uneventful. After returning back to ZZZ for the overnight I was performing my shutdown checklist when the flight attendant presented me the inventory checklist for the eemk [emergency medical kit] and first aid kit. I again was disgusted. The eemk showed that the all items were in the eemk but she had checked that it was incomplete and serviceable. One of the first aid kits was used and the latex gloves were used and the kit was incomplete. I informed her that this inventory should have been completed before we left ZZZ for ZZZ2 and I should have been informed when I asked her if any emergency equipment was used of the O2 bottle and the latex gloves were used. I then called maintenance control to defer the first aid kit and after discussing the eemk with him he decided to defer both the eemk and the first aid kit that were used. I left the aircraft at xa:30 local time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ diverted to a nearby airport in response to a passenger medical emergency. The Captain expressed some concern about the professionalism of the Cabin Attendants' familiarity with the administrative aspects of the aircraft emergency equipment.

Narrative: The First Officer received a call from the cabin requesting that the cabin be cooled down because a passenger was feeling ill. Approx 5 min later First Officer received a call from the cabin that the passenger passed out in the Flight Attendant's arms and that they were searching for medical professional on board. Before the First Officer was able to get any additional information the Flight Attendant that called hung up. The First Officer briefed me on the current situation. I instructed him to prepare for a possible diversion. I got the ops freq for him and we set the FMS for the diversion. I then took over ATC comm and instructed the First Officer to get more information from the Flight Attendants on the age/sex of passenger name or seat assignment etc in case we needed to make a medical phone patch call. While he was talking to the Flight Attendant I informed ATC of our situation and the possibility of diverting for an unknown medical situation with a passenger that has passed out in the cabin. The First Officer got in touch with one of the Flight Attendant and received some basic information that the passenger was female; non English speaking; vomiting and abdominal pains with two RN's evaluating her. The Flight Attendant then hung up on the First Officer again. The First Officer briefed me on the information he received and informed me that in his opinion that both Flight Attendants were in a panic. The First Officer and I discussed the situation and I instructed him that we were 45 min from landing in ZZZ2 or 10 min from ZZZ. We both agreed we needed more info from the Flight Attendants and RN before beginning our diversion. I received instruction from ATC to descend to FL320 and switch to another ATC controller. I checked in with that ATC controller and advised him of the situation of a possible diversion to ZZZ after we received additional information from the cabin on the condition of the passenger. During my conversation with ATC I heard the First Officer inform the Flight Attendant that she needed to ask the RNs for more information on the condition of the passenger; needed a seat assignment at least; and to tell the RN's that we needed a decision whether to continue to ZZZ2 that will take 40 min or divert to ZZZ that will take 10 min. When the First Officer got off with the Flight Attendant I informed him of our decent to FL 320 and switched to another center freq. We again discussed the situation with the Flight Attendant and finished preparations for diversion to ZZZ. First Officer got ATIS and we set up for landing on RWY 23 in ZZZ. First Officer then received a call from the Flight Attendant with seat assignment of passenger and that the RN's agreed that it would be best to divert to ZZZ. When I heard that on the Interphone I informed ATC of or need to divert to ZZZ for a medical emergency. ATC gave us a left descending turn to direct ZZZ. I informed ATC that we wanted paramedics; ambulance to meet the Aircraft for a female passenger in her mid 30's with abdominal pains and vomiting. After the First Officer got off with the Flight Attendant. I brief him of our ATC instructions; asked him to call the company and instruct them that we will be diverting to ZZZ for a medical emergency and to pass on the information to our dispatcher and that we will call him on the ground in ZZZ. We then completed all checklist and when we contacted ZZZ Approach Control were given straight in to Rwy XX. We landed 10 min after beginning our descent on Rwy XX and in the Gate; 2 min after landing. Paramedics took the passenger off the plane and she was transported to a local hospital. The First Officer suggested that he talk to the Flight Attendant's on the situation to evaluate whether we should continue the flight to ZZZ2 with them. I agreed. (First Officer is a certified paramedic) I contacted dispatch and gave him all the information I had and while I was on the phone with him I was handed thepassenger boarding stub with the passenger's name and passed it onto dispatch. After I finished my call with Dispatch a Flight Attendant came up to the cockpit. I asked her if there was anything used as far as emergency equip the passenger. She informed me that just the stethoscope and blood pressure cuff out of the EEMK [Enhanced Emergency Medical Kit] were used and replaced into the kit. The First Officer returned to the cockpit and informed me that he talked to both the Flight Attendants and they were more relaxed and he felt that they were capable to continue the flight to ZZZ2 and back to ZZZ. A few min later Flight Attendant 1 brought up one of the Flight Attendant O2 bottles and informed me that they had to give the passenger O2 and that the bottle pressure was below 1500 psi. I was a little disgusted and informed her that it needed to be replaced or serviced before we can leave ZZZ. I told her that I needed to know all the equipment that was used for this passenger; and should have be told of this when I asked the first time. (Note at this time the paramedics had already removed the passenger and we had been on the ground for about 15 min.) I called Maintenance Control about the O2 bottle and later discussed swapping the O2 bottle with the other CRJ9 that was overnighting. Contract Maintenance did show up at the aircraft and serviced the O2 bottle. After contract Maintenance had finished the servicing of the O2 bottle and took the maintenance logbook to sign off the writeup the first officer and I prepared the aircraft for departure. The next two flights were uneventful. After returning back to ZZZ for the overnight I was performing my shutdown checklist when the Flight Attendant presented me the inventory checklist for the EEMK [Emergency Medical Kit] and First Aid Kit. I again was disgusted. The EEMK showed that the all items were in the EEMK but she had checked that it was incomplete and serviceable. One of the First Aid Kits was used and the latex gloves were used and the kit was incomplete. I informed her that this inventory should have been completed before we left ZZZ for ZZZ2 and I should have been informed when I asked her if any emergency equipment was used of the O2 bottle and the latex gloves were used. I then called Maintenance Control to defer the First Aid Kit and after discussing the EEMK with him he decided to defer both the EEMK and the First Aid Kit that were used. I left the Aircraft at XA:30 local time.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.